The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall

One of the most iconic symbols of the Cold War was the infamous Berlin Wall which separated East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989.

After World War II, Germany, and the city of Berlin, were divided into American, British, French, and Soviet zones with border crossings such as Checkpoint Charlie.  Relationships quickly disintegrated, and in 1949 the American, British, and French sectors became West Germany, while the Soviet sector became East Germany.

Since the city of Berlin was situated entirely in the Soviet zone, West Berlin became an island of democracy within Communist East Germany.

Between 1949 and 1960, 2.5 million refugees, half under the age of 25, fled East Germany.  Roughly half a million people crossed the borders between East and West Berlin daily allowing an opportunity for citizens to compare living conditions on both sides.  East Germany was on the brink of social and economic collapse.

So on the night of 13 August 1961, while most Berliners slept, the Communist party of the German Democratic Republic (GDR, or East Germany) stretched a barbed wire and concrete barricade between East and West Berlin.  Officially, the wall was meant to keep Western “fascists” out of East Germany.  Primarily, though, it served to stem mass defections from East to West. 

Between 1961 and 1988, over 100,000 people tried to escape across the wall which stretched almost 100 miles with an average height of 11.8 feet and wrapped entirely around West Berlin.

As a deterrent to escape attempts, there was also a 300-foot-No-Man’s-Land, an additional inner wall, soldiers patrolling with dogs, a raked ground that showed footprints, anti-vehicle trenches, electric fences, massive light systems, watchtowers, bunkers, and minefields.

Indeed, these measures were major deterrents for escaping, but it is estimated that at least 5,000 managed to make it safely across the border.

In a speech at the Brandenburg Gate celebrating the 750^th anniversary of Berlin on 12 June 1987, US President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet Communist leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall” in support of increasing freedom in the Eastern Bloc.

The Berlin Wall stood until 9 November 1989 when the head of the East German Communist party announced that citizens of the GDR could cross the border any time they wanted.  Many celebrated by crossing the wall and bringing hammers and picks to chip away the iconic barrier.

After the wall fell, East and West Germany once again unified and Germany became a single state once again on 3 October 1990.

On 13 August 1998, a memorial was erected along Bernauer Strasse where traces of the former strip have been preserved.

But don’t expect to see much of the 100-mile long wall as most of it has been chiseled away and carted off.  Not much remains of the once infamous wall.

Both sides of the wall were featured in the John le Carre book (1963) and movie (1965) The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.  You’ll find the full movie here (107:24) and here (112:00), but it requires a lot of buffer time to load.

Dresden - Fine Porcelain

Dresden Lace

In 1708, Johann Friedrich Böttger discovered the secret of translucent white porcelain production.  He had been imprisoned by the Saxony ruler Augustus II the Strong because Böttger claimed he could make gold from raw materials. However, his discovery of how to produce “white gold” brought renown to the Saxony region.  The secret: baking the substance at high temperatures.

Dresden, Germany then became the hub of a prestigious porcelain decorating industry while the actual porcelain pieces were manufactured in nearby Meissen, Germany.  The first shop producing the luxurious porcelain started in Meissen in 1710 in a castle, as Augustus wanted a more secure location to protect this secret.

In 1872, the production of the fine china spread to Dresden with its first manufactory.  By the end of World War II, over 200 porcelain shops were located in Dresden.  Unfortunately, production came to a grinding halt with the Allied bombing of the city in 1945.

Dresden china can be recognized by markings on the bottom or back of the pieces.  Each piece is identified with the picture of a cobalt blue crown with a “D” or Dresden underneath.  Other markings denote which shop the piece was made in.

Meissen pieces are denoted with crossed blue swords.  The crossed swords represented Augustus II of Saxony who, as an admirer of fine porcelain made in China, encouraged the perfection of the making of German porcelain. 

Dresden and Meissen porcelain factories were also famous for using “Dresden lace” on the figurines, a process in which real lace was dipped in liquid porcelain and then attached to porcelain ball gowns or ballerinas.  These figurines are extremely fragile and easily breakable.

The Dresden design style features hand decorated plants, flowers, and fruits resembling the French Rococo style as well as gold gilding.  Designs were painted on place settings, serving pieces, and figurines.

