Visiting the Soviet War Memorial in the Tiergarten Berlin Germany: complex memories

From July 2-6, around 100 national and international hosted buyers, on the invitation of the BCO, will have an opportunity to see for themselves the range of services offered in Berlin. The international flight connections from and to Berlin are being extended; the non-stop flights to the USA by Delta Airlines and Continental and those to Qatar by Qatar Airways guarantee the shortest possible international business links. And no doubt BCO will hammer home the quality of its transport links.

Approaching the memorial, you come across the roadside site almost unexpectedly and - even without the weighty associations of what it stands for - its impact is utterly moving. To meander through the stones is a humbling, powerful experience. There are no inscriptions, just smooth slabs of stone; each almost exactly the same yet precisely different.

In the Second World War it became a symbol of Nazi power and in 1963 it was host to a much celebrated visit from President John F Kennedy. However, although there is indeed a type of doughnut in Germany known as a Berliner, Kennedy didn't get his words wrong. Popular myth has it that Kennedy's words actually translate as "I am a doughnut". It was on that Presidential tour that Kennedy made his historic "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a Berliner") speech.

Historic City
At the eastern edge of the Tiergarten park lies the Reichstag parliament building, with its glass dome designed by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. Entrance to the Reichstag is free and, after what may be a very, very long queue indeed, once inside, a spiralling ramp takes you up a gentle incline around the inside of the dome to the top, from where the views over the city are spectacular.

That's where the famous "brotherly kiss" of Brezhnev and Honecker is - it appeared on the wall in 1990, together with another 105 pictures from 11 artists of 21 countries. Lunch within the Walls
At the intersection of Friedrichstrasse and Mauershrasse, there is a small white box with bags protected by a military in uniform. Thus, the so-called East Side Gallery has become the world's longest open-air art gallery. See all 12 photos Checkpoint Charlie, BerlinSource: edwin. This is the famous Checkpoint Charlie, the most renowned crossing point between East and West Berlin, and the Eastern and Western worlds.

Dominated by the angular shards of skyscrapers, this is Berlin's cultural hub - the Kulturforum - and a must-see. The giant glass-roofed pavilion of the Sony Centre houses many cafes and restaurants, a cinema complex and a mini Legoland, while in the surrounding streets you will http://www.i-c-d.de/index.php?title=Visiting_the_Soviet_War_Memorial_in_the_Tiergarten__Berlin__Germany:_complex_memories&action=edit discover the modernist home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, where British conductor Sir Simon Rattle plies his trade (it looks rather like an elaborate, golden tent). Art and culture
The busy Potsdamer Platz area couldn't be more different.

More than Mitte
Berlinis an absorbing, stimulating place and, as you might expect of a capital city, there is so much to explore and see. Many visitors come for the famous Zoo or the designer shopping along the bustling Kurfurstendamm - Berlin's Champs-�lys�es - in the suave Charlottenburg district, home to one of Berlin's most beautiful buildings, the Charlottenburg Palace.

Conclusion
Berlin needs an image makeover if it is going to seriously challenge the big players in the meetings market. Access - 3
There are two airports either side of the city: Tegel in the north and Sch�nefeld in the south. It is comparatively painless to get into the heart of the city from either. Luxury investment - 2
The city's existing five-star stock is good but the focus of new-build hotels is downmarket. The former is the main international hub.

�Must-do' group activities include the Trabi-Safari (using Trabants, the former cardboard cars from the GDR) or a flight with the well-known Rosinenbomber - guaranteed to combine a little German history with great entertainment and fun.

For a conference in a city as rich in history as Berlin I would suggest the heritage property Hotel de Rome Berlin. Located right in the heart of this bustling city, it combines the ornate grandeur of the original bank with many striking contemporary design elements. Dating from 1889, the former headquarters of the Dresdner Bank has been impressively restored to form part of the Rocco Forte Collection.

Berlin MICE hotels and services
Browse MICE and corporate hotels in Berlin on the Great Hotels of the World website website including detailed meeting information, photos, reviews and more. For great MICE offers and to request a proposal for your next event please visit the Great Hotels of the World MICE page website
For more information on MICE events in Berlin contact Heike Mahmoud at the Berlin Convention Office: Tel: +49 (0)30 26 39 183 / berlin-convention-office@b-c-o.

The new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport - BBI, on the site of the current Berlin-Sch�nefeld airport - is scheduled to open in 2011. When BBI opens there will be a 20-minute shuttle service between the railway station and the airport. Rocco Forte's typically stylish property is the former Dresdner Bank - the huge bank vaults now admit the visitor into a world of health rather than wealth, with spa rooms and a decent-sized swimming pool. For a fine example of how history can be intelligently incorporated into modern-day life, look no further than the Hotel de Dome on Berlin's Bebelplatz.The Old National Gallery shows paintings and sculptures of the 19 century. In the Pergamon Museum, you can enjoy the collection of Islamic art from the 8-19 centuries, as well as ancient Greek and Roman exhibits. See all 12 photos New Museum, BerlinSource: Zooey_ @ Flickr 2:30 pm. In the Old Museum you can see ancient art, while the Bode Museum impresses with masterpieces of Italian and German sculpture. The Island of Arts
Art devotees will be more than glad to spend all day in the Museum Quarter, located to the north of Spreeinsel Island in the center of Berlin.

At The Museum of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbemuseum) you can see decorative art dating from the middle ages, while the Gemaldegalerie houses a fine collection of paintings by old masters including Titian, Hans Holbein and Sir Joshua Reynolds. For anyone who enjoys modern art, a visit to the New National Gallery - or Neue Nationalgalerie - is strongly recommended.

Away from the hotels, the city has a clutch of weird and wonderful venues. The Hotel Barcelona on the Alexanderplatz is due to open in the summer of 2011 and will feature a swimming pool 30 meters above the lobby - separated by a single sheet of glass, this should keep you occupied while waiting to check in. Axica - a typically eccentric Frank Gehry creation - features a modern conference room which can hold to 85 delegates, while the Forum, below stairs, is ideal for receptions for up to 750 people.

Half way along Oranienberger Strasse is the Neue Synagogue (New Synagogue). This ornate building is sited at the same place as the original synagogue, which was destroyed by the Nazis during the night of terror in 1938 that became known as the Kristallnacht, when 91 Jews were murdered and tens of thousands arrested and deported to concentration camps.

Today there is a museum devoted to Kennedy and his wife Jackie, right alongside the Brandenburg Gate in the clean, wide Pariser Platz. The museum is a trove of pictures and memorabilia perfectly evoking the glamour and prestige of the Kennedy clan during the Cold War. For anyone who remembers the 1950s and 1960s, or is fascinated by that era of history, it is a delight.

Utterly unique, the memorial is a 19,000 square metre site, covered with concrete slabs arranged over the undulating ground. Five minutes' amble from the Brandenburg Gate along a tree-lined avenue, towards the towering skyscrapers of Potsdamer Platz, you come to the Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe - often abbreviated simply to the Holocaust Memorial.

In spring 2011, the luxury Waldorf Astoria Group will open their first newly-built hotel in Europe. Located in the vicinity of the Kurf�rstendamm and the Zoological Garden, the 31-storey Waldorf Astoria Berlin will feature 242 rooms and suites, a conference area covering more than 1 100 sqm and a sumptuous spa facility.

Every part of Propeller Island is a work of art. But if you are looking for a hotel, why not book a room in a piece of art? Only here you can find a room entirely decorated by mirrors, or a room with a bed suspended one and a half meters above the floor, or one which is upside down and has furniture attached to the ceiling, in one of the rooms you can even try sleeping in coffins. The idea of this creative property belongs to German artist Lars Stroschen, who called the complex by his own nickname.

The most famous is the New Museum, which houses the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti, Despite its name, the museum is almost 200 years old, and in 1940s was severely damaged by the war. Such eclecticism now helps visitors experience time parallels and presence of the past and present. Bringing the design back from the ruins, British architect David Chipperfield replaced missing elements with modern materials.

But step beyond the gilded doors and you are soon disabused of the notion - you are bang in the middle of the steel and glass modernism of 21st century Berlin. This landmark property, in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate, has had its share of notorious guests - including Michael Jackson who was inspired to dangle his baby over the railings of his suite - but more importantly it has hosted a number of prestigious international events. For the authentic experience of historic Berlin, the best game in town is the Hotel Adlon Kempinski.

