Berlin Next Week with Teenage Girls - Hilfe bitte....
Jul 28th, 2008, 01:33 PM
#1
Berlin Next Week with Teenage Girls - Hilfe bitte....
August has come awfully fast and I need some suggestions from the Berlin experts here at Fodor's.
I'm taking my daughters to Berlin on Monday for 3 days to complete some WWII and Holocaust study we've been doing this summer. They are 14 and 17.
We've already been to Normandy and London and I have a pretty good idea of what we'll see in Berlin related to WWII and the Holocaust, although I'm always open to additional input.
I've found this kind of trip can have a saturation factor after a while in terms of how much is healthy without a good diversion. What I really still need are the comic relief activities. Fun restaurants with great food and good people watching. Neighborhoods for a stroll and window-shopping. Cool architecture for the non-museum buff. Pretty squares where I can sit and they can wander.
Won't you share your favorites?
Thanks for any and all tips.
gruezi
I'm taking my daughters to Berlin on Monday for 3 days to complete some WWII and Holocaust study we've been doing this summer. They are 14 and 17.
We've already been to Normandy and London and I have a pretty good idea of what we'll see in Berlin related to WWII and the Holocaust, although I'm always open to additional input.
I've found this kind of trip can have a saturation factor after a while in terms of how much is healthy without a good diversion. What I really still need are the comic relief activities. Fun restaurants with great food and good people watching. Neighborhoods for a stroll and window-shopping. Cool architecture for the non-museum buff. Pretty squares where I can sit and they can wander.
Won't you share your favorites?
Thanks for any and all tips.
gruezi
Jul 28th, 2008, 02:12 PM
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Hi Gruezi:
I responded earlier to your original thread on this subject...so take a look (with pix, too).
Take the girls up to the Resichstag Dome, and have lunch there...it's quite dramatic...may be a long wait since it's the height of summer..but they'll love it. On the first level of the dome there is an excellent foto-history of the city.
The Berlin Zoo is one of the world's best...wife is a zoo freak and she flipped over it.(By the way, the train to Potsdam leaves from near the zoo)
DO, take them to Potsdam as I suggest in the other thread..a beautiful small city with the lovely San Souci Palace and grounds.
Back in Berlin,they'll love hanging around Potsdamer Platz. We were amazed, because the last time we were in Berlin ('93) it was one large chunk of barren ground, all "rubbled" since WW II...Hiler's bunker was there...now (as of
our '05 visit it's classy shopping area with amazing architecture.
You and the girls would also like to see Charlottenburg Palace..not too far from Ku'damm. Busses take you there in ten minutes...beautiful grounds an
illuminating tour of the 18th century building. One of the
nicest parts of the Berlin.
Mixing the war/holocaust with today's Berlin is both fair to the world class city, and equally
fair to the memory of those
multi-millions who perished.
Recommending an unusual Italian restaurant on Fassenenstrasse, corner of Ku'damm, "Via Condotti"
where the owner/maitre'd) does marvelous things with his famous dish of grated cheese, pasta and a splash of cognac, flambe'...he's full of humor..very lovely place.
By the way, when eldest daughter goes off to college, she seems to be the kind of mature teenager who
would get a great deal
out of the book "Hitler's Willing Executioners" by Harvard Professor, Daniel Jonah Goldhagen , Knopf NY, 1996). It tells the well-documented story of "the ordinary German and the holocaust"..it's not a pretty
indictment, but nevertheless an important read for its point of view.Very scholarly, but one can't lay it down once starting to read.I'm a writer of historical novels, and Goldhagen was one of my many resources, as were several of the scholarly treatises recomended by others in your thread.
Gruezi:
One of the most fascinating threads I've read here in a while. You are to be commended as a mother for instilling the learning gene in your lovely daughters.They are going to be successful in the
highly competetive game of life. (I have ten grandchildren between wife and me, and I do my best
to foster the same thirst for learning in each of them as you're doing. It's an everyday task!)
stu T.
I responded earlier to your original thread on this subject...so take a look (with pix, too).