The Dresden Porcelain Collection is part of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen (State Art Collection) located in Zwinger Palace in Dresden.  The collection was founded by Augustus the Strong in 1715 and includes his collection of fine porcelain, some produced in China and some unique Dresden pieces. 

The collection largely survived the Allied bombings through evacuation procedures.  They have been on display at the Zwinger since 1962.

After Augustus’s death in 1733, Count von Bühl became Prime Minister and factory director and commissioned what has become known as the Swan Service, a unique place setting service of over 1,400 pieces.  The dinner plates are shaped like sea shells and adorned with swans.

One of Dresden’s most famous sites, the Procession of Princes, is an outdoor mural created entirely from porcelain.

Enjoy this video Meissen Porcelain Factory Dresden.  Watch as they make the porcelain and see the finished product.

Dresden, Germany

Dresden on the Elbe River

Prior to World War II, Dresden, Germany, the capital of Saxony, was known as the “Florence of the Elbe” because of the multitude of striking Baroque buildings along the beautiful Elbe River.

Dresden became a city in 1206 and celebrated its 800^th birthday in 2006.  It gained this fame during the 18^th century under Augustus the Strong and his son Augustus III.  Their vision produced many of Dresden’s iconic buildings including the Zwinger Palace, the Semper Oper (Opera House), the Lutheran Frauenkirche, and the Catholic Hofkirche.

But on the night of 13 February 1945 as WWII was coming to an end, Allied bombers from Britain and the United States reduced the city to a pile of rubble killing over 25,000 people—although the exact number is unknown. Over 75 percent of the city’s historic center was destroyed.

Although Allied forces claimed the attack on the city was justified because of transportation and local factories serving German needs, the attack has drawn controversy over the years for destroying such a cultural center.

Today most of the city has been restored, although parts are still under reconstruction.  The most well-known of Dresden’s buildings, the Frauenkirche, which was completely destroyed, was restored in 2005 with its donated gold cross from the UK acting as a call to peace to all nations.

One Dresden icon, the 335-foot long outdoor mural entitled the Procession of Princes, depicts a parade of 35 rulers of the House of Wettin since 1127. Today the mural is made entirely of weatherproof ceramic tiles which replaced three earlier paintings which could not withstand the elements. Miraculously, the tiles survived the aerial bombing in 1945.

The Old Town area is one of the most popular tourist spots, but visitors will notice that many of the pre-war buildings still look black and burned—one of the few German cities, other than Berlin, that still shows evidence of WWII.

This site from the Library of Congress, shows numerous vintage photos of pre-war Dresden in all its glory, as well as photos of the devastated city. In particular, see Frauenkirche and New Market Square, 1930 and View of Dresden’s Newmarkt and the Frauenkirche, August 1949. And do look at the photo of the inside of the church. It is absolutely gorgeous!

This video, Beautiful Dresden – Bombed and Rebuilt, does an excellent job of telling Dresden’s story and providing a unique look at the city before and after restoration.

Literary note: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was in Dresden as a POW that fateful day in 1945. He later became a celebrated author writing his novel Slaughterhouse Five in 1969 about his experiences. It was made into a movie in 1972.

A TV movie entitled Dresden (2006) set against the historic bombing features a romance between a British pilot hiding in Germany and a German nurse.

Berlin - Checkpoint Charlie Museum

Checkpoint Charlie Museum

Founded by human rights activist Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie explores the history of the Berlin Wall and the stories of the people whose lives were affected by it.  It depicts objects used to get over, under, and through the Berlin Wall in their efforts to escape the so-called “best border security system in the world.”

Celebrating its 50^th birthday, the museum also hosts a new exhibition tracing movements which have promoted human rights from 1800 onwards and how the struggle continues today.

The permanent exhibit traces the history of the Berlin Wall.  On exhibit are some of the various deceptive means of escape including hot air balloons, escape cars, suitcases, homemade mini-subs, and even a cleverly hollowed out surfboard.

The human rights exhibit entitled From Gandhi to Walesa: Non-Violent Struggle for Human Rights Worldwide, features a diary and wooden sandals of Mahatma Gandhi as well as other artifacts. They also have the typewriter used to draft Charta 77, the hectograph from the illegal periodical Umweltblatter, and Elena Bonner's ‘death mask’ of partner Andrei Sacharov.

