Lions, Tigers, and Bears ! Oh, Berlin !

I have returned from Deutschland (aka Germany), feeling as if I entered American soil. Home to 3.4 million people, Berlin is a beautiful city, comprising of historical landmarks with a modern twist. Unlike most European cities, Berlin is spread out, similar to urban American cities. Paired with restaurants like Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds (just to name a few!), I felt as if I were back across the pond!

Moments after landing, I spotted a Steiff store. For those of you who may not know, Steiff created the first stuffed animal and is well known for their line of teddy bears. My family has collected many over the years. Needless to say, the store was a child's dream. I made sure to pick up a souvenir to add to my collection! Adding to Berlin's bear fetish (as a bear appears on the German flag and coat of arms), I tried to spot nearly all of Berlin's 140 United Buddy Bears. Nearly two meters tall, each bear represents countries recognized by the United Nations. The bears promote "living together in peace and harmony." In 2003, the bears were sold and many stand outside owner's residences and offices.

In keeping with the animal theme, I visited the Berlin Zoo, considered to be the most visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. For your information, it was certainly not disappointing! The animals were very lively, coming towards visitors like they were ready to pose for photos! The Berlin Zoo is home to the polar bear Knut, who became famous in 2006. As you may recall, Knut was the center of worldwide media attention after being rejected by his mother at birth and subsequently raised by zookeepers. To add to the Berlin Zoo's fame, it is also home to Bao Bao, the eldest known Giant Panda in a zoo worldwide. Even though I have visited the San Diego Zoo and live only minutes from the Columbus Zoo, recently named the USA Travel Guide's number one zoo in America, the Berlin Zoo impressed me to no end. I would gladly fly halfway across the world to visit Knut any day!

In preparation for our visit to the Stasi headquarters and GDR Museum, our Furman class read Anna Funder's Stasiland, representing what occurred behind the "Iron Curtain." November 9th marks the twenty year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Our group also visited the Jewish Museum, focusing on Jewish-German religious persecution as a whole. While the city of Berlin marks historic significance, monuments like the Royal Palace and Hitler's bunker no longer exist. The missing sites portray Berlin's continuous efforts to move forward and its hope to a prosperous future as a world partner. We must never deny history but learn from it, so we can strive towards global peace and human rights.