Germany Part 2 (Berlin)

To be quite honest, I had no idea what to expect upon entering Berlin. It was much more modern than I expected, due to the destruction during the war. The thing I loved most about Berlin was the history that was alive in it, namely the Nazi regime. It is really interesting to see how they treat the subject. As Max explained to us, many people have some difficulties calling themselves Patriots. However, as we would see, the treatment of the issue is very serious and delicate. They are not proud of that part of history but are more than willing to learn from the memory.

After settling in at our giant hostel, The Generator, we got a quick bite to eat

and headed to the city center to walk along the main street. Once I was used to the modernization, I really enjoyed the city. We all agreed that it was probably the first one we would consider living in besides Paris. At the top of the street is sole remainder of the 14 gates into the city. Just outside it was a brick outline of where the Berlin Wall used to stand. We continued our walk to the river going through the city and walked along the bank. It was much quieter there but pretty chilly. We then went to meet up with some friends at a place called "The White

Trash Restaurant." It's actually not trashy but quite nice. It was completely decorated with crazy gothic..objects. We ate with Nejma (Germany), Sarah (Australia), and Emma (undefined.. lol) who happened to be in Berlin at the same time. Though it wasn't German food by any means and they spoke English to be trendy, I had a delicious chili-cheeseburger and a brownie dessert.
In our hostel, we shared the room with 5 other people. This one guy-I don't even-just wow. Thank God he slept with socks on, though the window still had to be cracked.
We started off the next day with a guided walking tour which explained many

interesting stories and facts of Berlin. We saw the memorial for all those persecuted during the war, the location of Hitler's bunker, and remnants of the Berlin Wall.
At night, we ate at the hostel then met with other lodgers for a bar crawl through the city. There were actually really decent bars and it didn't feel like a tourist trap. We all made new friends and had a great time. In the morning, I had to check out by 10am because I would be leaving later that day.
We joined another tour to the first German concentration camp. Just outside of the

city by train, it was situated in a small town. It was a chilling experience. Our guide was very well informed and told shocking stories that really make a person reflect upon their lives, especially all that is taken for granted. It's hard to fit this experience into the constraints of words, but the visit was definitely an experience from which much can be learned and remembered. It's important to keep such horrors relevant in the context of politics and history.
Though a sombre day, we wrapped it up with Burger King and I said my goodbyes to Alex and Brian.
I was thrilled that my plane was delayed, but I eventually got back to Paris after a great week abroad.