The central district of Mitte has the largest concentration of hostels and hotels, where you can book a room from only 15 euros.
See all 12 photos Source: Propeller Island City Lodge See all 12 photos Source: Propeller Island City Lodge 8 pm. These treats are truly hard to refuse! Hotel Experimentation
Berlin is famous for its wide selection of hotels (about 600), as well as for reasonable accommodation prices.

Reviewing Reed's 1989 topical album "New York," Village Voice critic Robert Christgau wrote that "the pleasure of the lyrics is mostly tone and delivery - plus the impulse they validate, their affirmation that you can write songs about this stuff. Protesting, elegizing, carping, waxing sarcastic, forcing jokes, stating facts, garbling what he just read in the Times, free-associating to doomsday, Lou carries on a New York conversation - all that's missing is a disquisition on real estate.What of the future?
There is more to Berlin than spies and subversion. For example, this year's cultural highlights include the new Dali Museum on Potsdamer Platz, a temporary art gallery Berlin on Schlossplatz and the reopening of the New Museum on Museum Island in October. And to underline Berlin's cool credentials the MTV European Music Awards returns there this year.

See all 12 photos Berlin WallSource: JMC Photos @ Flickr See all 12 photos "Brotherly kiss" by Erich Honecker and Leonid Brezhnev. Although it's easy to get lost among the 173 stations and 10 lines, Berlin's subway is certainly worth seeing. Walk Along the Wall
For more than 28 years, the Berlin Wall separated West Berlin from East. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine that once, massive four-meter-high concrete slabs extended up in the air, stretching for 155 kilometers! After the fall of the Wall in 1989, it was dismantled and taken apart for souvenirs. Source: eeloy @ Flickr 11 am.

Sofia's most prominent monument is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - built in thanks to the tens of thousands of Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria's freedom. Bulgaria's ties with Russia, with whom it shares a similar language and the Cyrillic alphabet, are stamped on the cityscape of its capital.

The rooms there average from 79 to 115 euros per night. If you are lucky, Propeller Island might become the strangest hotel you've ever stayed in. Due to the huge popularity of the hotel, you may have trouble with availability, so make sure you book early and specify your stylistic preference.

See all 12 photos Brandenburg Gate, BerlinSource: joeforjette @ Flickr Day 1. Compare It To Paris
There is no doubt that Berlin is unique, but some tourists do find it a little bit similar to the capital of France. This impression starts at Potsdamer Platz, the business center of the city. This square, surrounded by skyscrapers and hi-tech architecture, reminds the ultramodern La Defense district in Paris.

Many sights around Mitte are within striking distance of each other, which means you might not need to contend with public transport at all. Once a part of East Berlin, Mitte and its environs are home to the Reichstag, the famous Brandenburg Gate, a host of art galleries, museums, restaurants and bars - all watched over by the skyline's most famous landmark, the Fernsehturm TV tower in Alexanderplatz, which looks like a huge golf ball skewered by a very large toothpick.

In fact there is so much history and culture packed into Museum Island that it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site -a well-deserved plaudit. The Pergamonmuseum contains an amazing collection of antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle East.

By the mid-1960s, they were rehearsing at Warhol's "Factory," a meeting ground of art, music, orgies, drug parties and screen tests for films that ended up being projected onto the band while it performed, part of what Warhol called the "Floating Plastic Inevitable. No one really thought about it, it was just fun. "
"Warhol was the great catalyst," Reed told BOMB magazine in 1998. "It all revolved around him. He was like a swirl, and these things would come into being: Lo and behold multimedia. It all happened very much because of him.

Other facilities situated in the hotel are a state-of-the-art fitness centre, saunas, garden terrace and high speed internet access. You can enjoy delicious a la carte dining at restaurant Julius beneath an impressive cupola ceiling and have refreshing drinks and a quick snack at the bar. AtHotel BerlinBerlinauthentic architecture blends with a modern ambience and inspiring design. This hotel is perfectly located in the city centre within close reach of every main sight. In addition, the hotel features 701 spacious rooms, split into six categories.

"Bulgaria should veto any, I repeat, any sanctions on Russia," said Emil Vangelov, a retired teacher in Sofia. Can't you see that Bulgaria is disappearing after all the lies from the U. "On the contrary, we should expand our economic, political and cultural relations with Moscow. The decorations in the office of Attack party leader Volen Siderov leader offer clues as to why the country's fragile coalition government, which has only just emerged from one political crisis, could soon be heading for another.

-led war games since the Crimea crisis erupted, Bulgaria's armed forces are similarly dependent on Russia for repairs and spare parts for their Soviet-made jet fighters and tanks. Despite joining NATO ten years ago, and taking part in U.

The New York Times at first couldn't find the words, calling the Velvets "Warhol's jazz band" in a January 1966 story and "a combination of rock 'n roll and Egyptian belly-dance music" just days later. The Velvets' appearance in a Warhol film, "More Milk, Yvette," only added to the dismay of Times critic Bosley Crowther.

He hated school, loved rock n' roll, fought with his parents and attacked them in song for forcing him to undergo electroshock therapy as a supposed "cure" for being bisexual. Reed was born to be a suburban dropout. At Syracuse University, he studied under Schwartz, whom Reed would call the first "great man" he ever encountered. He was one of rock's archetypal tough guys, but he grew up middle class - an accountant's son raised on Long Island. "Families that live out in the suburbs often make each other cry," he later wrote. His real break began in college. He credited Schwartz with making him want to become a writer and to express himself in the most concrete language possible." Raised on doo-wop and Carl Perkins, Delmore Schwartz and the Beats, Reed helped shape the punk ethos of raw power, the alternative rock ethos of irony and droning music and the art-rock embrace of experimentation, whether the dual readings of Beat-influenced verse for "Murder Mystery," or, like a passage out of Burroughs' "Naked Lunch," the orgy of guns, drugs and oral sex on the Velvets' 15-minute "Sister Ray. He had one top 20 hit, "Walk On the Wild Side," and many other songs that became standards among his admirers, from "Heroin" and "Sweet Jane" to "Pale Blue Eyes" and "All Tomorrow's Parties.

However, taking pictures of Kreuzberg nightlife is strictly prohibited. Kreuzberg has become a melting pot where about 180 cultures coexist, and which attracts tourists from all over the world. The best time to visit Kreuzberg is during the annual Carnival of Cultures: you will have the chance to see how African and Turkish rhythms flow alongside each other, along with German beer. On May 1, you'd be best to keep away from there, as local festivities had been known to turn into police clashes, car burning and looting. It's the place you can taste traditional kebabs, have hemp tea and just hang out with the locals.

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In 1995, on the roof of Reichstag, a modern glass dome was constructed. See all 12 photos The Reichstag, BerlinSource: benymarc @ Flickr Best Berlin Travel Guides and MapsDK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Berlin Buy Now Berlin (City Guide) Buy Now Streetwise Berlin Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Berlin, Germany - Folding pocket size travel map with metro map including S-Bahn and U-Bahn Buy Now Transit Maps of the World Buy Now 11:30 am. In its 130-year history, the building suffered destruction several times. Higher Than Angela Merkel. It was the creation of British architect Norman Foster, who had been entrusted to reconstruct the building. The Reichstag, where the German parliament sits, is situated near the Brandenburg Gate.

The eastern part is assigned code 36, where Turkish community is concentrated, and it is said that German is rarely spoken here. Even today, the district is effectively divided into two parts. In the bourgeois west, with zip code 61, residents live the measured life of wealthy Germans. Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, it was the eastern outskirts of west Berlin, with its cheap housing where students coexisted with artists, radicals and immigrants. No pictures
The Kreuzberg district, where Bohemia along with Turkish and mainly Balkan expatriates live, happens to be the truly alternative area of the capital.

Hecker's Hotel is a member of Great Hotels of the World's Luxury Collection. For more information or to book, please visit website or call +44 (0) 20 7380 3658. Other facilities included are the Cassambalis Taverna, where sumptuous Mediterranean cuisine is offered, an American-style lobby and a lovely roof terrace.

Propped up on the floor lies a painting of the medieval school of Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, whose teachings influenced the Russian Orthodox church. Antique swords and pistols hang on the wall, some of them relics of Russia's battles with Turkey in the 19th century, which liberated Bulgaria from 500 years of Ottoman rule.

