"You Aren't Allowed to Bike Here"

German architecture may not have a unifying theme or look, but that does not mean it isn’t breathtaking. The Brandenburg Gate shows the power of Berlin, and the German Parliament building is a modern marvel. The tour was very informative and showed how different American congress and German parliament are. The German president is mostly a figurehead and the chancellor has the most power. Incidentally, there is a presidential election this weekend. Our tour guide told us over 5000 people work for Parliament. The efficiency of Germany also came through in the architecture, as air conditioning was replaced by a natural funnel system and controlled windows.

The Berlin bike tour was the most fun so far. It was a great exercise and our tour guide, from Glasgow, knew almost everything about Berlin. In three hours I learned many things about both WWII and the cold war. Berlin has gone through many hardships; bombings and communism have forced multiple buildings to be rebuilt, some several times. The Holocaust exhibit was a unique abstract way to remember the 10 million victims. It was very cool to see the ruins of the Berlin wall and the checkpoints where the wall used to be. The city has so much to offer, and four hours was nowhere near enough time to explore everything.