Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine March 2018 | Page 120

118
Travel | Berlin
1
The former royal hunting
ground has over 20km of
leafy walks, just the place
to relax for a while...
2
From here, it’s time to head towards the
former West Berlin, and where better to stop
on the way than at Checkpoint Charlie, the
infamous Cold War crossing point between
the US and Soviet sectors of the city. Nearby,
the Wall Museum tells the fascinating story
of the divided city and those who attempted
to cross the Berlin Wall and escape to the
West – many of whom lost their lives in the
attempt. A bit further along is Potsdamer
Platz, dominated by large corporate
headquarters. The square boasts some
spectacular ultra-modern architecture and
has one of the city’s best shopping malls.
From here it’s time to explore more of former
West Berlin. Kurfürstendamm (usually
known by its abbreviation Ku’Damm) became
famous in the pre-war period for its avant-
garde cultural scene and dance halls. Now,
it’s one of Berlin’s main shopping drags and
has everything from chic stores to outlets for
souvenirs and trinkets. Breitscheidplatz
at the eastern end of the avenue hosts a
week-long Easter market with food stalls,
a carousel and visits from the Easter bunny.
At nearby Tauentzienstrasse you’ll find the
chicest department store in town, KaDeWe,
as well as Europa Centre, Berlin’s biggest
shopping mall and one of the largest
entertainment complexes in Europe, complete
with restaurants, theatres, bars and cinemas.
If you want some culture after all the
shopping, Gemäldegalerie is one of the best
art museums in Germany, particularly
interesting for its medieval German art, with
works by masters such as Hieronymus Bosch
and Albrecht Dürer, though it also features
plenty of Italian, Flemish and Dutch works as
well. Once done, you are now near the vast
Tiergarten, a huge green space that
encompasses meadows, lakes, meandering
paths and great swathes of lawn. Trees are
freshly green in springtime, and the perfume
of tulips fills the air. The former royal
hunting ground has over 20km of leafy
walks, just the place to relax for a while
before throwing yourself back into
the bustle of the city.
1 Aerial view of the Berlin skyline and the Spree River.
2 Detail of the golden angel atop the Victory Column.