The first is taking shape in the former police headquarters on the Alexanderplatz. The Israeli hotel chain Leonardo Hotels will be opening two new hotels in Berlin this year. The listed building is being renovated and will open in July as the Leonardo Royal Hotel Berlin; 346 bedrooms plus function rooms for up to 500 persons are promised. Guests will be able to book a stay there from autumn onwards. The Spanish Silken Group is building its first four-star-plus hotel in Germany on Lietzenburger Strasse. The second hotel (a three star) is currently under construction on Wilmersdorfer Strasse in the west.

" A personal favorite was the title track from a 1979 album, "The Bells. He played some reunion shows with the Velvet Underground and in 1990 teamed with Cale for "Drella," a spare tribute to Warhol. He continued to receive strong reviews in the 1990s and after for such albums as "Set the Twilight Reeling" and "Ecstasy" and he continued to test new ground, whether a 2002 concept album about Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven," or a 2011 collaboration with Metallica, "Lulu. "
Reed fancied dictionary language like "capricious" and "harridan," but he found special magic in the word "bells," sounding from above, "up in the sky," as he sang on the Velvets' "What Goes On. " Over a foggy swirl of synthesizers and horns, suggesting a haunted house on skid row, Reed improvised a fairy tale about a stage actor who leaves work late at night and takes in a chiming, urban "Milky Way.Bulgaria has long been an anomaly in Europe, a country inside the European Union and the NATO military alliance, yet which feels close to Russia. That tension has been thrown into even sharper relief by the stand-off over Ukraine, with many feeling under pressure to choose between Moscow and Brussels.

We have made that clear and our partners know that very well. "We are not going to impose a veto, in the same time we are not going to push for such sanctions," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin told Reuters. Of course the biggest risk is the delivery of energy resources, especially gas," he added. RUSSIA'S 'TROJAN HORSE'
Bulgaria was seen as Russia's most pliable ally in Soviet times and to this day its leaders have to fend off accusations that the country is a "Trojan horse" inside the EU, secretly working in the interests of the Kremlin. "The risks for us are high. We are one of the most vulnerable countries.

Here you'll find fashion, gifts and plenty of places to eat and drink. Further along Oranienburger Strasse you will find the intriguing linked courtyards of the Hackescher Markt, with their craft shops, boutiques and stalls. Beyond the Hackescher Markt towards Alexanderplatz you arrive at Museum Island, which is exactly as it says: an island in the Spree that is home to many museums - all built in a grand, neoclassical style.

Reed called one song "Growing Up in Public" and his career was an ongoing exhibit of how any subject could be set to rock music - the death of a parent ("Standing On Ceremony), AIDS ("The Halloween Parade"), some favorite movies and plays ("Doin' the Things That We Want To"), racism ("I Want to be Black"), the electroshock therapy he received as a teen ("Kill Your Sons").

But in the 1980s, he kicked drugs and released a series of acclaimed albums, including "The Blue Mask," Legendary Hearts" and "New Sensations. "Lou Reed is the guy that gave dignity and poetry and rock n' roll to smack, speed, homosexuality, sadomasochism, murder, misogyny, stumblebum passivity, and suicide," wrote Bangs, a dedicated fan and fearless detractor, "and then proceeded to belie all his achievements and return to the mire by turning the whole thing into a monumental bad joke with himself as the woozily insistent Henny Youngman in the center ring, mumbling punch lines that kept losing their punch. "
His albums in the '70s were alternately praised as daring experiments or mocked as embarrassing failures, whether the ambitious song suite "Berlin" or the wholly experimental "Metal Machine Music," an hour of electronic feedback.

Russia is Bulgaria's second biggest trade partner and imposing tough economic sanctions on Moscow would hit about 2,000 Bulgarian companies, employing about 80,000 people, who depend on business with Russia, the foreign minister said. Russian holidaymakers are the lifeblood of Bulgaria's tourism industry, which contributes about 13 percent of the country's gross domestic product, prompting fears about what would happen if the EU restricted Russians' entry into the bloc.

Worries about the economic damage a prolonged standoff with Russia could cause, coupled with nostalgia for communism among the older generation and a growing disillusionment with the EU, have prompted calls by some for closer ties with Moscow.

Mitte, however, offers a colourful snapshot of modern Berlin and a glimpse of the city's important standing in world events, today as well as in history. It's a place where the modern and ancient collide, and where the worlds of art, culture and politics all happily rub shoulders.

In 1967, the year of the Velvets' first album, the Rolling Stones were pressured to sing the title of their latest single as "Let's Spend Some Time Together" instead of "Let's Spend the Night Together" when they were performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show. " The Doors fought with Sullivan over the word "higher" from "Light My Fire. "
The Velvets said everything other bands were forbidden to say and some things other bands never imagined. Reed wrote some of rock's most explicit lyrics about drugs ("Heroin," Waiting for My Man"), sadomasochism ("Venus in Furs") and prostitution ("There She Goes Again"). Before the Velvets, references to drugs and sex were often brief and indirect, if only to ensure a chance at radio and television play.

In addition to its world renowned museum spaces, the architectural highlight of the AXICA building cannot be missed. Berlin offers a superb variety of locations for gala dinners. Located beside the historic Brandenburg Gate, architect Frank Gehry's innovative and futuristic venue will wow even the best-travelled delegate.

His love songs were less stories of boy-meets-girl, than ambiguous studies of the heart, like the philosophical games of "Some Kinda Love" or the weary ballad "Pale Blue Eyes," an elegy for an old girlfriend and a confession to a post-breakup fling:
___
It was good what we did yesterday
And I'd do it once again
The fact that you are married
Only proves you're my best friend
But it's truly, truly a sin
___
Away from the Factory, the Velvets and were all too ahead of their time, getting tossed out of clubs or having audience members walk out. The mainstream press, still seeking a handle on the Beatles and the Stones, was thrown entirely by the Velvet Underground.History, like celebrity, can be as much as curse as a blessing. But at what point does a destination become trapped by that image? It seems only natural that a city such as Berlin should capitalise on its past. Museums have organised themed exhibitions on the division of Germany and Berlin at the time of reunification. This year sees the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and it seems that everybody in the German capital has gone over the top. They include the house at Checkpoint Charlie, the German Historic Museum, the Allies Museum, Museum Karlshorst, the Stasi Museum, and the GDR Museum, among others. And when is it time to move on?

___
It was really not so cute
to play without a parachute
As he stood upon the ledge
Looking out, he thought he saw a brook
And he hollered, 'Look, there are the bells! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. '
And he sang out, 'Here come the bells! '
Copyright (2013) Associated Press.

Bulgaria is now facing its sternest test of loyalty to the European Union since joining in 2007 and has not wavered, even though it risks economic hardship and a domestic backlash could topple Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski's fragile coalition.

are tourist attractions in themselves - re-erected like totem poles as a counterpoint to the city's dazzling new architecture. Berlin is a vibrant cultural centre and, at under two hours from most British airports, an ideal destination for a short break - though there really is too much to see to pack into a couple of days. To get a sense of what modern-day Berlin is all about it's a good idea to focus your sightseeing attentions on the central district of Mitte.

It also offers 37 meeting rooms, which includes the main ballroom with a maximum capacity of 1,300 people in theatre style. From the sleek sophistication of the Hyatt to the robust Americana of the Marriott, by way of the monumental Westin Grand, there is no shortage of upmarket brands in Berlin. Bang up-to-date, the InterContinental, in the west of the city, features a glass pavilion conference centre which can hold up to 400 delegates. The InterContinental has 534 bedrooms and 50 suites. You negotiate your rate and you make your choice.

Friedrichstadtpalast Palace is the place where you can watch elegant shows. Some of the 153 city museums that would present curiosity are: Museum of History, Egyptian Museum, Alte und Neue National Gallery (where you can admire the works of remarkable painters such as Picasso or Dali), the Pergamon Museum (with fascinations like Zeus' Altar of Pergamon or the Roman Gate from Milet).

Around the corner from the Reichstag is the world famous Brandenburg Gate - or Brandenburger Tor, to give it its German name - the monument that epitomises both the once divided city and reunified Germany. The Gate was built between 1788 and 1791 for Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia and its design is based on the gateway to the Acropolis in Greece.

President Ronald Reagan mentioned this phenomenon in his famous Tear down this wall speech on June 12 1987. By the way, the circular top of the tower is jokingly called Pope's revenge, because the sun's rays form the image of the cross on its surface. Berlin's TV Tower rises to 1207 feet not far from the largest city square, Alexanderplatz. At a height of 670 feet, there is an observation platform and a revolving restaurant, where you can dine as you watch Berlin revolve around you. Sky Above Berlin
The highest building of the capital.