2012 also marks the opening of the new permanent NATO exhibit which charts the creation of NATO in 1949.

Originally opened in 1962 by Dr. Hildebrandt in two-and-a-half rooms to protest the newly erected Berlin Wall in 1961, its popularity outgrew its original location and it was moved to its present location at the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing in 1963.  Because of its location, the museum café became a popular meeting point to plan escapes.

Today the museum is run by Dr. Hildebrandt’s widow Alexandra following his death in 2004.  Although the Berlin Wall may have come down, many people in the world still face discrimination, persecution, and unlawful imprisonment, and the attention the museum draws to their cause is immeasurable.

Here are some excellent videos.  The first is narrated by Alexandra Hildebrandt called Checkpoint Charlie (2:08).  This one is a segment from travel guru Rick Steve's travel show on Berlin called Berlin, Germany: Checkpoint Charlie (1:21).  The third, Checkpoint Charlie Berlin (3:25), is also quite informative.

Budapest – Fisherman’s Bastion

Fisherman's Bastion

The great, white, fanciful building known as Fisherman’s Bastion (or Halaszbastya in Hungarian) is hard to miss while in Budapest, Hungary.  Even though the word “bastion” refers to a type of defense, this building was never used for that purpose.

Fisherman’s Bastion was built on Castle Hill (on the Buda side of the Danube River) around the turn of the 20^th century by Frigyes Schulek in the neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style to celebrate the Hungarian millennium and is a relatively new building in terms of European architecture. 

Schulek’s son, Janos, performed the restoration of the building in 1947-48 after its near destruction in World War II.  Built of pale white stones, it is still a bright spot as time and smog have not taken its toll on the building and turned it black like so many older structures.

Built in a fanciful fairy tale castle design, it boasts seven turrets, each one representing one of the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the area in 896 AD.  The pointed turrets were designed to resemble the tents of the tribal leaders.

In medieval times, a fish market was nearby and legend says it was built on a spot where fishermen defended Castle Hill.

Today, Fisherman’s Bastion is a favorite lookout spot where visitors can look out over the Parliament, the Danube River and Pest (on the other side of the river).  The panoramic views are excellent on both the top and lower levels.

Located between Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church is a mounted statue of King Stephen I, the first king of Hungary. He was declared a saint for bringing Christianity to Hungary.  He carries the apostolic cross with two crossbars – a symbol granted him by the Pope.

Fisherman’s Bastion was featured as a Pit Stop on the sixth season of The Amazing Race.

This short video Travel Hungary – Tour of Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest (1:04) gives you a mini tour.

Tip – Buying a Digital Camera

Looking for a new digital camera?  It’s not as easy as just walking into the store and buying one.  There’s lots to consider – optical zoom, digital zoom, mega pixels, memory cards.  What does all this mean and which should make the most difference to me? 

First I had to decide the type of camera I wanted: a point and shoot (does all the work for me and fits in my pocket) or digital SLR (a bulkier camera but you can interchange lenses to get very wide or extremely telephoto shots).  My criteria: compact, easy to use, point and shoot, affordable, and sharp clear photos. 

I discovered that mega pixels was a concern a few years ago, but now many point and shoots start at 10 mega pixels and go up to 16 mega pixels.  Mega pixels are all those little dots that make up a digital picture which determines resolution.  The fewer the dots and the larger the picture, the grainier the picture is. A 5mp to 8mp is good for the average shutterbug.

I found this helpful chart online that gives the minimum mega pixels for quality prints.

Max Print Size	Minimum MP	Resolution
4 x 6″	2 megapixels	1600 x 1200
5 x 7″	3 megapixels	2048 x 1536
8 x1 0″	5 megapixels	2560 x 1920
11 x 14″	6 megapixels	2816 x 2112
16 x 20″	8 megapixels	3264 x 2468
16 x 24″	12 megapixels	4200×2800

http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-features/camera-parts/megapixels/

Next I discovered that the debate over digital zoom and optical zoom is unnecessary.  Ignore information about digital zoom in advertisements.  All it does is crop the image in the camera and you can do that yourself with your own software after the picture is taken.  Ask about how to turn off the digital zoom to maximize use of the optical zoom.

