Cully's alternative advent calendar

Behind door number 17: a bloody big wall.

Todays blip is from the boy!...

After a sizeable German brekkers, we got the underground to the Gendarmenmarkt and then meandered down to Checkpoint Charlie which was really interesting to see Berlin's post-WW2 history and how the east/west divide affected Berliners. After, we walked down the nearby Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse to a stretch of the wall still standing and the little remains of the SS & Gestapo headquarters, where many Nazi atrocities were orchestrated, obliterated by the Allied forces in 1945.

We then jumped on the train to go and check out the largest bit of wall still standing. Here's Cully in front of it above! Loads of arty graffiti and well worth the visit.

We had time to pop to the biggest Xmas market at Alexanderplatz for more gluhwein and a fantastic pork burger, 'shroms, cabbage, fried potatoes and garlic sauce, before returning to Ka De We for the obligatory Christmas decoration including a random potato decoration for best friend Claire, somewhat ideal given her Irish roots!

Sadly, all good things must come to an end so, via more food/drinks stalls, we headed back to the hotel for the bags and onto the airport.

An interesting city, not immediately appealing but lots of history which means I'd definitely like to go back some day (esp. to see the Olympic stadium which I kept plugging without success!).