Take the girls up to the Resichstag Dome, and have lunch there...it's quite dramatic...may be a long wait since it's the height of summer..but they'll love it. On the first level of the dome there is an excellent foto-history of the city.
The Berlin Zoo is one of the world's best...wife is a zoo freak and she flipped over it.(By the way, the train to Potsdam leaves from near the zoo)
DO, take them to Potsdam as I suggest in the other thread..a beautiful small city with the lovely San Souci Palace and grounds.
Back in Berlin,they'll love hanging around Potsdamer Platz. We were amazed, because the last time we were in Berlin ('93) it was one large chunk of barren ground, all "rubbled" since WW II...Hiler's bunker was there...now (as of
our '05 visit it's classy shopping area with amazing architecture.
You and the girls would also like to see Charlottenburg Palace..not too far from Ku'damm. Busses take you there in ten minutes...beautiful grounds an
illuminating tour of the 18th century building. One of the
nicest parts of the Berlin.
Mixing the war/holocaust with today's Berlin is both fair to the world class city, and equally
fair to the memory of those
multi-millions who perished.
Recommending an unusual Italian restaurant on Fassenenstrasse, corner of Ku'damm, "Via Condotti"
where the owner/maitre'd) does marvelous things with his famous dish of grated cheese, pasta and a splash of cognac, flambe'...he's full of humor..very lovely place.
By the way, when eldest daughter goes off to college, she seems to be the kind of mature teenager who
would get a great deal
out of the book "Hitler's Willing Executioners" by Harvard Professor, Daniel Jonah Goldhagen , Knopf NY, 1996). It tells the well-documented story of "the ordinary German and the holocaust"..it's not a pretty
indictment, but nevertheless an important read for its point of view.Very scholarly, but one can't lay it down once starting to read.I'm a writer of historical novels, and Goldhagen was one of my many resources, as were several of the scholarly treatises recomended by others in your thread.
Gruezi:
One of the most fascinating threads I've read here in a while. You are to be commended as a mother for instilling the learning gene in your lovely daughters.They are going to be successful in the
highly competetive game of life. (I have ten grandchildren between wife and me, and I do my best
to foster the same thirst for learning in each of them as you're doing. It's an everyday task!)
stu T.
Jul 28th, 2008, 03:07 PM
#4
stu,
Yes! I got your other post and responded, but thank you again, and thank you for this even more complete list of wonderful ideas.
Your encouraging thoughts are so very much appreciated. Sometimes moms of teenagers get so little positive feedback and there are days we definitely need it!
They are really great kids though, and I enjoy traveling with them. I mentioned on my other thread that my daughter has been busy writing college applications this week. Although she loves history, so far she has had a tough time saying any particular major felt "right." This week she discovered a major called "Peace and Justice". Sort of a combo of History, Sociology, Religion, Poli Sci. She said, "Mom, this sounds just like what I've been looking for!" I'm delighted she is interested in such important topics and I encourage her to be a student as long as she possible can.
The book you mention here sounds like something she will want to read at some point.
And I wonder if we will run into your writing somewhere besides here on Fodor's?
Thanks again.
gruezi
Yes! I got your other post and responded, but thank you again, and thank you for this even more complete list of wonderful ideas.
Your encouraging thoughts are so very much appreciated. Sometimes moms of teenagers get so little positive feedback and there are days we definitely need it!
They are really great kids though, and I enjoy traveling with them. I mentioned on my other thread that my daughter has been busy writing college applications this week. Although she loves history, so far she has had a tough time saying any particular major felt "right." This week she discovered a major called "Peace and Justice". Sort of a combo of History, Sociology, Religion, Poli Sci. She said, "Mom, this sounds just like what I've been looking for!" I'm delighted she is interested in such important topics and I encourage her to be a student as long as she possible can.
The book you mention here sounds like something she will want to read at some point.
And I wonder if we will run into your writing somewhere besides here on Fodor's?
Thanks again.
gruezi
Jul 28th, 2008, 03:28 PM
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Hi G,
Can't help with Berlin, however
>This week she discovered a major called "Peace and Justice". Sort of a combo of History, Sociology, Religion, Poli Sci.<
That could be a good major, or a waste of time, where learning to type would be far more useful.