What you do want to pay attention to is the optical zoom which involves a physical lens magnification of the image you are photographing.  For example, 3x zoom will make your subject three times as big.  

Optical Zoom vs. Digital Zoom 

How much do you need?  2x-3x is good for photos of friends or family.  5x+ is best for outdoor scenery or architectural details.   7x+ may be needed for wildlife or sporting events.

Taking photos inside shadowy cathedrals or other low light locations is a concern for travelers so considering ISO (or light sensitivity rating) is important.  Look for an ISO that goes up to 1600.  Anything over that is unnecessary for most average photographers.

Other items to consider are the extras.  Check to see what kind of batteries the camera needs: regular AA, specialty, or rechargeable (and then a recharger is needed).  Also check to see what kind of memory card the camera uses - can you use the ones you already have, the price of replacements or size of cards, and whether or not they fit into your computer to upload photos.  My new laptop does not accept my old memory cards.

Also consider how your camera will upload photos to your computer – memory cards, USB cord, etc. 

A good web site to visit to compare various cameras is pricegrabber.com.  This is a good site to find the best deal on cameras (or on any item), and pay attention to the feedback ratings. 

Finally, if you are considering purchasing a new camera before our trip, don’t wait until the last minute.  Don’t let the trip be the first time you use your new camera.  You want to get it in plenty of time to practice with it extensively, learning all the little features, before we depart. 

You do not want to spend your trip trying to figure out what button to push or worse get discouraged and quit taking pictures altogether.  You will want to capture every memory.

Tip #1:  Here is a tip I’ve learned from personal experience.  I have found that the more times I transfer a photo, the lower the resolution or quality is when it finally gets printed.  For example, I take a photo with my camera, I transfer it to my computer, then I edit it in a software program, then I send it to Walgreens via the internet, and then they print it…the quality decreases with each transfer.

Now consider if the photo is taken on an iPhone, then goes through a text message, which gets saved onto another iPhone, that then gets put on FaceBook, then gets saved on someone’s iPad, and then emailed to the home computer to then edit in software, then sent online to a photo developer….whew!  Don’t laugh!  I’ve done this and been very disappointed with the end product.

Tip #2:  Many tourist spots, like the inside of cathedrals and museums, don’t allow inside photography.  Here are 3 possible solutions:  1) buy a postcard of the site as most are 4x6 size and fit right inside the photo album; 2) take pictures of postcards in the gift shop with camera’s macro setting; or 3) find the shot you are looking for on the internet, edit it for size in your software program, and print.  I’ve done all three and they all work great.

Tip #3: Planning to use your iPhone as your camera?  Here are some cool apps to enhance your photographs.  1) Photosynth (free) will stitch together your photos in a seamless panoramic image.  You can share 360 degree views with friends and family back home while you’re still enjoying the rest of your tour.  2) 100 Cameras in 1 ($1 or free for 20 effects) bundles filters, effects, and overlays.  3) Splice (free) allows you to take several still photos and videos and splice together to make one continuous video.

Prague – St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral

Of the many buildings that compose the Prague Castle complex, St. Vitus Cathedral is the most prominent.  It is the spiritual symbol of the Czech Republic and a gothic masterpiece that has been the site of the coronation of many Czech kings and queens.

This is the third church built on this site.  The first was a pagan temple.  Then in 929, a domed rotunda was commissioned by Duke Wenceslas I and consecrated to St. Vitus, because the duke had acquired a holy relic (the arm of St. Vitus) from Emperor Henry I. 

When the Roman Catholic bishopric at Prague was founded in 1060, the rotunda was converted to a basilica with two steeples.  The present-day cathedral was commissioned by Charles IV in 1344 and took nearly six centuries to complete. 

The first builders, Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler, built the chancel with a ring of chapels, St. Wenceslas Chapel, the Golden Portal, and the lower part of the main steeple.

Although Parler began construction of the large southern steeple, he did not complete it. It achieved its originally planned height after being crowned with the Renaissance helmet at its summit in the 16^th century.

Work was intermittent, and for many centuries the church sat uncompleted.  The final phase of construction took place between 1873-1929. 

