The game itself was actually pretty average - with Ukraine much better than Tunisia and only needing a draw - but the stadium in which it was held - the Olympic Stadium (formerly known as the Hitler stadium!) - was absolutley breathtaking (This is where the World Cup final is eventually held).
The highlights of my Berlin related to two tours - a walking tour I did during the day (These are fantastic), and a few other "walking tours" done with my friend Leland, an American who's lived in Berlin for the last 4 years.
The conventional tour took us to all the important parts of central Berlin, such as theis beautiful quadrangle (ironically where books were burned in the 1930s). Here they are decked out with Bears - somewhat of a symbol for Berlin - from every country ...
Then also to important historical sites - like this tribute to the Jewish vitims of the holocaust ...
... and even to a chocolate shop! Witness the large chocolate balls ...
As for the "other" tour - I was so privileged to see the harder-to-find parts of Berlin - an amazing array of parties in abandoned buildings and lots, cool things to eat and see.
For example, we watched the Germany round of 16 game at this "Trailer Park". Literally full of old trailers in an abandoned parking lot ...
... it was a really cool place to watch the game. Crowded, full of shouting and beer drinking Germans ... very cultural! :)
Elsewhere in the city we went to these huge abandoned buildings filled with squatters proclaiming amateur art galleries (mostly filled with interesting quasi-left-wing propaganda) and indy movie showings. Other vacant blocks had huge ad hoc night parties which raged from about 11pm until sunrise ...
... my favorite one being this patch of sand next to the river where someone had set up a little bar and put a whole lot of deckchairs ...
Berlin. Way cool indeed!
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