The Berlin Zoo is the most significant and largest zoo in the world. There you can visit one of the most pleasing] and greatest aquariums in the world. It has over 1400 different species and a total of 19000 animals.

When its economic and cultural ties are taken together, it is probably the EU state closest to Moscow. Many former Communist countries in the EU kept ties to Moscow but most view Russia as a former occupier and still a threat. Bulgaria is different because it sees Moscow as a friend.

This effectively means a limit of about 2 stops per day. Then do the homework to work out how to plan to visit the places I am interested in. They start at 0930 and the last bus tour is at 1630 or 1700. I tend to do the tour on the first day. If you take an hour at a stop. Crowds at popular sites mean you have to arrive at 0930 which means getting a taxi ir going by public transport.

The commentary is good most of the time. Multiple tours are good, but it can take a long time to make the links between routes. Otherwise you spend too much time on the bus. Generally a mix of tour bus, taxis which are expensive and walking is needed to visit as many places as possible.

They appeared to cover basically the same area. The tour I chose had three routes, two of which took 90 minutes and the third 2 hours. One of the problems in a big city is the time it takes to plough through the traffic. Brussels, Belgium - Notes from an Aussie Sojourn to Europe
Tour buses - Getting AroundThere were about 10 bus operators competing for the tourists in Berlin .One final tip worth mentioning is the free New Berlin Walking Tour, which leaves from the Brandenburg Gate (in front of Starbucks caf�! ) at 9am, 11am and 1pm, and covers many of the city's most famous attractions without avoiding its dark and troubled past. This brief list hardly begins to do Berlin justice, but it offers some variety to get you started.

Its foreign ministry said this week Beijing would play a "constructive role" on international financial aid for Ukraine, though it stopped short of saying whether Beijing would participate directly. DELICATE DIPLOMACY
But China has also said it wants to develop "friendly cooperation" with Ukraine. Chinese state media has also expressed sympathy for Moscow. China has signaled understanding for Russia's position, saying what is happening "has historical reasons".

Are you interested in this place yet? All in all you can expect to be treated well as an English speaking tourist. The people are fairly relaxed for a large city. It definitely is a very different place to Queensland-Australia. It also has the crime and slums that come with most large cities. There are even quite attractive jobs available for western guys.
The weather can be bitterly cold but also provide a fairly decent summer for northern European standards. It is something that we as Australians find so interesting.

The German parliament (Reichstag), set up between 1884-1894 was destroyed by bombings at the end of The Second World War. It has been restored in a creative way (today, the structure has an immense glass roof). Norman Foster is the architect in charge with this assignment.

The hotel boasts 69 rooms including two deluxe rooms and three luxurious, individually appointed suites.
Where to stay
Hecker's Hotel
Hecker's Hotel is ideally located in the city centre ofBerlin, just a short walk from Kurfuerstendamm boulevard and within a short distance of the main attractions, sights and shopping districts. Just make sure you avoid the winter snows.

They traveled to resorts such as the coastal town of Pomorie, so full of Russian sunseekers and homeowners that one of its districts is called "Little Moscow". About 700,000 Russians - a figure equivalent to a tenth of Bulgaria's population - visited the Black Sea state last year.

It's the only restaurant in Berlin to ever have been awarded two Michelin stars. Under Two Stars
if quality is what you value in food, you will definitely like Fischers Fritz restaurant. Lunch comes to around 50 euros; and even the most selective gourmets will be satisfied.

Indie rock essentially begins in the 1960s with Reed and the Velvets; the punk, New Wave and alternative rock movements of the 1970s, '80s and '90s were all indebted to Reed, whose songs were covered by R. Reed never approached the commercial success of such superstars as the Beatles and Bob Dylan, but no songwriter to emerge after Dylan so radically expanded the territory of rock lyrics. And no band did more than the Velvet Underground to open rock music to the avant-garde - to experimental theater, art, literature and film, to William Burroughs and Kurt Weill, to John Cage and Andy Warhol, Reed's early patron. , Nirvana, Patti Smith and countless others.

This traditional-looking hotel is in fact only as old as the modern unified city, but that doesn't stop it exuding the ambience of a time-honoured fixture. A contrary approach has been adopted at the Ritz-Carlton on Potsdamer Platz. If you get the feeling that you are surrounded by the Art Deco splendour of mid-town Manhattan, it's no co-incidence; that's what the designer wants you to think. The hotel has 146 bedrooms and five meeting rooms - the ballroom is a triumph of the restorer's art and can comfortably host 250 delegates.

When will somebody ennoble Mr. Warhol with an above-ground movie called 'For Crying Out Loud'? "Also on the bill is a performance by a group of rock 'n roll singers called the Velvet Underground," Crowther wrote. "They bang away at their electronic equipment, while random movies are thrown on the screen in back of them.

Over here one can see a big line up of people waiting to go inside. Along the Berlin wall, The Checkpoint Charlie is the popular guard house, a must place to visit.
BERLIN EXHIBITION's STORY
A best place to learn about the legendary Berlin Wall's rich history and captivating heritage. When you are planning to visit this majestic building, do visit it in the afternoon, when you can observe the extravagant sunset. REICHSTAG
This place is home to German Parliament, and is a large domed building.

Television Tower (1965-1969) is the highest construction in Berlin, reaching 368 m. At the height of 250 m you can have lunch and marvel at the whole city view in a restaurant that moves around its axis in approximately 30 minutes.

The Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1996 and their landmark debut album, "The Velvet Underground & Nico," was added to the Library of Congress' registry in 2006. An outlaw in his early years, Reed would eventually perform at the White House, have his writing published in The New Yorker, be featured by PBS in an "American Masters" documentary and win a Grammy in 1999 for Best Long Form Music Video.It split Berlin in two (Eastern Berlin and Western Berlin). Brandenburg Gate is the symbol of Berlin. On December 22th, 1989 when the Berlin Fall had fallen, the Brandenburg Gate was once again opened. It was built between 1788-1791.

Does this 20-meter high gate ring any bells? Built in 1791, it became the symbol of the reunion of the country after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Its trademark is the Sony Center Complex, completed with iron "umbrella" - a giant metal cupola covering numerous offices, hotels, restaurants, as well as a cinema and a museum. Eberstrabe leads to the famous Brandenburg Gate. However, the Parisian monument was built in 1836, 45 years after the one in Berlin appeared. You are right - it resembles the Arc de Triomphe.

The new wing and the old palace are open for public to explore. BERLIN WALL
A freedom symbol is the Berlin Wall. SCHLOSS CHARLOTTENBURG
The largest palace in Berlin It is and the popular tourist attraction place. The east side of the gallery is considered the best preserved stretch.

Zoo in the City
The first German Zoo was opened on August 1 1844. Today, it has over 1,500 species of wildlife, living on 34 acres of territory. Water ditches or subtle fences separate animals and visitors. Several years ago, a white bear named Knut was the star of the zoo. For only 2 euros, the military guy will gladly pose for tourists' cameras. Today, a 34-year old panda Bao has taken his place. It is worth visiting for the chance to touch history, or just to dine in one of the many cafes located in a spot it was impossible to be not so very long ago.

Adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate was erected a monument in the memory of the Jews killed in the war. The monument consists of 2711 massive concrete blocks stretched on an area of 19000 square meters. Ged�chniskirche Church (1891-1895) is an Neo-Roman style Evangelical church that was almost totally ruined at the end of the Second World War. The avant-garde part was constructed between 1959-1961 by the architect Egon Eiermann.

The highlights in the Silken Hotel are a Japanese garden with a waterfall and the large wellness area looking out over the roofs of Berlin. It will have 205 rooms, including 42 suites. A 450 sqm meeting and conference area is an appropriate setting for all kinds of events.

� Police say Brown is being investigated for an alleged assault after a fight involving six men erupted over a parking space outside an L. � Ocean reportedly wants to press charges. County Sheriff�s Department says, �The altercation allegedly led to Chris Brown punching the victim. Following his brawl with Frank Ocean, Chris Brown posted the photo at right on Instagram, with the caption �Painting the way I feel today. Focus on what matters!

Today, the scattered pieces of Berliner Mauer can be found all over the city and beyond. Finally, you will see the longest extant piece of the wall, which stretches for nearly two miles. As you go along the extensively reconstructed and modernized Friedrichstrasse, you'll come to a metal badge of a bunny on the ground. It was installed in place of a former checkpoint, because only rabbits could cross the border without penalty. For 19 euros, you will get a bike and four hours to cover the route along the landmark.
One of the best ways to explore this symbol of Cold War is to take a bicycle ride along the wall, which can be ordered from Berlin on Bike.