The western side of the cathedral is marked by two tall towers and the Rose Window, inspired by cathedral windows in Paris.  It dates from the 1920s and depicts scenes from the Creation.  The visitor entrance is on the western side.

The Golden Portal is the former main entrance to the cathedral.  Above it is a 14^th century Venetian art mosaic polished with gold of the Last Judgment, with Jesus surrounded by angels and kneeling Czech patrons.

The royal mausoleum, where kings, queens, and patron saints are interred, is located under in the chancel of the cathedral in front of the high altar. 

Perhaps the most outstanding room in the cathedral, the St. Wenceslas Chapel, where lies the tomb of the patron saint and site of the original rotunda, is decorated with beautiful original 14^th century frescoes of the Passion Cycle and over 1,300 semi-precious stones. 

Another band of decorations commemorates the life of St. Wenceslas and the magnificent chandelier lights the interior.  Every coronation began here when the kings went here to pray.  Understandably, the chapel is not open to visitors, but it can be seen through the entrance.  (Note: September 28 is St. Wenceslas Day.)

A door in the southwest corner of the chapel leads to the Crown Chamber in which the priceless Bohemian Crown Jewels are stored.  The St. Wenceslas Crown dates from 1347 when Charles IV had it made for his coronation.

But don’t count on seeing them…they were displayed only nine times in the 20^th century!  And don’t even try to get near them...they are in an iron safe behind that locked door with seven locks and seven individual key holders who guard the keys! 

Here is a collection of 14 videos of St. Vitus Cathedral all in one place. The second one, “St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague” (1:43) is a good brief overview. 

Budapest – Matthias Church

Matthias Church

Matthias Church, an important site on Castle Hill in Budapest, Hungary, is a gothic Roman Catholic church dedicated to Virgin Mary. Officially named the Church of Our Lady, it was built in the 13th century, but was later named Matthias Church in the 15th century after the much-loved Renaissance king who added the southern bell tower. He not only was crowned at the church, but also was married there twice.

The last two Hungarian Habsburg kings were crowned here also: Franz Joseph in 1867 (Liszt wrote and performed his Coronation Mass for the occasion) and Charles IV in 1916 (this vintage video shows him wearing the royal crown!).

The original church was founded by King Bela IV (1206-1270) after the Mongol invaders left Hungary in 1242 although not much is left of the original structure following wars and extensive reconstructions. The north tower dates to this period. Historians believe a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary has stood on the ground since the reign of St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary in 1015.

The oldest part of the building is the Mary Gate located at the south entrance at the foot of the bell tower. The magnificent gothic stone carving represents the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The church has been restored and remodeled over the years and much of the exterior was completed in the gothic style in 1896. The interior highlights the work of two 19th century Hungarian painters, Károly Lotz and Bertalan Székely.

The interior wall to the left of the entrance represents the Renaissance style, while the wall across from the entrance is representative of Ottoman influence. On the left is the tomb of St. Imre, son of King St. Stephen and heir to the throne who was killed in a hunting accident at age 19.

Also can be seen the Royal Oratory and the tomb of Bela III. Another notable feature is the colorful diamond shaped roof tiles designed by Frigyes Schulek.

On display are many religious relics and replicas of the Hungarian Crown Jewels in the church museums. The replica of the crown was made from detailed photos of the original crown in 1966 as the real Coronation Crown was held for safekeeping in America until its return in 1978.

Also designed in neo-gothic style by Schulek is the St. Stephen Chapel next to the chancel. The seven frescos on the walls and the twelve windows show Hungarian saints, all masterpieces by Székely.

The highlight of the interior is the famous Loreto Chapel, with the statue of the Virgin Mary and Christ made in 1515. When Budapest was under siege from the Turks, locals plastered over the niche covering the statue to protect it.

The Ottomans used the church as their primary mosque during the occupation, but never noticed the covered niche. During the Turkish reign, many of the beautiful frescoes were whitewashed and the fine furnishings were destroyed.

The statue went undiscovered for over a century until a gunpowder explosion at the castle in 1686 uncovered the niche revealing the statue. Now called the “Mary-Wonder” because the sudden appearance of the Virgin Mary frightened the praying Turks and the city fell the same day. Interesting that the church’s official website dispels the belief that this is the original statue!

