Berlin

Our trip to Berlin was mid week from Tuesday - Thursday.  (June 25-27) Things got going very early on Tuesday morning because we had to all meet at the train station at 5:30 am!  The kids were very sleepy but in good spirits! We had about a 7 hour long journey ahead of us.

We arrived to our hostel in the afternoon on Thursday and got settled into our rooms.  Most rooms were shared 4 girls or 4 boys to a room (each room also with a bathroom).  The hostel was actually in Potsdam and each morning we had breakfast and were able to make lunch packets (sandwiches, fruit, etc.) to take with us.  We had very clean and helpful accommodation!

The first night we split up into groups- One to the Holocaust memorial, one to Check Point Charlie, etc.  Later, we all met back up for the show that night: The Blue Man Group! The kids really enjoyed the interactive show! 

On Wednesday we had some free time at the Potsdam Residence - Schloss Sanssouci.  There was a beautiful garden and the kids enjoyed the NONrainy weather :).  Then, we had two hours in the Pergamon museum, which is a very special museum to Berlin.  Part of ancient Turkish marketplace and the Ishtar Gate replica can be seen here.  We ended our day with a visit to the Reichstag and the Parliament.  Here we had a special meeting with Krefeld's representative and then had a tour of the Reichstag.  The dome on top of the building might have been their favorite part.  You get quite the view of the city up there!

Our last day in Berlin was the most sunny (even though it was still cloudy!) and on this day we took a historical bike tour around the city and it was a blast!  We rode all around some of the most famous places where the Berlin wall once stood.  I think the kids really got a lot out of this tour!

Here is part of the group in front of the Brandenburg Gate on the first night.  Boy was it rainy!!!

Another photo of some students at the Holocaust memorial.

We were also able to visit Schloss Sanssouci in Potsdam on Wednesday Morning.

One museum that we all visited as a group was the Pergamon Museum in Berlin's famous "Museum Insel".

Bike tour!

We found some Russian spies!