Ich bin ein aderer Berliner day 4 13/6/15

Home today  so we must do what we can before boarding our train for Schonefeld airport. The flight is 10-15 so better set out about 7-00 latest.  One or two bits of modern history first. We can catch a bus to Checkpoint Charlie then on to the East side Gallery to see the remaining bits of the Berlin Wall. These carry their original political graffiti plus plenty that's been added later. Many of the images have now become iconic. I do have some original photos from 1993 so it will be intriguing to compare them after 22 years.

So onto the S bahn again. The weather is becoming very sultry and thunderstorms are forecast for later in the day. The East Side Gallery was painted by two groups of artists who came together in 1990 to decorate this surviving part of the wall from the East side. It could've have been done as long as the GDR existed. Several of the artists were of world renown It has not been free of controversy since. For example a 400 metre length was moved to give a better view of the Spree river from the new O2 Centre without the permission of the artists. Some of the pictures have been completely repainted. If you want to learn more about the gallery check out Wikipedia. I am now going to show you some pictures.  Where there are two, the first is a contemporary picture and the second a picture of a picture from 1993. 

By now the weather had become really threatening with black skies so we hurry back to the shelter of the U bahn. Back to the hotel to change shirts, pick up the luggage and have a relaxing drink before the bus trip to Alexandre Platz. We will have a bit of time there before the final train trip back to Schonefeld airport. 

There are lots of fun things to do in Alexandre Platz. You can shop in Kaufhaus or the ethnic market in the Platz. You can catch a tram which will take you anywhere in the old East Berlin. It was served by a very efficient public transport system which is just as well as there was virtually no private transport available. The tram network has not been extended.  There has been plenty of other things to spend the money on.

Another fun thing to do is to jump off the top of the Park Inn Hotel.  We saw several people do this.  Must be a stag weekend thing. We decided to give it a miss. 

So it's goodbye to them and goodbye to Berlin from us.