Security Council vote earlier this month on a draft resolution to condemn the Moscow-backed referendum in Crimea, China's abstention effectively isolated Russia. "If I were Russia, I would not be satisfied with the number of votes in favor of Russia," said Merkel, who despite her country's close trade ties with Moscow and heavy reliance on Russia gas exports has backed European Union and U. vote a clear sign "that the international community is not very happy with what Russia has done". The chancellor, who has tried to use her influence on Russia President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the crisis, called the U.

There was no official comment on reports that Xi might visit a monument to the Holocaust in Berlin during his visit. China likes to contrast Germany's profound atonement for its World War Two atrocities with what it sees as Japan's reluctance to do so. But business considerations did not prevent Merkel from publicly raising China's patchy record on human rights and free speech with the visiting president. "Broad and free expression of opinion is of course a very important element to promote the creativity of a society, be it in research, culture or civil society," said the chancellor.

Designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold, it is a spot for remembrance and commemoration of some six million victims. Holocaust MemorialThis modern and controversial abstract art work consists of a grid of 2,711 concrete slabs sitting on a slope just south of the Brandenburg Gate, in the Friedrichstadt neighbourhood.Making the most of a short break in Germany's capitalCool and confident, Germany's capital has a refreshingly liberal outlook, a trendy arts scene, a sizeable student population, and hundreds of lively bars and clubs.

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Vital indicators: Berlin
Value for money - 3
Compared to its near-neighbours, Germany is not cheap, and prices in the city reflect that fact. That said, Berlin offers good value compared to other major European capitals. The X-factor - 2
Two decades have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's time the city sold its future rather than its past. Infrastructure - 4
The city has a good supply of five-star products and a choice of extremely professional destination management companies. If you were born in the late 1980s, the Cold War seems as distant as the Holy Roman Empire.

But Xi did use a speech in Berlin on Friday evening to recall Japan's wartime invasion of the Chinese city of Nanjing and say that such atrocities "are still fresh in our memory". Ties between the Asian rivals took a turn for the worse in December last year when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited a Tokyo shrine China sees as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past because it honors wartime leaders and millions of war dead. (Additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum, Michelle Martin and Annika Breidthardt; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

It also includes more than 100 works by Picasso that span his entire creare period. The Br�han Museum The collection at the The Br�han Museum, directly opposite the Berggruen Museum, was also derived from donations by Karl H. The collection is well presented in room and includes furniture and entire room settings. It is a museum of art and design, focused mostly on Art Nouveau, functionalism and some Art Deco. It inlcudes some of his early student sketches and some painted just before his death in April 1973.

"All parties involved should work for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict. "
China has adopted a cautious response to the Ukraine crisis, not wanting to alienate its ally Russia or make comment directly on a referendum in which Crimea voted to join Russia, lest it set a precedent for restive regions of its own such as Tibet. "China does not have any private interests in the Ukraine question," Xi told a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The current exhibitions were 'not my cup of tea'. There were also ceramics, figurines and posters. I briefly visited several other museums and galleries, but was not captured by their collections. Huge display rooms and structures.
New National Gallery The New National Gallery is an imposing monumental structure that featured exhibitions of ultra-modern art of various types.

But while this paints a picture of a thoroughly modern city, it's impossible to escape the weight of Berlin's turbulent past. Museums and monuments across the city offer constant reminders of these upheavals, from historic landmarks such as the the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie to the ultra-modern Holocaust Memorial. In the 20th century alone it has been ruled by fascists, heavily bombed, split in two by the Berlin Wall, and witnessed a revolution.

More than 85 percent of gas is bought from Gazprom, its only oil refinery is controlled by LUKOIL and its only nuclear plant runs on Russian fuel. Its Cold War alliance left a deep economic footprint on the Balkan state, especially as it is almost entirely dependent on Russian energy supplies.

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"No other work of art I know about has made the junkie's experience so horrible, so powerful, so appealing; listening to 'Heroin' I feel simultaneously impelled to somehow save this man and to reach for the needle. "
Reed made just three more albums with the Velvet Underground before leaving in 1970. Their sound turned more accessible, and the final album with Reed, "Loaded," included two upbeat musical anthems, "Rock and Roll" and "Sweet Jane," in which Reed seemed to warn Velvets fans - and himself - that "there's even some evil mothers/Well they're gonna tell you that everything is just dirt. Cale was pushed out by Reed in 1968 (they had a long history of animosity) and was replaced by Doug Yule. "'Heroin' is the Velvets' masterpiece - seven minutes of excruciating spiritual extremity," wrote critic Ellen Willis.It's very hard to explain to him now that we should impose sanctions on Russia. A member of parliament with the ruling Socialist party, his government has gone along with sanctions on Moscow over its annexation of Crimea, but at the same time he feels the cultural and historical pull of Bulgaria's long association with Russia. "My father was an officer in the Soviet army," he said. "He spent his life shoulder to shoulder with the Soviet army.

A direct descendent of the Communist regime in power before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the party has a strong pro-Russia wing and much of its older, rural vote base leans more towards Moscow than the West. The Socialists could lose the votes of supporters angered by the government's going along with sanctions. Siderov has played on such historical associations to whip up pro-Russian feelings among voters ahead of European elections in May, a vote that is seen as a key test of the Bulgarian government's long term survival.

Haus der Wannsee Konferenz, the venue in which details of the Nazis' "Final Solution" (Endl�sung) were finalised Alexanderplatz, home of Berlin's famous Fernsehturm (TV Tower) and World Clock
9. The East Side Gallery - a long stretch of the Berlin Wall which has now become a large outdoor art gallery
6. The Pergamon Museum
7. Kurf�rstendamm (locally referred to as Ku'damm) - Berlin's largest shopping strip which stretches for over a mile
5.

Relaxed and friendly, you can eat well and cheaply here at many Italian, Indian and Thai restaurants. Not too far from the Kulturforum, and offering fine views of the Fernsehturm tower, Oranienburger Strasse is full of places to eat and drink and comes alive in the early evening when the cafes and bars begin to fill up. It has a superb collection of 20th-century art, including German Impressionism and many Picassos, but without the crowds and bustle ofLondon's Tate Modern.

Museum IslandThis awesome complex of five world-class museums, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is situated on an island in the River Spree in the city's central Mitte district. It includes the huge collection of artwork at Alte Nationalgalerie; the Pergamon Museum, which contains full-sized reconstructions of monumental buildings made up of parts from Turkey, including the Pergamon Altar; and the Bode Museum's impressive collection of sculptures and Byzantine art.

�So this just happened�� she tweeted with the photo at right. "Sopranos" star Jamie-Lynn Siegler is engaged to her boyfriend of one year, Washington Nationals minor-league infielder Cutter Dykstra, the son of former Met great Lenny Dyskstra.

Berlin has changed immeasurably over the last decade and the rebuilding is far from over - making now a fascinating time to visit. As a part of old East Berlin you can still find austere traces of the city's Cold War past, but in equal measure you will discover modern monuments to a bright new tomorrow.

The TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm)You could easily fill your Berlin break with high-brow activities like museum visits and gallery tours, but it's always satisfying to get a good 360-degree view of the city. This TV tower is Germany's tallest landmark, standing 368. There are stacks of cheap hotels in Berlin to choose from for a convenient city break close to all the major attractions, giving you the chance to experience both sides of the city: old and new. Packed with things to see and do, there are a few sights you shouldn't miss, even on a short break in Berlin:
View from the TV Tower in Berlin 1.

It is from here, head of German government, Angela Merkel, has a fabulous view of the glass-domed Reichstag. The top of the roof boasts a beautiful panorama of the Tiergaten and Potsdamer Platz, as well as one unpretentious white building that houses the personal office of the Federal Chancellor.

Here is what they suggested. Brief word. Jill Tanamal
Ovation Germany
We asked a leading Berlin-based destination management company to respond to this hypothetical brief: a pan-European company needs to retain staff and strengthen its upscale brand image internally. A two-day conference including by break-out sessions, a keynote address by the CEO and a gala dinner on the final evening.