Check to see how many credits are required at the 3 and 400 levels.
Check to see who the faculty are.
Check the course syllabi to see how many papers are required.
Is this the one at Wellesley? That requires only 8 courses in the major and only 2 at the 3-400 level.
Compare that for rigor to the History major at the same school.
Can't help with Berlin, however
>This week she discovered a major called "Peace and Justice". Sort of a combo of History, Sociology, Religion, Poli Sci.<
That could be a good major, or a waste of time, where learning to type would be far more useful.
Check to see how many credits are required at the 3 and 400 levels.
Check to see who the faculty are.
Check the course syllabi to see how many papers are required.
Is this the one at Wellesley? That requires only 8 courses in the major and only 2 at the 3-400 level.
Compare that for rigor to the History major at the same school.
Jul 28th, 2008, 03:42 PM
#6
Thanks Ira,
She is applying there, but also to Tufts and a few Jesuit schools that offer it as well.
I think she is so changeable at this point, I won't get too involved...I'm just glad she is interested in this sort of thing. I did like that most of the schools include an internship with the Peace and Justice major/minor so there is a way to see what type of work you might do afterwards.
She seems the sort to be a bit of a professional student. We are encouraging her to work on her waitressing skills as well
gruezi
She is applying there, but also to Tufts and a few Jesuit schools that offer it as well.
I think she is so changeable at this point, I won't get too involved...I'm just glad she is interested in this sort of thing. I did like that most of the schools include an internship with the Peace and Justice major/minor so there is a way to see what type of work you might do afterwards.
She seems the sort to be a bit of a professional student. We are encouraging her to work on her waitressing skills as well
gruezi
Jul 28th, 2008, 08:58 PM
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Gruezi:
Here are some more pix of the places I mention above, in and around berlin:
http://tiny.cc/BhW3t
Above all else, enjoy this dynamic city of Berlin.
Stu T.
Here are some more pix of the places I mention above, in and around berlin:
http://tiny.cc/BhW3t
Above all else, enjoy this dynamic city of Berlin.
Stu T.
Jul 29th, 2008, 04:32 AM
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Berlin is a wonderful destination for teenagers. There are zillions of things to see and to do.
You might have a look in my GoList:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDet...of_Berlin.html
You might have a look in my GoList:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDet...of_Berlin.html
Jul 29th, 2008, 05:09 AM
#10
Stu - Thank you for the beautiful photos. Definitely am getting excited!
Traveller - I printed your go list to bring along - love your descriptions!
Dukey - Checkpoint Charlie is on our must see list and I think you are right about KaDeWe
Thanks everyone!!
gruezi
Traveller - I printed your go list to bring along - love your descriptions!
Dukey - Checkpoint Charlie is on our must see list and I think you are right about KaDeWe
Thanks everyone!!
gruezi
Jul 29th, 2008, 07:32 AM
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Gruezi and Dukey:
Here it is in all it's shopper's glory. Yes, the "girls" (all three of you) will love it. The food section is something to behold.
enjoy!
stu t.
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/KaDeWe
Here it is in all it's shopper's glory. Yes, the "girls" (all three of you) will love it. The food section is something to behold.
enjoy!
stu t.
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/KaDeWe
Jul 29th, 2008, 07:45 AM
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Here's a link to my trip reports, in case they are of use - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34614269
Jul 29th, 2008, 10:08 AM
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Are you staying in East Berlin or West Berlin, sweetie darling??
In East Berlin, the area between Nikolai Viertal-Rathaus--Spree River has some interesting architecture and little squares with benches. There are also a lot of little cafes in this area.
I found the most fabulous antiques store in that area, but unfortunatley it was closed on the Sunday I was wandering around.
For people watching, you can sit at a sidewalk cafe on Unter den Linden near the Brandenberger Tor.
Lots of people watching going on in the food hall basement of Galleries Lafayette on Friedrichstrasse. (Much nicer than the Food Hall at KeDeWe--although the Food Hall is impressive.) Go over to the Laduree counter and buy some macaroons.
