As I Like It: Ich bin ein aderer Berliner day 2 11/5/15

An excellent night's sleep under our duvets. They are a bit like the food, heavy, hot, and, nourishing. I can remember blankets. Then we all got continental quilts until we all became continental and they frenchified to duvets. How about anglicising it again to cosy-cover. However I digress and we have a lot planned for today; Potsdamer Platz, the Jewish memorial, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, river Spree cruise, Zoo in the Tiergarten, so let's go.

Recognise this chap? He's called Ampelmaennchen or the little traffic light man. When you see him you know that you are in the old East Berlin. He has become something of a cult hero. Here is his mate.

Potsdamer Platz is entirely rebuilt and now contains the Sony Centre (shops and stuff ) many banks and hotels. There was also a Berlin Wall exhibition with re-erected bits complete with DDR border guard and flag.

Walking down Ebertstrasse we pass this striking building.

Just past this is the Memorial to the 6 million Jewish people murdered by the Nazi regime. Above ground is the 19000 sq meters of concrete blocks, below ground is an information centre.

I'm sure that you recognise this next picture as the Brandenburg Gate

I seem to have gained a shadow from the case on camera lens. The sun is very bright today. The tabloids would have said "Cor wat a scorcha" when we had them (scorchas that is ). The Reichstag is close, and here it is. Norman Foster's transparent dome is just visible in this shot. It is a great addition and people can walk up the spiral walkway on the inner surface with wonderful views

So much for C19 Prussian architecture, the real star of C21 Berlin is the contemporary architecture as befits a city re-inventing itself. I will let the pictures speak for themselves but you will see government offices, railway station, theatre, unifying bridges and modern palaces.