"The Bachelor" host Chris Harrison is designing a men's clothing line, because that's just what the world needs. Harrison has teamed up with his designer friend Christopher Wicks to create a line called Chris Harrison Collection by Da Vinci, and has plans to model the wares on the next season of the ABC dating show. "I think there's a huge market there for guys like me, who aren't going to be wearing the ridiculous Ed Hardy stuff - we're too old for that garbage - but at the same time, we don't want to look like a slouch.

The famous Brandenburg Gate is at the western end of Unter Den Linden. Schlossbrucke features eight clusters of marble statutes. Also on Unter Den Linden is the restored Neue Wache, a memorial to victims of fascism and militarism. Unter den Linden is the city's principal thoroughfare and the best surviving examples of Prussian architecture can be seen there.They had pulled down the Berlin Wall which, since 1961, had divided British, French and American West Berlin from the Communist-governed East, but many of the elegant modern buildings that now typify the capital city's cultural quarters were not yet built. Today, however, fragments of the Wall, covered with graffiti of peace signs, Eight years ago the remains of the Wall looked just like the rubble you would find on any old stretch of waste-ground.

Something to think about? Happy travels and until next time,
Colin Burnett I know I was just blown away by the culture in Europe. Personally My ancestors come from England but the whole of Europe feels like where I came from.

The stunning building which houses the German parliament in the modern era, the Reichstag used to be situated right next door to the Berlin Wall before the wall was pulled down. Today the building is a highly popular tourist attraction in its own right and should be on the list of any visitor to Berlin. The Reichstag has seen a huge amount of action during the various wars which Europe has seen over the years, and the building and its glass dome were massively damaged at the end of the Second World War when the Russian army entered Berlin.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is one of the contemporary and recent projects finished in Berlin. It is the biggest railway station in Europe and it was inaugurated on the occasion of World Football Championship in Germany 2006.

The Berliner Dom is the most famous and arguably the most beautifully designed of them and is now more than one hundred years old. Perhaps among the best kept secrets of the German capital, the Berliner Dom is one of the city's many stunning churches which are scattered all over Berlin. The views across the city's downtown area from the peak of the dome itself are well worth the entrance fee.

JEWISH MUSEUM
Jewish Museum, also known as the Judisches Museum, is the most distinctive and largest museum in whole Europe. Here in Reichstag building, Restaurant Kaefer located at the top of the building, has the honor of being the only restaurant in the parliament building of the world. It contains bizarre angles to symbolize the Holocaust and is almost like the Star of David shape.

The Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Stra�e which contains one of the few remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall Unter den Linden and the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)
3. Many people have claimed that World War II didn't properly end for Berlin until 1989 due to the prolonged division and political stalemate. If visiting Berlin for the first time, you will need a good week to fully appreciate the city. Twelve places you can't afford to miss during your stay in Berlin are:
1.

"We support the constructive efforts the international community has made to de-escalate the situation and are open to any concepts which serve to calm the situation and to bring about a political solution," Xi said in Berlin. The Chinese leader's first visit to Germany since becoming president last year saw the signature of business deals that will add to bilateral trade that was worth about 140 billion euros last year. "The Chinese side always respects the principles of international relations and non-intervention in the internal business of other states," he said.

It has heaps of culture. Both napoleon and hitler marched their armies through this gate. The Brandenburg Gate and Reichtags were very cool when I first saw them. Many are from the second world war. It's about a 10 minute walk from the main train station. If you are in Berlin, it's easy to get to these monuments. They show the main lingering tension between Russia and Germany. With Starlins army reaching Berlin just before the Americans in WWII, they didn't hesitate to rub it in that they won the war. Even the really straight street through the gate has so much cultural significance. There are also other interesting statues hidden away in the outer parts of the city.

The whole world knew that the western allies would win. He then back flipped and drove his armies deep into Russian territory before the cold war beat him and the war was basically over in 1942. On one side it is understandable. This is just like the rest of Germany. Hitler signed a pact to say they were friends then decided to invade Russia. Berlin also has many other cultural events on every year. It seems like they always have been. It is a fairly modern city as well. They are a very industrious and hard-working folk from what I saw.

Grapes were rare around Berlin and Hamburg, but more common in the hills to the south. Germany had the highest density of wind power towers in rural areas and huge solar farms as well. Olives non-existent in the parts of Germany I visited. What do they do with all the stuff?

78 metres above the ground, and on a clear day you'll enjoy outstanding views of the urban landscape; if the fog's moving in, however, give it a miss - you won't see a thing. Most fascinating are the incredible stories of those who tried to escape it, including exhibits of home-made inventions they used in their attempts. Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Haus am Checkpoint Charlie)Sat beside the former crossing point between East and West Berlin, this private museum reveals something of the world behind the Iron Curtain. You can pay 11 euros to visit the observation deck, perched 203.via FlickrNEW YORK (AP) - Lou Reed, the great punk poet of rock n' roll who profoundly influenced generations of musicians as leader of the Velvet Underground and remained a vital solo performer for decades after, died Sunday at 71.

I have been surprising how similar the landscapes are to those in Australia. The houses are different but there is a lot of dairy, hay and pasture crops . I was surprised how much corn (maize) is grown in Germany, France and Italy. Rural country side around Germany.

Berlin is big, very big in so many ways. The tourist ferries are gigantic and there are huge parks, squares and roads. The focus of my trip was on art, design, science and attempts to get to know the real residents away from the tourist centers
See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 See all 179 photos Source: Original Photo - janderson99 Rick Steves' Germany 2014 Buy Now Big Buildings, Shopping and CommunityI came across a grassy area packed with deck chairs and people enjoying a drink and snacks in the sunshine. Once again this affects your feelings as you examine the works.

In fact, the Communist authorities also erected other, substantial monuments to the Red Army in Berlin. Despite the many unappetizing aspects of Communism, I still think this memorial is one of the more sincere, cultural monuments to have emerged in post-World War Two Germany. But this monument in the Tiergarten, being the first Soviet war memorial in the city, as well as the fact of its somewhat unusual location in the light of subsequent developments, has become one of the more well-known sights of Berlin. Note
(1) Interestingly, Kerbel, born in 1917, who was responsible for a number of works commemorating Communist themes, survived beyond the demise of Communism in both East Germany and the Soviet Union, living until 2003. (2) Maybe one lesson of 20th century German history is suggestive that there was no, one Cold War ideology which had a monopoly of commemorative virtue.

The space was covered by a gigantic structure up about 3 stories from the ground. But I guess this is the way people like it - monumental. I stubbled upon legoland and the original Imax theatre. The only seating in the covered square was on the edge of the ornamental pool. This space was cold and daunting in my opinion.

Berlin Zoo, once home to international animal superstars Knut and Paul the Psychic Octopus both of whom are now deceased
12. The Sieges�ule (Victory Monument) located next to Berlin's large park, the Tiergarten
11. Checkpoint Charlie in Friedrich Stra�e

For something a little different, the former GDR chancellery of Erich Honecker is now a private university combining historical walls with state-of-the-art meeting facilities. With 146 sleek rooms, a luxurious glazed ceiling ballroom, spacious breakout rooms and a lavish Spa carved out of the former vaults, this hotel provides for every meeting planner's and conference delegate's need.

At one of the corners will be an underground center for information. Just south of Brandenburg Gate, this memorial for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust is quite controversial. It opened in 2005, and can be described as city block of 2711 concrete slabs of varying heights and angles. You are going to be able to move through it, and occasionally you will almost feel lost within its confines.

The Soviet army took it and shipped it to Russia as war reparations. Berlin has a large Turkish population, many of whom came as guest workers in the 1950s and 1960s. Wages are quite low in Berlin compared to the rest of Germany. The district of Kreuzberg is home to a huge Turkish community. In 2006 Berlin had 16% unemployment. Berlin lost most of its heavy machinery after WWII. The world's first traffic light was installed at Potsdamer Platz and is still there today.

Also pay close attention to a touching hippo monument, established in honor of the only hippo to survive World War II in the zoo. See all 12 photos Source: Berlin's TV Tower Want to Explore the Rest of Germany? Check Out These:Rick Steves' Germany 2012 Buy Now DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Germany Buy Now DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Munich and the Bavarian Alps Buy Now Frommer's Germany (Frommer's Complete Guides) Buy Now 6 pm.

Clooney is currently preparing to film his upcoming movie "The Monuments Men" in Potsdam. George Clooney picked up the $120 dinner tab for a nearby table at the Grill Royal restaurant in Berlin after fearing his own party was too boisterous. However, the German patron said that Clooney and co had �behaved in a very cultivated manner,� and he was �stunned� the movie star had felt the need to pay his check.President Xi Jinping said on Friday China would not take sides with the West or Russia over Ukraine, disappointing any hopes Beijing might add its weight to international pressure on Moscow for annexing Crimea.