Your snappers would probably like Prenzlauer Berg/Hackescher Mkt. area. Lots of shops that sell books, t-shirts, sneakers, bags, etc. Many restaurants. There are several art galleries in the area.
Thin
In East Berlin, the area between Nikolai Viertal-Rathaus--Spree River has some interesting architecture and little squares with benches. There are also a lot of little cafes in this area.
I found the most fabulous antiques store in that area, but unfortunatley it was closed on the Sunday I was wandering around.
For people watching, you can sit at a sidewalk cafe on Unter den Linden near the Brandenberger Tor.
Lots of people watching going on in the food hall basement of Galleries Lafayette on Friedrichstrasse. (Much nicer than the Food Hall at KeDeWe--although the Food Hall is impressive.) Go over to the Laduree counter and buy some macaroons.
Your snappers would probably like Prenzlauer Berg/Hackescher Mkt. area. Lots of shops that sell books, t-shirts, sneakers, bags, etc. Many restaurants. There are several art galleries in the area.
Thin
Jul 29th, 2008, 10:20 AM
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Don't have any Berlin advice and don't want to be off-topic, I just wanted to say quickly I go to Wellesley and know many P&J majors. The program is really great with the same academic requirements as most other majors, an internship component which most people do abroad over wintersession and a lot of flexiblility to tailor the major to your specific interests. Obviously new students change their minds and majors easily but I just wanted to through in the Wellesley plug!
bl
bl
Jul 29th, 2008, 10:33 AM
#16
Dear Betty,
Don't worry about being off topic! I'm gruezi's daughter and I wanted to ask you a few questions about Wellesley.
What made you decide to go to Wellesley? Were you looking at other women's colleges? What are you majoring in?
I know that Wellesley is an unbelievably fantastic school, and the campus is beautiful. My main drawback about Wellesley is that I would really like to be in a city. Do you go into Boston often?
Any information you could give me would be very appreciated.
Thanks very much!
Gruezi's daughter.
Don't worry about being off topic! I'm gruezi's daughter and I wanted to ask you a few questions about Wellesley.
What made you decide to go to Wellesley? Were you looking at other women's colleges? What are you majoring in?
I know that Wellesley is an unbelievably fantastic school, and the campus is beautiful. My main drawback about Wellesley is that I would really like to be in a city. Do you go into Boston often?
Any information you could give me would be very appreciated.
Thanks very much!
Gruezi's daughter.
Jul 29th, 2008, 10:40 AM
#17
Dear gruezi's friends at Fodor's,
While I'm on here I just want to take a minute to thank everyone for all of the help with and planning of my World War II trips this summer.
Some of the trips have been very sad, and I'm coming away with different ideas than I thought. After seeing the 9/11 memorial at the Caen Peace Museum I really started thinking about not much has changed from WWII to the present. This has prompted me to consider the Peace and Justice major that my mom mentioned above.
When I write my college application essay about my World War II travels, I'll post some of it on here.
(I'm having a hard time believing any of you are actually interested in this, but mom keeps assuring me that you are....)
Thanks for all of your support and help and for keeping my mom out of trouble in Zurich. : ) She says you are her only friends.
Just kidding.
Seriously, thank you very much for everything and we are looking forward to Berlin next week.
Gruezi's daughter
While I'm on here I just want to take a minute to thank everyone for all of the help with and planning of my World War II trips this summer.
Some of the trips have been very sad, and I'm coming away with different ideas than I thought. After seeing the 9/11 memorial at the Caen Peace Museum I really started thinking about not much has changed from WWII to the present. This has prompted me to consider the Peace and Justice major that my mom mentioned above.
When I write my college application essay about my World War II travels, I'll post some of it on here.
(I'm having a hard time believing any of you are actually interested in this, but mom keeps assuring me that you are....)
Thanks for all of your support and help and for keeping my mom out of trouble in Zurich. : ) She says you are her only friends.
Just kidding.
Seriously, thank you very much for everything and we are looking forward to Berlin next week.
Gruezi's daughter
Jul 29th, 2008, 10:54 AM
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HI,
when you are deeping into holocaust history it might be interesting for you to investige the individual fates of two fascinating men. Both were Jews who spent their youth in Berlin, both were forced to leave Berlin when the Nazis came, both made a career in the USA, and both returned, when old, back to their beloved city. And both made Berlin wonderful presents.
