Berlin Journée 4!

So, I got up and headed to Potsdamer Platz, which is a square with a lot of really cool, modern buildings. I'd heard it looked really cool lit up at night, but I decided to stop by it in the morning on my way to some museums. There's a movie theater and some fancy restaurants, and a huge Sony store. And a Lego giraffe!

Then I hunted around and (miraculously) found Fresco, a coffee shop the tour guide had recommended. I got this delicious iced chocolate coffee drink. Kind of like a frappucino, but smoother.

Then I went to the Stasi Museum, which is about the secret police during the Cold War. It was pretty creepy to learn about the hundreds of thousands of files they had on people. There were examples of their records and surveillance on display, as well as the stories of different people who got caught having dissenting views.

Next, I went to the Topography of Terror Museum. Outside, on a lower level, there is a timeline about Hitler's rise to power and World War II. Inside, there is a very comprehensive exhibit about the Holocaust, which emphasizes all the different groups Hitler victimized.

Outside Timeline

Indoor Exhibit

Nom nom nom!

After I finished going through the museum, I had to head back to my hostel to register for classes at UCSD :O . I was a little annoyed to have to go back in the afternoon to register, and a little nervous the website wouldn't work on the hostel computer, but luckily it did. So after registering and recovering a little (did I mention how hot it was in Berlin??), I headed back out to go a famous currywurst restaurant, Curry 36. It looked a little out of the way on Google Maps, but Wikitravel assured me it was THE place to go for a Berlin currywurst. 

And it was delicious! It did end up being quite a walk from the train station, but it was worth it. A currywurst is a fried sausage that's cut up into slices and served with curry ketchup. You eat the little pieces with a toothpick!

Then I figured that since I had just turned 21 and was visiting a country famous for its beer, I should probably try at least one. So I popped into a nearby grocery store and grabbed one. Beer is so cheap in Berlin! You could get a single bottle for like 30 euro cents. :O I decided to go high rollin' and spring for an 80 cent bottle.¹ I didn't want to drink it right then, so I carried it around in my backpack and made a mental note not to lean back against anything...

Then I took the train to Potsdamer Platz again to see all the buildings lit up at night. They looked so cool! There's some kind of canopy above the plaza that lights up different neon colors at night, and the big fountain lights up alternating colors too.

Then on my way back, I decided at the last minute to get off at the Brandenburg Gate stop so I could see that lit up too. It was so pretty! I was glad I stopped. :) ²

Then I finally headed back to my hostel. I was so tired! I did drink the beer before going to sleep though, haha. I opened it with my keys!³ It was actually pretty good, or at least much better than my previous experience with beer...⁴

À bientôt!

1.I would like to note that I did not get carded! Oh, Europe!
2. I don't know if I should have been going around by myself at night in a foreign city, but I was careful and stuck to places with lots of other tourists, so it was fineeeeeee. 

3. Look at me gooooo. 

4. That ended up being disgusting. :/