We listened to a fascinating lecture on Germany Today. We heard how the two Germanys were so different in terms of economies, governments and social ideals.
He gave us first hand stories of what Berlin was like during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification. Furthermore, he explained how influences from both East and West Germany have created the Germany of today. In addition to describing the effects of reunification, he explained several challenges facing Germany today and steps the government was taking to address those challenges.Lunch was hosted by the Directorate-General for Culture and Communication and was absolutely delicious. After lunch we had the opportunity to take a very unique elevator back down to the first floor. This elevator was on a loop and kept going around and around. You just stepped on the upward moving platform if you wanted to go up or on the downward moving platform to go down. Timing the step on or off the platform was the most challenging. One of our members almost missed stepping off at the right time and scared many of us in the group.
We travelled by bus to the area in Berlin where artists paint murals on a portion of the Berlin Wall.
Then we went to the Bundesministerium Für Verkehr Bau Und Stadtentwicklung (Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs). We heard two presentations on some of the challenges that the reunified Germany faced when it tried to create transportation links between the former East and West Germany.
We then headed back to the hotel and then walked down to the Sony Centre for dinner. Our guides ordered a platter of original German food for us to sample. It was very tasty.
After dinner I went for a short walk seeing the German Resistance Memorial Centre where Stauffenberg was executed and Führbunker where it is believed that Hitler lived is last days of World War II.
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