If you visit Berlin just by land you might miss the extensive network of lakes, rivers and canals in which it is embedded. There are substantial lakes on the western and southeastern sides. Approximately a third of the city is green area, parks, woods, gardens, lakes, rivers and canals. Even so, with more than 75 major attractions, it’s not like you will be twiddling your thumbs- we spent 30 days here some years back and went to a different museum every day and did not finish seeing them all.
Berlin has long been an important city, serving as capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), the German Empire (1701–1918), Weimar Republic (1919–1933), Nazi Germany (1933–1945), and today’s Germany after the reunification of 1990. The Spree runs through its center, taking you past famous and impressive architecture: the Reichstag , the classical Pergamonmuseum, the Palace of Tears, and much modernity built following the devastation of WWII. There are day trip ships galore plying the Spree, as visitors from everywhere love the views in the center as well as the nearby countryside settings.
There is much outdoor frolicking in the summer. Where we moored on our second night, across the narrow channel from the Insel der Jugend, some party barges picked up passengers just behind us or slid by with music blaring and beer bottles clinking. One moored behind us long enough to pick up a group of about 30 Americans waiting on the shore with balloons and other party paraphernalia. The others that passed by in the evening hung strings of lights illuminating the passage, revelers singing in their best karaoke voices . Forward of our bow is a bar with a floating hot tub, strings of lights and welcoming indoor lighting flickering on the channel. Across the pedestrian bridge is a restaurant serving local favorites, sausages, fries and Flammkuchen, a thin crusted pizza relative.
One evening an excellent saxophonist played with recorded accompaniment on the edge of Treptower Park, the huge green zone bordering the river. Earlier we’d visited the Berlin city history museum, a tall three story structure. The elevator is hidden. To use it you must ask if you want to avoid the winding sparkling white staircase that takes you up the equivalent of two stories per flight due to the very high ceilings. A guard takes you to the elevator and stays with you to the top floor, where you find yourself in the 1200’s. That’s the beginning of Berlin.
The water authorities allocate space for what they call “sportboats.” You have to vacate the moorings every day between 10-11 am. All those who want to spend another night spend an hour or so puttering about. It appears, however, that there is no enforcement, as we were unable to find a spot across from the Palace of Tears despite two efforts. Your boat must have a ship’s radio license and the radio operator must have a radio operator’s license. Neither are very difficult to get. For the latter you must pass a written test. I did mine online with the Royal Yacht Association. The ship’s pilot must be licensed. This is not so easy to get. There is a written and practical test.
The Palace of Tears is aptly named for the thousands of families and lovers who parted here after the infrequent visits the East German government allowed. The Palace was the entry point where people passed through customs, their documents carefully scrutinized by stone-faced guards. The tears of mothers, sisters, brothers and lovers flowed as they said their forced good byes. The exhibit in the very space tells this tragic story.
