Berlin - Unter den Linden - Cafe and Shopping

Unter den Linden is a broad street with a broad history. The street used to have 250 year old lime trees lining the broad pedestrian walkway. Hitler had the trees removed and flags put in their place.  Loud protests and years later...the lime trees were replaced and are growing again.

Interesting architecture caught my eye.

I've added the Holocaust Memorial to this post also.  Visiting this memorial was interesting.  As people walked through it, the walkway went down.  For those watching, people just seemed to disappear.

The Holocaust Memorial is a field of 2,711 cement blocks of varying height covering a site of nearly 5 acres.  According to its architect, Peter Eisenman, the monument is designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, representing a supposedly ordered systemthat has lost touch with human reason. (AHI Travel paper)

Also shown is a U-Bahn metro station that was shut down for 30 years.  A West Germany train would come through it, but no one was allowed to get on or off.  The walls have the same green tile that was used prior to the building of the wall.  You are able to walk through it and come out at the further exit (ausgang).

The rest of the photos have cafe shots and shopping, and a new car for my sister. Mom, make sure to view this online so that you can see the cafe entertainment.

Holocaust Memorial from the side

Holocaust Memorial from one of the center walkways.

USA Embassy.

New buildings are built in the Pariser Platz.
The platz was a bombed out wasteland.

High end hotel. The front road way is barracaded.
Police were stationed at each end.  Perhaps some
of the NATO members were staying here.

Inside the old subway station. The old green tiles are
original from the 1930s.

Stop name: Brandenburger Tor
(Brandenburg Gate)

The walls have historical information so this is a great
stop to tour.

Russian Embassy.

Einstein Cafe...not the bagel place

Time for a break and some local refreshment.

Salt and pepper. One other thing that I wanted to point out:
the knife is placed in the ines of the fork. I've seen this done
in several cafes and restaurants.  Also, smoking is not
allowed inside the restaurant but is allowed in the outside
cafes.  This was a sunny table and a slight breeze was
blowing to the smoke of the very few smokers in the area
was small.

Club sandwich. Yes, the crust is removed!

Turkey sandwich, crust removed.

Berlin Bear
A big symbol used on merchandise.
A large bear was also in the USA Embassy decorated as
the Statue of Liberty.

A lot of the same types of products that were in France,
all for the delight and consumption of the tourist.

Postcard prices ranged from ,40 euro to 2 euro (the comma is
correct.  Euros use commas instead of the decimal
point.  1,40 is one euro and 40 "cents".)

I was surprised at a whole store of Nivea products because
this product takes up a small section of a department store.

Street signs are on posts.
The walk/don't walk red and green men are making a
huge comeback and quirky merchandising item.

The Mercedes-Benz showroom/museam with an inside
and outside cafe

Retro car

Latest sports car