The main tower of the Matthias Church is the heart of the Buda Castle district and easily seen from many areas of the city.

A floor plan is located here on the official web site. Roll over the blue and orange areas for pop up photos of the interior and exterior. Click on any of the areas to get a full description. The Loreto Chapel is in the lower right.

This video Budapest – St Matthias Church (1:20) is a good brief overview of Matthias Church. Here is a really cool 360-degree view of the interior of the church. Be sure to tilt to get floor and ceiling views too.

Berlin – 775th Birthday!

Nikolai Church

Berlin, the capital city of Germany, is hosting its 775^th birthday celebration this August 25-October 28, 2012 commemorating the finding of the first documentation dated 28 October 1237 which reveals the existence of Berlin’s sister city Cölln.  The anniversary culminates with the jubilee festival October 28.

Berlin and Cölln were originally two tiny villages on either side of the Spree River which later grew into trading centers.  They were destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, but celebrated a cultural re-emergence under Prussian rulers Friedrich Wilhelm I and his successor, Frederick the Great.

A unique addition to the city for the celebration includes a large (VERY large) scale 1:775 outdoor ground map of 18^th century Berlin recently installed on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site located on the Spree River. 

There are five museums on Museum Island, some recently restored, which cover more than 6,000 years of culture and art.

The city will set up a system of temporary guided paths to lead visitors through an historical walk through medieval Berlin and her sister city Cölln.  Recent excavations and preserved documents will help paint a picture of the double city in the Middle Ages.

The exhibits on display include findings made in January 2010 during excavations for the U-Bahn in front of the Red Town Hall, two churches, and sites along the city walls.  Excavations have recently discovered a 13^th century drinking well, a 16^th century belt clasp, a 17^th century key, and the remains of a medieval Latin school.

A highlight of the celebration will be to feature the 800 years of immigration and cultural diversity in a variety of exhibits.

The Berlin Nikolai Church will also be celebrating its 800^th anniversary this year as the oldest parish church in Berlin.  It was recently completely renovated and will be the site of the finale of the October 28 jubilee.

Tip - Collapsible Water Bottles

Two of our travelers gave me this tip about an inexpensive collapsible water bottle that will be great for travel.  The cost – only $1 at Dollar Tree!  Can’t get any better than that! 

According to the Dollar Tree web site: “It is the ideal water bottle for people on the go!  When empty, the plastic water bottle completely collapses and folds for easy travel and packing.  Fill it up and it stands on its own, plus it has a metal carabiner for easy attaching to bikes, bags, and more.  Plus, it’s top-rack dishwasher safe and reusable, made of FDA-approved BPA-free plastic.”

The bottles hold over 16 ounces (I measured! and that’s 17.5 ounces according to the package).  It has a sip-top lid and cap, and comes in assorted colors according to what is available at the Dollar Tree you visit: pink, orange, red, yellow, green, blue, yellow designed, and black designed.  You can also order cases of 36 from their web site for the same price at $36 for the case plus shipping.

I decided to test them out this week and bought several in a variety of colors.  I’ve carried one to work and so far it has worked exactly as advertised.  I’ve seen other collapsible water bottles advertised, but the prices are $5 - $10 each and over.  You can’t go wrong with a dollar. 

As a traveler, you can fold and put into your carry on, backpack, purse, or pocket or hook it to a handle.  Once through security at the airport, fill it at the water fountain.  Its shape is also conducive to fitting in the seat back pockets of cars and planes.  Also you could fill with about a cup of water and put in the freezer (remember it will expand) and pull out whenever you’re ready to go somewhere and have cold water as it melts.

Great for travel, stocking stuffers, summertime gifts for friends or your child’s soccer or football team, outdoor jobs and gardening, school or work, on your kid’s belt loop at an amusement park, and on bike rides. Would love to hear your comments if you have other ideas.

To be fair, there are some drawbacks.  They do not fit in round cup holders, it usually takes two hands to tip and drink (it’s flexible, remember), it perspires if cold (and so does my regular water bottle and tea glass!), and I doubt it has a lifetime guarantee!

