Trish and I exploring Berlin
Our 10 night trip (also part of the Munich Oktoberfest and Switzerland blogs) started with 4 nights in Berlin to support part of our group who were running the Berlin Marathon...they sure know how to make room for beer calories at Oktoberfest! Trish and I flew in from Los Angeles and met up with our group in Berlin: Angela, Will, Jennifer, Eliot, Katie, Shelly, Davin, Fos and Stephanie. 4 were running in the marathon, while the rest of us just enjoyed the beer, the German food, some sightseeing and cheered them on to the finish line!
Trip Highlights
What better way to start Day 1 in Berlin than with new friends over some with German beer and food at Lowenbrau's.
Cheers!
Trish and EJ at Lowenbrau's
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Is the sausage bigger than your arm Shelly? Yep - you are in Germany!
Eliot, Angela, Katie and Shelly at the Marathon Expo
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Learn how to get around on the Bahn
Get that train Trish!
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Miss your bus in Birkenwerder? No problem - stop and have lunch at a local cafe instead!
EJ, Trish, Jennifer, Shelly and Katie at lunch
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Take a very somber walk through the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
Entrance gate
Camp Barrack
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Roll Call Area and Shoe Testing Track
Camp Wall
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Eat Vietnamese food at Madami (gotta break up those heavy Germany meals)...
Waiting for our food. Cheers!
Pho on a cold, rainy night - yum
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...and walk through the Berlin Oktoberfest in the pouring rain!
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Race day!! Angela, Shelly, Katie and Eliot ran the Berlin Marathon...
Hi Shelly!
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High Five Eliot
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Run Angela Run! (in orange)
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Go Katie - peeling off layers
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...while the rest of us made an awesome cheer squad! Our first stop in the morning was to the Markisches Museum U-bahn station, where we had a great breakfast at Da Back Bistro and then walked over to the 14km mark. We stuck around until we saw all our runners! 4 smiling faces!
Trish and EJ watching the runners (having fun counting how many countries we saw running)
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Cheer squad on the lookout
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Next we took the U-bahn to Bülowstraße, stopped to have a beer because hello...we're in Germany! We sat at a table at Puschel's Pub along the route, enjoyed our beverages and waited for the runners to come past.
Cheer squad relaxing with a beverage while trying to stay out of the rain
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Finally it was off the finish line at Brandenburg Gate...but not before we had a mini dance party at the Thundertruck DJ!
Oontz oontz oontz...ya ya ya! 
DJ truck along the course!
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We fought the crazy crowds at Brandenburg gate to get over to the road barriers so we could look for the runners. We once again managed to spot everyone as they were within 1km from the finish line, which of course warranted a "go team" moment from the cheer squad!
Can you spot our selfie line? Me then Davin then Jennifer!
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Running under Brandenburg Gate - finish is on the other side
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Go team go!!
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A little sight seeing around the Reichstag building, a champagne toast for the runners and then back to our hotel to rest up for the evening.
Trish and EJ at the Reichstag building
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Champagne Toast to the runners!
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We tried to pretend we were young and could hang at the marathon afterparty...fail. Off to another bar!
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Our last day in Berlin was filled with all the obligatory touristy stuff -
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Take a look around Checkpoint Charlie (I was here as a teenager in 1994 - it looks totally different now!)
Standing in front of Checkpoint Charlie
Walk through the Black Box exhibit near Checkpoint Charlie
Feet in front of Berlin Wall remains
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Walk around the Checkpoint Charlie intersection
We think the pink piping represents where the wall used to be
Check out the 'cool looking dome'. The artist's war memorial at Berlin Bethlehemkirchplatz. 
Who are they talking about?!
Ball House and Dome
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Take a stroll through the outdoor Berlin Wall Memorial
Representation of the Berlin Wall area
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EJ at the Berlin Wall Memorial
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Trish, just hanging out
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Berlin Wall
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Weave your way through the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Memorial
Trish and EJ at the memorial
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Looking down one of the endless aisles
End the day with one final group picture at the Brandenburg gate (without the Marathon crowds). 
Group Photo
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Ok, so this will sound crazy, but trust me. Eat some seriously amazing BBQ at Chicago Williams! Yes...in Berlin. Yes, I'm from Texas...and yes, this stuff was good!
Family Style - yum!
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Always have a laugh while waiting for the train
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A final cheers to Berlin!
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Slideshow of more Berlin photos - use right/left control arrows or scroll and click to view
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