EuroTrip - Day 46

The Wall - Part 2

The German Reichstaggebaude (parliament building) is open to visitors. Anyone can visit this highest senate in the country and see its proceedings. The big dome at the center of the building is open to public and gives a splendid panoramic view. Most importantly it gives a glimpse of the proceedings of the parliament in the lower floor. One can see the central hall where the senators and other elected representatives from the entire nation sit and discuss various policies and issues. They say transparency is the ultimate goal of a democracy. The German parliament literally makes its working transparent to the entire world. Whenever the parliamentarians look up, they see the public watching them from the top (dome). It is a reminder to them that the Public is above everything. It's a really nice and informative visit that this parliament offers to the tourists. The long queue of the people waiting to enter the parliament is a testimony to the kind of experience one must expect inside. It's worth the wait if really can spare some time in the queue. Go there in early part of the day or very late to avoid the rush. For the record, this building has a long history as the center of German political system. Do read up the beautiful brochure that you get for free during your visit.

Post the parliament, it was time to go back to the Holocaust Memorial. The audioguided tour is really informative and shows you the life of the Jewish people who had to suffer for decades. A must visit for anyone who has read about or knows even a little about World War II.

The Stasi (East Germany Secret Police) somehow continued where the KGB limits would have ended in the post war Germany. Their fear was a means of keeping the public under control. There was no controls on this organization whose main objective was to fulfil the orders from the high command. Their motto was "Schild und Schwert der Partei" (Shield and Sword of the Party), showing its connections to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). There is a museum dedicated to their existence in Leipzig (which incidentally was its head quarter). Berlin is currently hosting a temporary exhibition cum museum to talk about them. I was really enthu about this place while others had other preferences. So the group split up and we all went our own ways. The Stasi museum had nice exhibits, most of them were only in Germans however. It left more to be explored than anything else. If I get a chance to go back to Leipzig, I am surely visiting the museum there.

I had left the exhibition at Check Point Charlie incomplete the other day. So I got some time to finish that too. At 7pm our train for Milano was to leave, so it was pretty much the end of our day in Berlin.

Everyone has told so many things about traveling in Italy - some good, some bad. I hope our trip ends up with lots of pleasant memories. With this, I sign off for the day and board the train. Kal ki subah ham Italy me bitayenge.