After a pleasant ride on the high-speed ICE to Berlin Hbf , I walked out of the massive glass station onto a vast plaza and was pleased to see the famous Bundestag, originally known as the Reichstag, looming in the near distance. Readers may be familiar with the famous 1933 Reichstag fire, which Hitler used as a pretext for claiming dictatorial power and later the sight of the choreographed raising of the Soviet flag over its semi-ruins in April 1945. Unfortunately, an ongoing construction site obscured the full view, but I was able to grab a few decent shots.

From the Bundestag, it was a short walk through the park to Unter den Linden and the famous Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) on the Pariser Platz. Looking north, I could see the 368 m. Fernsehturm TV tower and the Rotes Rathaus, both in the former East Berlin. I also saw the venerable Adlon Hotel, famous from Nazi and Cold War spy novels and movies. Looking down the Unter den Linden, I could pick out the 67 m. Victory Column, built after a 19th c. victory over Denmark.

I considered taking the U-Bahn to my Airbnb in Schönberg, but given how massive Berlin’s transport system is and with my luggage in tow, I called an Uber, which is cheaper than in the US, and rode a nice Mercedes sedan to my destination.

The host met me at the door and even carried my bag to the apartment, which I imagine was built over 100 years ago and escaped the bombing campaigns. He showed me how the washing machine worked and told me to call if I needed anything. He’s a student at a local university and had a big exam the next day, so I wished him luck. His family owns several apartments in the area. The entry with two keys was a bit tricky. When I returned from the grocery store, I had a tough time getting in. I told him they needed to install a modern lock.

As readers of my blog are aware, over 90% of the accommodations I choose are excellent, but there are always a few misses. While this Airbnb is in a nice neighborhood and is very quiet, it won’t work for me. For example, it has a small twin bed, no coffeemaker and drapes that are missing a hook. I haven’t told the host yet, but I’ll check out tomorrow and stay at a luxury hotel (Hotel Luc, a Marriott property) near the center since this location is a bit far. Hotels are pretty cheap in Berlin compared to comparable US cities. I also decided to spend Saturday night just across the border in Kostrzyn. I want to check out the former Prussian city where the Red Army launched its final drive to Berlin. I’ll write about this later.

Last night I slept until about 4:45 am. After a few minutes, though, I fell back to sleep and arose around 7, feeling well rested. My lower back was sore from the bed, so I sat in a chair and put my hands on the floor while stretching for a minute, which felt great. With no coffeemaker, I walked down the Martin-Luther Strasse a few hundred meters and had, in succession, a cappuccino and a flat white, the price for both less than for one latte in Nashville. The morning is sunny and finally warming up, reaching about 60 today and hitting the 70s by Sunday.

On my way to the cafe, I noticed that I was passing through John F. Kennedy Platz, adjoining the Schönberg Rathaus. I read that this was the exact spot where JFK delivered his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech on June 26, 1963. The Rathaus was West Berlin’s temporary city hall since the original Red City Hall was located in East Berlin.

Later this morning, I’ll head back to the center for a long walk and then join a small group for a 3-hour guided bike tour of the sites. Looking forward to much warmer cycling weather than in Amsterdam a week ago!