"The incidents are outrageous and to be deplored," German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters was quoted as saying by Bild newspaper on Thursday. A foundation that supervises the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which was opened in 2005, will talk to police and arrange tighter security, Gruetters said.

Reed died in Southampton, N. Reed shared a home in Southampton with his wife and fellow musician, Laurie Anderson, whom he married in 2008. , of an ailment related to his recent liver transplant, according to his literary agent, Andrew Wylie, who added that Reed had been in frail health for months.

Most of them learn English for 6 or so years through high school. A lot of them also use English often with their jobs. Nine out of ten Germans do speak some kind of English though. Be it working for international companies or just in small tourist shops. That is a good travel tip to remember.

Tourists reaching Berlin by train can hire a cab from Berlin Train Station Car Hire to reach their destinations at very cheap and affordable prices. There is never ending lists of places to visit in Berlin. With the great advancement in technology one can also book the car with the help of smart phone. Tourists visiting this city are spellbounded by the city's great history, complex infrastructure, amazing culture and one of the best architectures of the world. After spending a couple of weeks tourists still lust for more.

An exhibition on Alexanderplatz focusing on the Berlin Wall and the revolution will run until October and there are plans for an ineluctable fireworks display on November 9, the day of remembrance, followed by the inevitable concert at Brandenburg Gate and the indispensible political remembrance ceremony.


Berlin is home to three million people and is a great place in which to live. Deutsche Bahn does an excellent job connecting people to the rest of Europe via its rail network and budget airlines take care of the rest. Here follows a list of interesting facts about Berlin. Apartments are cheap, public transport is reliable and food prices are reasonable too.

Nearby is a surviving chunk of the real Berlin Wall used as a huge canvas by local artists. The Brandenburg GateThis former city gate, completed in 1791, once stood amongst a series of gates all passed through on entering Berlin. People could travel freely through it until the Berlin Wall was built, cutting off access from West Berlin.
Berlin In Your pocket3. Today it is one of Germany's most famous landmarks, and although it suffered serious damage in World War Two it has since been returned to its former glory. During the Revolutions of 1989, when the Wall fell, the gate came to symbolise plans to unify East and West Berlin.

" On "Heroin," Cale's viola screeched and jumped behind Reed's obliterating junkie's journey, with his sacred vow, "Herrrrrr-o-in, it's my wife, and it's my life," and his cry into the void, "And I guess that I just don't know. At Warhol's suggestion, they performed and recorded with the sultry, German-born Nico, a "chanteuse" who sang lead on a handful of songs from their debut album. A storm cloud over 1967's Summer of Love, "The Velvet Underground & Nico" featured a now-iconic Warhol drawing of a (peelable) banana on the cover and proved an uncanny musical extension of Warhol's blank-faced aura. The Velvets juxtaposed childlike melodies with dry, affectless vocals on "Sunday Morning" and "Femme Fatale.

The memorial with its "Field of Stelae" honors the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and was designed by American architect Peter Eisenman.
The memorial, which is not fenced in, is usually patrolled by two members of the foundation that looks after it, who were reinforced by four more people on New Year's Eve. (Reporting by Thomas Seythal; Editing by Stephen Brown and Raissa Kasolowsky) Under German law, urinating in public can only be punished with a fine at most.

Although the monument, which is next door to the U. "The behavior is disgusting, disorderly, stupid - but it does not constitute a crime," police spokesman Thomas Neuendorf said, adding that they would not press charges. On New Year's Eve, when hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals gather to celebrate at the nearby Brandenburg Gate, a man was filmed urinating from the top of one of the 2,711 giant concrete slabs that constitute the Holocaust Memorial. embassy, has in the past been vandalized by neo-Nazis who daubed it with swastikas, police did not see a political motive behind the latest incidents.

With the language barrier, it is also difficult to exactly understand what is happening. Nowadays there are still people of all sorts living there. There are also a lot of different cultures and backgrounds mixed together. As an Australian, I find it a crazy place that is kind of off the hook. There are always a lot of English speaking tourists though. I don't know how many American, English or Australian guys live there. It must have been a scary experience. There are supposed to be 120 000 students with a high percentage of them being international. My friends mother went through Berlin from east to west before the wall came down.Be sure to try out the local cuisine too, from hearty pub meals to takeaway currywurst, and don't forget to sample Germany's famous beers during your visit. Wherever you're staying at hotels in Berlin, you won't be too far from edifying experiences in Germany's multi-faceted capital.

Perhaps the most enduring image of the Cold War, Checkpoint Charlie was for many years the sole access point for crossing the border in the Wall between West and East Berlin. Checkpoint Charlie became infamous for the many skirmishes which took place at the crossing during the cold war and for the number of spies and citizens who attempted to cross from the communist East to the free West of Berlin. Today the checkpoint is home to a museum where visitors can chart the history and many stories of the border crossing and pose for a photo beneath the original Checkpoint Charlie sign.

Berlin is a relatively young city by European standards and it has always had a reputation as a place filled with people from elsewhere. It may seem tough to find someone born and raised here! This is part of Berlin's charm: it never gets stuck in a rut. German is of course the main language in Berlin but you can easily find information in English and sometimes in French. If you feel a bit lost you can easily contact a bystander and ask him for the directions, he would be happy to help you.

Berlin is big (population over 3. 5 million) and has very monumental buildings - huge imposing structures surrounded by bland open spaces. Many of the art galleries are huge with each display rooms the size of a small house, with perhaps 1 or 2 objects in them. This creates a rather unfriendly atmosphere, which is not warm and welcoming, though the people are friendly.

They renamed themselves the Velvet Underground after a Michael Leigh book about the sexual subculture. Fellow studio musicians included a Welsh-born viola player, John Cale, with whom Reed soon performed in such makeshift groups as the Warlocks and the Primitives. They were joined by a friend of Reed's from Syracuse, guitarist-bassist Sterling Morrison; and by an acquaintance of Morrison's, drummer Maureen Tucker, who tapped out simple, hypnotic rhythms while playing standing up.

Reed moved to New York City after college and traveled in the pop and art worlds, working as a house songwriter at the low-budget Pickwick Records and putting in late hours in downtown clubs. One of his Pickwick songs, the dance parody "The Ostrich," was considered commercial enough to record. "Blazing stood the proud and regal name Delmore," he sang. Reed honored his mentor in the song "My House," recounting how he connected with the spirit of the late, mad poet through a Oiuja board.

PERGAMON MUSEUM
The amazing and intriguing museum of Berlin, not to be missed, has engaging things like, Roman, Middle Eastern, Islamic, old Greek and Babylonian architecture and art. PANORAMAPUNKT
To gaze over the enchanting city, visit observation deck, and see the grandeur that is spread out there.

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"The first Velvet Underground record sold 30,000 copies in the first five years," Brian Eno, who produced albums by Roxy Music and Talking Heads among others, once said. Reed's New York was a jaded city of drag queens, drug addicts and violence, but it was also as wondrous as any Allen comedy, with so many of Reed's songs explorations of right and wrong and quests for transcendence. "
Reed's trademarks were a monotone of surprising emotional range and power; slashing, grinding guitar; and lyrics that were complex, yet conversational, designed to make you feel as if Reed were seated next to you. "I think everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band! Known for his cold stare and gaunt features, he was a cynic and a seeker who seemed to embody downtown Manhattan culture of the 1960s and '70s and was as essential a New York artist as Martin Scorsese or Woody Allen.

The ruling party has been beset by internal squabbles and, even before events in Ukraine began, faced the prospect of losing votes in May to a leftist splinter group led by a former president, and another movement led by a former TV anchor. As things stand, the right-wing GERB party will likely come out on top in the EU polls, a scenario that could spark a snap general election in the autumn. Street protests felled one government in Bulgaria last year and almost toppled the current administration, which has survived three confidence votes since taking office. Another bout of instability could further hamper much-needed social and economic reforms in the EU's poorest member.

In the center of Nikolaiviertel lies the oldest Berlin church, Nikolaikirche Nikolaiviertel is a tiny district located in the city's historic center. Its confined streets are well-known and have a lot of restaurants, shops, bars and cafes.If this is your first time visiting Berlin, or you're just keen to gain an overview, one of the best ways to get your bearings in the city is to take a walking or cycling tour of the key sights. These depart from central locations, such as the Berlin Tourist Information Office, and are often free of charge - helping your Euros go further on your Berlin break.