But again, for a dollar you can buy several, pack several, and have a spare if something goes wrong.  For traveling when you need to conserve space in your luggage and weight of the baggage, these look to be a good idea.

Berlin - Brandenburg Gate

The most recognizable site in Berlin has to be the famous Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) located on Pariser Platz (Paris Plaza).  As the national symbol of Germany, during the Cold War, it stood between East and West Germany as part of the impassable Berlin Wall. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which Berlin was once entered. 

The Gate closed when the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, but reopened in 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell following a peaceful revolution that ended the Cold War and again united the country.  It now stands as a symbol of a reunified Germany.

Commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II to represent peace, the Gate was designed by Karl Gotthard Langhans.  Built in 1791 in a design based on the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens, it served as the grand entrance to the boulevard “Unter den Linden” leading to the palace of the Prussian monarchs before the destruction of the city castle.  The bas-reliefs of scenes from Greek mythology took another four years to complete. 

The Gate has twelve columns, six on the entrance side and six on the exit.  The columns form roadways, and citizens originally were allowed to use only the outer two.  Only the royal family was allowed to pass through the central archway.  The Gate was topped in 1793 by the bronze Quadriga, a four-horsed chariot driven by Victoria, the winged goddess of victory, which faces east.

The Brandenburg Gate has witnessed much in history.  During the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, Napoleon took the Quadriga sculpture back to Paris as a war trophy.  After the Battle of Waterloo, it was returned to Berlin as a symbol of victory.

And it was through the Brandenburg Gate in 1933 that Nazismarched to celebrate Hitler’s rise to power.  Heavilydamaged during World War II, the Brandenburg Gate was refurbished in 2000 and reopened to the public in December 2002.  In June 1987, President Ronald Reagan made his famousspeech at the Gate and urged, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Some of the Gate’s most beautiful photographs are ones shot at night as it is lighted against the evening sky. This 360degree panorama of Pariser Plaza and the Brandenburg Gate is gorgeous.  It does need Java to run, but my computer had a popup to click “Run this time” and it worked.  The widescreen view is the best.

This BBC documentary about bringing down the Berlin Wall, “BBC Brandenburg Gate,” (2:14) is quite informative.  This video is an interesting modern and historical perspective of the gate and shows it from various views, “Carl Gotthard Langhans: Brandenburg Gate, Berlin” (4:00).

Krakow - Wawel Cathedral and Castle

In the 16^th century, Poland was one of the few countries to resist change from the Reformation to become one of the most prominent countries in Europe in the early 17^th century.  But less than 200 years later, Poland had ceased to exist swallowed up by Prussia, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

While soldiers lived in the royal palaces, the crown jewels were melted down.  From 1797 until the Warsaw Pact was dissolved in 1991, Poland celebrated only two decades of independence from 1921-1939.

Throughout its tumultuous history, only two entities served to stabilize and unite Krakow – the second oldest university in central Europe and Wawel Cathedral and Castle atop Wawel Hill (pronounced Vavel).  Both serve as iconic symbols of all that is Poland. 

Wawel Cathedral overlooks the River Vistula and is the burial place of 41 of the 45 Polish monarchs, and the cathedral is a shrine to Stanislaw, an early bishop of Krakow who was executed in 1079 for his part in a rebellion against King Boleslaw.  His silver coffin held up by four silver angels lies beneath a black marble canopy at the main altar. 

Most of the buildings in the complex date from the 14^th century, although the 18 elaborate side chapels were added later and it is there where the majority of the memorials to the monarchs are located including those of the two responsible for the cathedral’s creation: Wladyslaw the Short and Kazimierz the Great (made of red marble.)

One of the most interesting stories is of the most magnificent chapel – the Zygmunt, or Sigismund, chapel.  King Sigismund, designed the chapel as a mausoleum for his Jagiellon dynasty, which ruled Poland for over 200 years.  However, his wife poisoned the first two wives of their only son before they could produce an heir.  Even though their son, Sigismund Augustus II, remarried, he was so distraught that he never consummated the marriage.  King Sigismund’s daughter, Anna, became the last of the Jagiellon dynasty.

The underground Saint Leonard’s Crypt is a mausoleum for royals and national heroes.  This brief history of the Wavel Cathedral from the official web site is excellent and has great photos.

