Friday, July 30th we took a bus to Wolfsburg to the Autostadt (auto city) where the Volkswagen plant is. This is a planned city that was constructed entirely around Europe's largest automobile factory (50,000+ employees, 2nd largest in the world). They produce over 3,000 vehicles a day. We had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the exhibit halls and pavilions, and then went on a tour of the factory itself. It was fascinating to see how technology, science, and sociology could create this magnificent city. Afterward, we hopped back on the bus and drove the final three hours to Berlin where we had dinner and the went to the top of the TV Tower (around 70 stories) to observe the lights and sights of Berlin. Simply amazing. Prof. Griese (Kai) treated me to a Turkish delight, "Chicken Doner" after our evening in Berlin. A "doner" is a grilled pita bread stuffed with shaved/sliced chicken (like lamb on gyro) and then loaded with many Turkish favorites such as lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cabbage, onion, and your favorite yogurt sauce (See the pictures).
Saturday we went on a guided tour of Berlin and saw so many of the hundreds of wonders of this old city (780 years is something compared to the USA). After a relaxing lunch and trip back to "America" at the Hard Rock Cafe, we went on another guided tour of the German Parliament (Congress) building. Again, it was amazing to see the combination of old (original building with WWII Allies writing their names on the wall in paint-still easily to see) and the modern glass/steel reconstruction and magnificent eco-friendly open dome. A sight for historians, engineers, architects, environmental scientists, and tourists alike to enjoy and wonder at. For evening we went to the progressive area of the city, which felt as diverse as any area I have seen in Europe (lots of young people enjoying their Bohemian lifestyle and progressive ideologies). Dining outside truly has its advantages for conversation and people watching.
Today, (Sunday), we go on our own by bicycle to discover and explore Berlin.
"I'm a Berliner" now.
-Brandon
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