Ich liebe Berlin!

While we were passing by a stream in the grounds around Terezin, we noticed an animal leaving the water, that was a lot bigger than the ducks. I think we spotted a Eurasian Beaver. It foraged about in the reeds for a while, then slipped back into the water and left. We left the Czech Republic and headed north-west towards Berlin.

As we neared the German border, Louise came back on line and guided us into the centre of the city, We were only 80 metres from our destination and sitting at a red light when AG and I both looked left and both gasped out loud. There it was as large as life, just metres from the car - the Berlin Wall - or what is left of it. This is the West side.

This remaining section of the wall is about 100 metres long and features memorial displays about the wall's history, including pictures and audio recordings. The wall went up at the end of 1961 and separated East and West Berlin until 1989, when the power of the people forced the end of the Communist regime in Eastern Europe.

 Below is the Eastern side. Over the years, visitors have chipped at the graffiti to take pieces away as souvenirs.

 Another hot tourist spot is the Brandenburg Gate.

Berlin's city buildings were severely damaged by bombing during the second World War and after the wall went up, the eastern side remained largely unrestored. With the reunification of Germany after the wall came down, there are new buildings everywhere, but they are not lifeless, ugly skyscrapers. The city is looking clean and smart and very 'livable.' There is a balance between the historic...

and the modern...

but wherever we went in Berlin, there were groups of people out and about, enjoying the summer weather and the many green, open spaces. There was a Police promotional display in the gardens while we were there. I have to admit to having a little run in with the law. What's a girl to do? 

Terezin

Louise didn't really pull her weight in the Czech Republic. We were a little bit horrified when we realised that we would have to do things the old fashioned way - like read a map. This seems straightforward until you realise that all the road signs are in Czech.

After Prague, we drove north west to Terezin. It was originally known by its German name of Theresienstadt and it is by this name that it has become infamous. It was a fortress town, purposely built as a military facility in the 18th century. Over the years, it has served as a barracks and a prison, but during WW2, it was used by the Nazis as a concentration camp.

Even though large scale exterminations were not carried out at Theresienstadt, it was a major transfer centre for groups of people sent to camps like Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. Many people died here after beatings and interrogations, Typhus outbreaks and executions.

The fortress is surrounded by a moat that is fed by 2 rivers and the flow of water was able to be controlled when required. 

During the war, Theresienstadt was the site used in the making of a Nazi propaganda film that misled the Red Cross into believing that the camp was like a health farm and that people had nothing to worry about by being taken there. Trains brought people from all over Europe to Theresienstadt for 'processing.' 

The ironic slogan which appeared on the gate of several concentration camps - Arbeit Macht Frei - work sets you free.

This large bath room and the shower room, still have the mirrors and plumbing fittings that were in place during the war.  

The rooms that did not feature in the promotional film however, housed 60 people in squalid and crowded conditions that would have been freezing during the winters.

The crematorium where eventually 38,000 cremations took place. Earlier in the war, ashes were placed in heavy paper containers and buried. Towards the end, ashes were dumped into the nearby rivers.

To spend time in a place with such an appalling history is unsettling, but compelling. The nearby town is a sad place - rather like a ghost town - but it includes museums with artefacts and details of a time in history that should not be hidden away and should never be forgotten.

Prague - Curiouser and curiouser...

Our adventure took an interesting turn when we entered the Czech Republic in order to visit the city of Prague. Believed to have been founded in 880, Prague Castle sits high on a hill above the city and is the largest castle complex that we have visited. I think the crowds in Prague were the largest that that we have encountered as well.

The view from the castle walls show a vast sea of terracotta tiles. I was amazed by the scale of the city, which features an old town with narrow cobbled streets and ancient buildings, as well as a new town with all the western trappings that you can imagine.

The enormous St Vitus Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece in the Gothic style and located within the castle complex.

Many of my photographs of Prague show only half of the buildings, because of the sheer size of the structures. The interior of the cathedral was breath-taking.

We have seen stained glass windows before, but never this many, nor of this size. It was difficult to choose one as an example for this blog.

The richness and variation of the architectural styles kept us shaking our heads in amazement.

 Before the communist regime, Prague was a cultural hub, frequented by prominent Europeans from the musical and visual arts. Many of the buildings are decorated in styles that we have seen in France, Germany and Austria.

 Wenceslas Square is situated in the 'new town.' It is famous as a gathering place for the Czech people in good times and in bad. It has been the scene of many demonstrations and protests as well as celebrations. It was hard to imagine that the street was once filled with Russian tanks and Nazi soldiers.

Prague has many museums and art galleries and we found this interesting installation tucked away in a lane near the the Communist Museum, which is located between a 24 hour casino and a MacDonalds. The irony is not lost on anyone!

Vienna

We have stayed in a wide range of hotels and guest houses over the past weeks. Our Vienna digs were reasonably close to the city with easy access to trams and underground trains. We were grateful for the continuing sunny weather. This was the morning view from our hotel window.

 As the streets were unusually quiet for such a big city, we eventually worked out that it was a public holiday and almost everything was closed. This also meant that there were no queues for the horse and carriage rides. It is a great way to orient yourself in a new place.

Vienna is the epitome of culture and grandeur. The government buildings, concert halls, museums, galleries and restaurants are from another time.

Austria is the birthplace of artist Gustav Klimt and the Belvedere Musuem houses some of his most famous works, such as The Kiss, which is one of my favourites. The Belvedere is a stunning building...

and the gardens are beautiful.

Inside we are treated to more elaborate ceiling murals...

and glorious chandeliers.

Thankfully some of the restaurants were still open for the reduced number of tourists about on this public holiday.

We chose the Mozart Cafe, which served the famous Sacher Torte, which was first invented at the Sacher Cafe just around the corner.

Even though Salzburg stakes her claim as Mozart's birthplace, Vienna is proud of the fact that he lived, composed and eventually died here. There are many classical concerts on every night of the week in Vienna and we treated ourselves to another evening of fine music at the Golden Room concert hall.

High on a hill lived a lonely goatherd...

I don't think I could ever get tired of seeing these gorgeous houses all decked out in their summer finery. On the way from Salzburg to Vienna, we took a detour through Germany and up another mountain or two,

This is the pub in the tiny settlement of Oberau, where we stopped for lunch.

 This is the view from the front deck, where we ate and drank our fill.

Our destination was the Kehlsteinhaus - Eagle's Nest - which is a house perched high up on a rocky mountain, that is famous for being Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday present, arranged by his private secretary, Martin Bormann. After the 2nd World War, it was saved from being blown up and it has been turned into a restaurant.

The road up the mountain is characterised by hairpin bends, which you would think I would be used to by now. This also put Louise (sat. nav.) into a spin, yet again.

 The last couple of kilometres of steep road approaching the summit, are closed to public traffic and a convoy of tourist buses completes the climb. The house itself is unremarkable, but the location is awe-inspiring. That is a lake in the valley below.

Did you notice a visitor in the far left of the shot above? Here he is a few seconds later.

I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the few square metres of flat ground that I can find. Note the flimsy wooden boards that represent a fence! Next stop - Vienna - closer to sea level.