Sunday began for us at 8:00am with breakfast in the Youth Hostel, after which we set out to explore Berlin with the help of our guide Eva. Travelling across the former border, we began our tour of Berlin at the East Side Gallery, where the remains of the old Berlin Wall have become a canvas for a myriad of artworks from a variety of different artists. Admiring the art on the way, we followed the 1.3km stretch of the wall to Checkpoint Charlie. The former border crossing between the East and West now plays host to an elaborate museum which documents the rise and fall of the "Mauer". During the hour allocated for lunch, we discovered the cheapest and probably best lunch spot in Berlin, and I very nearly acquired a dog. Despite my sadness at the loss of my new dog, the group moved on to the "Typography des Terrors", a SS and Gestapo museum, followed by a visit to the DDR museum, which contained an exceedingly interactive display of Eastern Berliners' lives. Exhausted from a long day of walking and absorption of educational content, we then trooped back to the hotel for a few hours of relaxation, augmented by the complimentary free Wi-Fi. A quick dinner at the train station is followed by a visit to the Reichstag Building. Successfully passing through the building's security (which was a surprise to all), we were provided with audio guides to talk us through the history and geography of Berlin whilst we walked up the iconic Reichstag Dome. We ended our tour of Berlin at the top of the Reichstag Building, with a spectacular view of the capital, which was definitely a high point in our visit to Berlin.
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