We didn't walk today - rode the UBahn

Only two places to visit today and the best way to get there was by the UBahn. Both trips took about thirty five mins and entailed  switches at the massive concourse of Alexanderplatz. Naturally the the train we alit from was at one end of the station and the next one was at the other - lots of steps just riding the trains.

The first place was the Flea-Market at MauerPark.
This sprawling setup is a mixture of a Craft Fair and genuine junk sale. Sited on a piece of the Wall (in the death strip), the Wall can be seen sitting on top of an embankment on the East side of the Park (look carefully in the pic and the Wall can be seen above the steps of the "amphitheater". At the market a large number of stalls were devoted to organics, thus preserving the cultural link to the 'free-spirits' that abound in Berlin. At the end of a long walk around the stalls it was decided a beer break was in order and we came across a wrinkle - there was a 2euro deposit on the glasses, but the beer was cheap and good! Jumping on a street car, as we left the Park, we rode to the next stop for the UBahn to Bernauertrasse the site of the next visit - the Stasi Museum.

Situated in, what appears to be a stereotypical DDR neighbourhood this Museum was the home of the Stasi. The Stasi was the State Police organisation that monitored the activities of the East German population. When the DDR fell in 1990 the site was occupied by protesters and the scope of the monitoring was revealed. This complex at that time covered 54 acres and employed 7,000 people. Impressions of this Museum - tough to get to and to find the entrance, not much content but impressive because of the historical context. It is interesting to see the interior still as it was in its lifetime - 60s Swedish interior wood panelling throughout.

Back on the UBahn and back to the hotel for a rest. Doreen and I ventured out later, on a fool's mission as all the stores were closed because it was a Sunday, we wandered around the Shoneburg area. Scoping out the place for a restaurant for later. Found one and when we returned it was closed, so back to the drawing board. However the "Restaurant Elefant" was open and it was delightful. Serving German food, in a cosmopolitan neighbourhood, opposite an Indian restaurant and next door to two Italian ones, this place hit the spot. Even Fred was impressed!

That's all folks:

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