The cathedral roof boasts three towers, one containing the great Zygmunt Bell from 1520, still rung on special occasions.  This video “Krakow – Royal Sigismund Bell” (0:44) gives you a short tour in the bell tower.  For a wonderfully complete guide to print to use while touring Warwel Cathedral, go here as it describes each chapel in detail.

Father Karol Wojtyla, later to become Pope John Paul II, said his first Mass in the crypt of Wawel Cathedral on 3 November 1946.  Seventeen years later, he took over the cathedral as Archbishop of Krakow.  Fifteen years after that, he led the entire Roman Catholic world as Pope.

Also atop Wawel Hill is the gothic castle which is heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance style.  The three tiers of galleries enclose a courtyard where one can see the noted Hen’s Foot Tower and the Danish Tower.

Very little is left of the crown jewels, but the most important is the sword of state, or Szczerbiec, used since the 13^th century in coronation ceremonies in Wawel Cathedral.  This site will tell in detail the various rooms and exhibitions in the royal castle.  Click on each of the tabs for more information.  This might be a good guide to print to use on tour.   This site also has some very nice photos.

Legend says that a fierce dragon once lived in a lair at the foot of Wawel Hill and was slain by the hero Krak, the founder of Krakow. 

This video of “Wawel Castle in Krakow  - Crakow Life” (1:40) gives a brief overview of outside the castle and cathedral.

Krakow - Auschwitz and Birkenau

Located in Poland near the city of Krakow, these two Nazi concentration camps, also known as Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II, were the scene of one of Hitler’s worst crimes in World War II.  Here over one million men, women, and children lost their lives.

Auschwitz was actually a network of concentration camps consisting of Auschwitz I (the base camp), Auschwitz II or Birkenau (an extermination camp), Auschwitz III or Buna-Monowitz (a labor camp), and 45 satellite camps.

From early 1942 to late 1944, transport trains delivered Jews to Birkenau’s gas chambers from all over Nazi-occupied Europe.  Although Jews were not the only ones imprisoned here, around 90 percent of those who died were of Jewish descent.  On 27 January 1945, the Soviets liberated the Auschwitz camps.

Prisoners entered the camp through iron gates topped with the infamous motto “Arbeit macht frei” (Work makes free) believing they were entering a labor camp.  But in addition to hard labor, prisoners were subjected to inhumane medical experiments and death.

This site from AwesomeStories.com, Auschwitz: Place of Horrors, tells the story using primary source photos and documents.

Today, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum stands as a testament to those who lost their lives in one of history’s worst atrocities.  It consists of the extensive grounds and original camp blocks, barracks and guard towers, in addition to exhibits of personal possessions belonging to the millions who were brought here.

Also on exhibit are items depicting the life of prisoners while in the camp, as well as SS items belonging to the perpetrators left behind in the camp after liberation.

The museum’s collection of art associated with Auschwitz-Birkenau is the largest of its kind in the world.  These works made by the prisoners show the emotional stress endured by those prisoners every day and gives us an insight into what life must have been like for those who endured the hardships.

Some of the art was “commissioned” by camp officials, while much of the art was made secretly by the prisoners upon threat of harsh punishment if caught.  The Lagermuseum was a “special” museum that exhibited the plunder from the people deported to the camps.  In addition, there are many postwar art pieces created by former prisoners.

To view some historical photos and documents housed in the museum’s archives, click here.  Each icon is a sub-category.  Click on each sub-category for a full viewing.

Romanian-born Jewish American Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote a book called Night about his experiences in Auschwitz.  I have read it and it is truly thought provoking.  It will give depth and meaning to your visit if read before our departure.

This special documentary, “Oprah and Elie Wiesel at Auschwitz Part 1,” (9:59) gives you an idea of the camp from the perspective of a man who truly lived the experience.  This “Video Tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau” (14:49) will show you the camps. (Word of warning: some graphic images at the beginning.)

The 1993 movie Schindler’s List starring Liam Neeson depicts a Nazi German businessman who helped save thousands of Polish-Jews near Krakow by employing them in his factory.

A visit to the Auschwitz site is a very sobering experience meant to remind us that we must learn from history.  As philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”