April 12th: Trek to Berlin
Took the train to Berlin + Checked into Meigneger Hostel, a very trendy place for a hostel + Went back and forth between metro station and hotel room, because we kept forgetting things + Took the metro to the Berlin Zoo where we started our self guided walking tour. + Saw Reichstag (German Parliament building, Brandenburg Gate, Jewish Holocaust Memorial, Unter den Linden (the main blvd. in Berlin), a former ghost subway station, Bebelplatz with the Nazi book burning memorial (an underground empty bookshelves), and Museum Island+ Amy craved pho or any kind of noodle soups. We found “Authentic Chinese Restraurant” It was run by a thai family, and their vietnamese soup was not a soup but spicey noodles. Amy ate Brian’s fried rice. + Waited in line to enter Reichstag, we literally squeezed in to make it before they closed

We know how a Cow feels
In Berlin Amy and I thought it would be nice to see Reichstag at night. Our guide book suggested that visiting at night would also allow us to avoid crowds. So we went and the line was slightly shorter than during the day, but a worker came by and told us that we should be aware that they are only allowing two more groups of people in before they close entry. We had nothing else to do that night so we decided to wait.

They began to let in the first group. We moved up the line, but no chance of entering. We did move up about halfway though, and so we though perhaps we can make it for the last entry!

Several minutes of nervous waiting goes by before they let the last group enter. The line is not very orderly and people slide in front of us, but Amy thinks to herself, “I am smaller than Brian so I can wiggle my way into the building and then I will be able to pull Brian in”

I struggled to keep close to Amy, but even with my highly developed crowd navigation skills I just was not able to fit through the small chinks and holes of this human river of people.

We fight and fight and finally I am steps away from the glass door. Before that I had wondered how they were counting the people. That is when I realize that we are actually not entering the building but entering a glass cage. This class room was their measuring cup for tourists. People bagan to push and shove, and with a final wave of people I washed into the glass cage. Amy a few people in front of me.

Then they began to close the doors. The group of people behind us began to shout that someone from their party is right behind the gaurd and if they could let them in as well. There are no exceptions made for the human measuring cup. So it seems like Amy’s “pull Brian into the building” plan would not have worked!