Berlin was one town we had never visited. The train was a great way to get there. Trains are clean, dependable and a fast way to get around. We recommend buying tickets for reserved seats. Otherwise, other passengers that board at each subsequent stop along the way can take your seat and you may be constantly moving.
The Steinberger Hotel was only one block from the Central Station. Once settled into our hotel we walked to a historic restaurant that was the sight of the first 17th century inn. Zollpackhof has a warm old tavern feel and is worth a visit.
The City Circle Hop On Hop Off bus picked us up right outside of our hotel. It gave thorough tour of a very large City. Much of the city was bombed in World War II and the history focused on that period. The Berlin wall surprised us. It was much smaller than we had envisioned. Obviously, the deterrents were the guns guarding it. Fortunately, they preserved the original placement of the wall with a double row of cobblestones. That and Checkpoint Charlie serve as good reminders of the evil perpetuated so that we do not repeat it and how blessed we are in America to have the freedoms we enjoy.
Across from the hotel is a large eleven story mirrored office building. The space age contemporary design shields an even more space age controller. It has an app-based AI interface called the “the brain” that uses facial recognition, senses occupancy and placement of objects as well as monitoring climate control.
The ground floor houses a large food court. They said the building learns its occupants and changes as they do. It seems like it takes on a life of its own.
