Germany Trip, Day 22

Last day in Europa, spent in Amsterdam

Two kitties in a restaurant window. Hopefully they are the anti-rodent squad. Note the reflection in the window.

Red Light District by day

Canal near the Red Light District in the morning.

The name of this coffeeshop really struck me. I wonder if the Marx estates are getting any royalties. (Coffeeshops are where marijuana and hashish are legally bought and consumed. They have menus which will list the various types of marijuana available in a prerolled cigarette or loose. The coffeeshops often provides free rolling paper.)

Madame Tussaud's

This should be self explainatory. Happy Shop & Sex Shop is redundant, right?

Statue to sex workers

A windmill? In Holland??!

New York was New Amsterdam before the British took it over.

Germany Trip, Day 21

Arrival in Amsterdam

Could not sleep, excited about starting this last leg of this trip. I had the bagel (sesame) I bought at the (kosher) bagel store, just a block and a half from the hotel. Tried to get online at the Dunkin Doughnuts, but both computers I tried didn't want to cooperate. No problemo, I'll get online at the airport. The only online I got here was to check in and to go through security. If you haven't already figured out. I'm posting from my phone. Its going to be a trip to put some appropriate pictures online for the past 3 days.

Baron von Richtoven flies again, from Berlin's Tegel

Arrived in Amsterdam noonish. Left luggage at airport, just took two small back packs.

I love this town!!

The canals

The churches

The bridges

The shopping

Hard Rock Cafe

I had dinner at the Hard Rock, something I don't usually do, but I was there and didn't have the energy to look for a restaurant. The food was good, I didn't expect to finish the ample serving, and I didn't, but I ate more than I expected I would. I must have been hungrier than I thought or the food was really good.

I had a minor issue after dinner, which the manager, John R. took care of. John could not have been nicer and reflects highly on the Hard Rock organization. He is deserving of a big fat raise!! After all, the € doesn't go as far as it once did.

The back of the HRC opens onto a canal... DUH!!!

Germany Trip, Day 20

More correctly, "ich bin Berliner!"

Underground station at what is probably the most famous Berlin street.

Visited the Reichstag... the Bundestag that is

Dome atop the Reichstag, er Bundestag

Interior

The view is impressive

I wasn't alone!

East Side Gallery- portion of the Berlin Wall with grafitti, longest "gallery" in the world, 1.6 km

Section of East Side Gallery

Ich bin 'Bear'liner

der König

Germany Trip, Day 19

"Ich bin ein Berliner!'
Got in at 7:30 left bags with hotel,

die Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnishirche, just like in the textbook.

Took 4 hr walking tour. Don't pick on my spelling. No internet access.

The tour took us to Friedrichstreße first.

Then to Museum Island, saw the exteriors of the museums, 'come back later when you have more time'

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Unter den Linden,

Checkpoint Charlie,

site of the Führer's bunker,

Memorial to the Murdered Jews,

Reichstag &

Brandenberg Tor. More or less got the layout of the city, try to see more in depth the next day.

Germany Trip, Day 18

Last day in Munich

Trying to squeeze in as much as I can. I packed up and took the U-Bahn to the Hauptbahnhof where I left my bags in a locker €5,0 for the day. I took the train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Bavarian village near the Zugspitze- the tallest mountain in Germany. The weather forecast wasn't good, but it was better than yesterday. It would be a shame to spend all that money and see nothing. From Garmisch I took the train to where we changed trains for a cogwheel train. Similar principle to the San Francisco trolleys,

.

It took us up and through a long tunnel to the top of the glacier.

I was amazed at how warm it was.

It was totally fogged clouded out, everything was white, but when you went into the 'sun' it felt warm. Back in the shade, cold again

From there a gondola and up to the summit of the highest mountain in Germany.

Upon return to Munich I went to the Feldherrnhalle.

This is where the Beerhall Putsch was put down. After the Nazis took power they installed memorials to the Nazis who died there. and required the citizenry to give the Hitler salute whenever passing by. Behind the Hall is Viscardigasse, an alley that people used to avoid having to salute the monuments. This street became known as 'shirker's alley'.

In 1998 the city of Munich laid bronze stones to remember the people who went out of their way to avoid rendering the 'Hitler Salute'

Schloss Nymphenburg, built by Ludwig II and used as the summer palace.

Night train for Berlin at 11:00 pm
"Save a day by travelling overnight!"
"Arrive at your destination relaxed and rested on one of the numerous routes within Germany and beyond." - Deutsche Bahn website.

They are full of S**T!
Full car, the set leaned back somewhat. It was an hour before they turned off the overhead lights. Had a beer in the dining car, didn't help much.

Germany Trip, Day 17

Wet dreary day in München
I am totally exhausted from today, I haven't written any commentary.
Unless I find myself at a 'hotspot' this probably won't get updated until Berlin on Tuesday. Tomorrow I will go to Garmisch-Partenkirschen, weather permitting. Stay tuned.

I could have posted a lot of pictures. If you want to see them email me later. These two sum it up for me.