Our first group activity besides last night's opening dinner was a bus tour of Berlin this morning. We stopped and walked around places like Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and nearby Holocaust memorial, and a remaining segment of the Berlin Wall.
Lunch was on our own, which meant kebabs for me, Jonah, and Hilde. Afterwards, Jonah and I took our own walking tour. We visited the square at Humboldt University where the fascists burned books in 1933. Then we walked to the Berliner Dom, enjoyed the space, and climbed up to the cupola with its panoramic views of the city. From there we followed the Spree River around Museum Island until we found a place back near the Brandenburg Gate where Jonah could have a Fanta and giant pretzel and I could sip a Gluhwein. After two weeks in very close contact with her family, Hilde understandably enjoyed a quiet afternoon to herself.
We'll have dinner all together again tonight. It's nice seeing the participants get to know each other and start the strange and wonderful process of becoming a group.
Lunch was on our own, which meant kebabs for me, Jonah, and Hilde. Afterwards, Jonah and I took our own walking tour. We visited the square at Humboldt University where the fascists burned books in 1933. Then we walked to the Berliner Dom, enjoyed the space, and climbed up to the cupola with its panoramic views of the city. From there we followed the Spree River around Museum Island until we found a place back near the Brandenburg Gate where Jonah could have a Fanta and giant pretzel and I could sip a Gluhwein. After two weeks in very close contact with her family, Hilde understandably enjoyed a quiet afternoon to herself.
We'll have dinner all together again tonight. It's nice seeing the participants get to know each other and start the strange and wonderful process of becoming a group.