Today we docked in Warnamunde, Germany, a coastal town with access to the interior. We chose to go to Berlin for the day, a long day indeed. The trip involved a 3 hour train ride (each way) followed by a 3 hour bus trip around town, and then 2 hours on our own, before we returned to the cruise ship. We were gone from 7:30 AM till 9:00 PM, a very long and tiring day.

We found Berlin extremely interesting and, after we massage our tired puppies and get some sleep we will probably reflect on an excellent excursion. We had photo stops at three of the city’s main attractions, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the East Side Gallery, the longest section of the Wall which has been preserved. The Brandenburg Gate was very impressive.  Its presence once signified the division of the city; now it symbolizes the unification of the city. The East Side Gallery is also interesting; artists from around the world were asked to paint sections of the Wall — very cool!

During our time alone, Lee and I tested my Walking Tour of Berlin and saw many of the other significant sights. The Berliner Dom (Berlin’s Cathedral) is magnificent, both on the outside and the inside. Alexanderplatz is very interesting with the tallest building in Berlin, the TV Tower, as well as the glorious Neptune Fountain. Nearby is Berlin’s impressive City Hall and th St Marienkirche (St Mary’s Church), a medieval gem. Perhaps the most beautiful sight on our walk was the Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin’s most exceptional and magnificent square. Two lovely churches, the  German Church and the French Church flank the classic Concert Hall.