The main stem of Berlin, the Spree River, flows through the heart of the city and reveals a very different face of the capital. From March to October, the river is like a highway, as excursion boats run up and down. Count the Bridges
The German capital is rich in bridges. See all 12 photos Berlin river tourSource: Edmund Nigel Gall @ Flickr 6 pm. There are nearly 1,700 of them, even more than in Venice! Strengthen your feel of the city further by going on a typical tour route, Berlin Cathedral - Reichstag - Palast der Republik - Museumsinsel. Besides interesting stories, a guide will provide you with a glass of local beer and a plate of German sausages.

Perhaps it is this side of the city that will be emphasized when Meeting Place Berlin 2009, organised by the Berlin Convention Office (BCO), seeks to showcase the city as an attractive and sought-after destination for meetings, conventions and incentives. On November 5 the movers and shakers of the international music scene will be presented with coveted trophies in front of the Brandenburg Gate and in the O2 World.

Berlin has so much to grab the guests' attention, like music, art, deigns and fashion. Berlin is a beautiful city, with a mesmerizing history which is reflected in its architectures and streets. Throughout year in Berlin you will notice different happenings like travel, sports events, street parties, concerts and fashion shows making it a party town.

Since the striking modernization, the German parliament building has become one of the most visited landmarks in the world; in the last thirteen years, it has been visited by more than 13 million tourists. To add yourself to this list, make an appointment for a free tour on the Bundestag website.

Farther east within a distance you can walk comfortably is Checkpoint Charlie, the best-known point for crossing from West and East Berlin throughout the cold war. Remnants from the wall can be found here and there, plus there's a museum that is quite good farther south from the Gate. There now exists a kind of a imitation of what had been a historical location, but it is essentially a tourist trap.

TIEGARTEN
It is considered among the world's largest park of the city. While high end car brands are also located here. Here a number of activities are carried out, like jogging, strolling, playing Frisbee, picnics and parties. KURFURSTENDAMM
This avenue has hotels, restaurants, houses and outlets of famous designers.

The producers of "Odd Thomas," a feature starring Willem Dafoe and based on a Dean Koontz novel, are suing several entities alleging that they failed to provide $35 million that would have gone toward marketing and distributing the movie and paying back production loans.

The restored Museum for Post and Communications is another idiosyncratic gem encased in a glass atrium and is suitabe for a gala dinner for up to 100 people. The courtyard at the Jewish Museum can hold 500 people for a reception while the Meilenwerk tram depot - home to classic and modern cars - comfortably seats up to 450 for a gala dinner. The Kaisersaal on Potsdamer Platz offers a more exclusive atmosphere for small groups, while E-werk - formerly the electricty generating station - comprises two halls offering a maximum capacity for 900 people at a reception or 300 for dinner.

He had the opportunity to examine Cincinnati's Berlin Wall Section up close before they covered it with protective glass. He returned to talk to a construction worker the next day. He talked to the construction crew, took photographs of the Wall, the signs, the monument plans. Once you know "the Redhead" is there, you can't miss her. and he didn't see the face. Gregory Reese, the son part of Mom & Son, just happened to be in the vicinity of the Freedom Center when the Wall arrived. A few days later when Gregory took his wife, Dawnyell, to see the Wall; she pointed it out right away. He'd worked with the wall for several days, yet he hadn't seen the face either, not until Greg showed him. She jumps right out at you.

I joined in and it was nice on the beacxh. The area was called - 'Capital Beach'. I had a wurst meal with Bavarian potato salad and sour colesaw. I also joined in a group of people drinking lots of beer in a huge tent enjoying Bavarian food and music. The music group consisted of a drummer, base guitarist and a keyboard player, who sounded like he was playing a piano accordian. The waiter wore leather shorts. There was a parade of tour boats passing by, begging for a wave or two. The tent had seating for about 1000 people at wooden tables with benches. The only view was the gigantic railway station.542 (French Edition) Buy Now Langenscheidt Pocket Phrasebook German (Langenscheidt Pocket Phrasebooks) Buy Now Pocket Oxford German Dictionary Buy Now The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 Buy Now The Making of the GDR, 1945-53 Buy Now DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Berlin Buy Now Michelin Germany Northeast - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen-Anhalf, Brandenburg, Berlin Map No.

Germany has promised to strengthen security at the Holocaust Memorial in the heart of Berlin after a video published on the Internet showed a man urinating and people launching fireworks from its grey concrete structure on New Year's Eve.

With an extensive grid of stations, it reaches every part of the city. Subway
The subway is the most popular form of transport in Berlin; it is used daily by students, entrepreneurs and tourists alike. Built in 1902, the U-Bahn Berlin is the oldest subway in Germany. See all 12 photos Berlin subwaySource: Chris(UK) @ Flickr Day 210 am.

The Visitor Centre at the site has plenty of information on the history of the wall and its role in post-war Germany, while nearby monuments such as the Berlin Holocaust Memorial can be particularly moving to behold. One of the most significant sites in Berlin is naturally the Berlin Wall, or rather what remains of this once divisive monument.

The danger for the government is that the nationalist Attack party - on whose support the Socialists rely to stay in power - could carry out a threat to withdraw their unofficial support if Sofia backs more EU sanctions against the Kremlin. Bulgaria is highly vulnerable to the political fallout of the Crimea crisis compared to other countries formerly behind the Iron Curtain such as pro-Western Poland, or fellow 2007 EU entrant Romania, which had already begun to drift from Moscow in Communist times and is less hooked on Russian energy supplies.

In November 1989 the wall fell, putting an end to the communist authority and favoring Germany to take a significant step toward its reunification. The Berlin Wall was a sign of the Cold War, separating the Western Berlin from the German Democratic Republic.

Berlin is more than 750 years old and over the decades, all generations have left their monuments and landmarks in town. Since there are lot many places to visit in Berlin so availing car hire facility is a very good idea as it saves a lot of time. It's because of its heavy historical burden that Berlin is throwing itself into tomorrow with such contagious energy. The major tourist attractions are Berliner Dom, Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, Museums. It is advisable to travel in Berlin by car and you can get car from Car Hire Berlin Train Station. It attracts a great amount of tourists every year.

The museum houses an authentic slave pen, a genealogy research center, modern day slavery exhibits and much more. So Where is the Other Half of The Face? If it does exist, does anyone know where she is? If you know please leave a message? The Berlin Wall Monument is a welcome addition. Does anyone know if the other half of the Redhead even exists? National Underground Railroad Freedom Center*
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is in Cincinnati, Ohio. Once Gregory realized there was a half of a face on the Cincinnati Berlin Wall Monument, he decided there had to be a second half. In the meantime, if you're in Cincinnati, stop by the Berlin Wall Monument, our city's great new symbol of freedom and a fantastic photo op.

VICTORY COLUMN
This place is a very important and momentous monument that honors the military campaigns. GENDARMEN MARKET
Here you would find numerous neoclassical buildings in this astounding plaza. BRANDENBURG GATE
This is the famous milestone and historical monument of Berlin, where you can take plenty of pictures.

In the years after World War II the Gate became a symbol of the Prussian military might, the Gate during the Cold War become something of a deserted and desolate wasteland. One of the ancient ways into the city, of which there were 14, the Brandenburger Gate today stands as a monument to historic Berlin and is a quite stunning piece of architecture. The Brandenburger Gate. Today the renovated area around the Gate is a popular tourist attraction and a great place to spend a day in Berlin. Your Berlin hotel will be happy to advise you on the best ways to get there and the best times to go.

He lived many lives in the '70s, initially moving back home and working at his father's office, then competing with Keith Richards as the rock star most likely to die. " Reed simulated shooting heroin during concerts, cursed out journalists and once slugged David Bowie when Bowie suggested he clean up his life. He binged on drugs and alcohol, gained weight, lost even more and was described by critic Lester Bangs as "so transcendently emaciated he had indeed become insectival.

deaths, more Blackhawks down, more confrontations with local populations, and an inevitable mission creep in support of such raids that could easily escalate into new wars. Obama said it is a "hard fact" that drone strikes have killed civilians, but he said that a "boots-on-the-ground" approach would lead to even more casualties. The result would be more U. "It is false to assert that putting boots on the ground is less likely to result in civilian deaths, or to create enemies in the Muslim world.