One man is Heinz Berggruen, one of the world's greatest collector of modern art (the man who promoted Picasse). He donated the City of Berlin one of the world's best collections of modern art which is especially strong in Picasso:
http://www.smb.museum/smb/standorte/...mp;n=4&r=1
The other man is Helmut Newton, inventive photographer who also donated the City of Berlin a wonderful museum. There is currently an exhibition about Paparazzi:
http://www.helmutnewton.com
when you are deeping into holocaust history it might be interesting for you to investige the individual fates of two fascinating men. Both were Jews who spent their youth in Berlin, both were forced to leave Berlin when the Nazis came, both made a career in the USA, and both returned, when old, back to their beloved city. And both made Berlin wonderful presents.
One man is Heinz Berggruen, one of the world's greatest collector of modern art (the man who promoted Picasse). He donated the City of Berlin one of the world's best collections of modern art which is especially strong in Picasso:
http://www.smb.museum/smb/standorte/...mp;n=4&r=1
The other man is Helmut Newton, inventive photographer who also donated the City of Berlin a wonderful museum. There is currently an exhibition about Paparazzi:
http://www.helmutnewton.com
Jul 29th, 2008, 11:45 AM
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Gruezi's Daughter:
Here's another vote for Wellesley. It is a beautiful town and very close to Boston on the "T" (subway and above-ground system) from nearby Riverside Station. I lived in Natick for several years, next door to Wellesley. The campus is classic New England. I'm an Emerson College alum, and my granddaughter graduated there in 2005. She's a Calfornia girl, and loved her four years in Boston. There is no P and J program there...but Tufts, in Medford (pronounced "Medfidd", which was granddaughter's second choice is a fine institution. Brandeis, nearby in Waltham, may have a P and J program, and is also a highly regarded university....I could say the same for Boston College, a great Jesuit school, but it may not have the program.
All in all, you'll love being a student in Greater Boston. Best wishes!
stu T.
Here's another vote for Wellesley. It is a beautiful town and very close to Boston on the "T" (subway and above-ground system) from nearby Riverside Station. I lived in Natick for several years, next door to Wellesley. The campus is classic New England. I'm an Emerson College alum, and my granddaughter graduated there in 2005. She's a Calfornia girl, and loved her four years in Boston. There is no P and J program there...but Tufts, in Medford (pronounced "Medfidd"
, which was granddaughter's second choice is a fine institution. Brandeis, nearby in Waltham, may have a P and J program, and is also a highly regarded university....I could say the same for Boston College, a great Jesuit school, but it may not have the program.All in all, you'll love being a student in Greater Boston. Best wishes!
stu T.
Jul 29th, 2008, 01:25 PM
#20
Stu - thanks for that vote on Wellesley! I will pass it on to my daughter. She is only applying to 8 schools but funnily all the schools you mentioned are on her list Great minds think alike? Most now have the P&J as at least a minor.
Thin - we are staying near Potsdamer Platz. And I love that you called me sweetie darling! Thanks for your suggestions - I hoped you'd respond as I very much enjoyed your trip report about Berlin several months back.
Caroline - Thank you for the links - I will def. read your reports.
traveller - we are both art lovers so I love your suggestions and look at the link. I hope we have time to see some art as we only have 3 days. Perhaps we need to return another time. I printed off your list to bring along with Stu Tower's and Thins lists.
Thanks again everyone!!
Now I've got to get my Deutsch in 30 Tagen back out and do some reviewing!!
gruezi
Great minds think alike? Most now have the P&J as at least a minor.Thin - we are staying near Potsdamer Platz. And I love that you called me sweetie darling! Thanks for your suggestions - I hoped you'd respond as I very much enjoyed your trip report about Berlin several months back.
Caroline - Thank you for the links - I will def. read your reports.
traveller - we are both art lovers so I love your suggestions and look at the link. I hope we have time to see some art as we only have 3 days. Perhaps we need to return another time. I printed off your list to bring along with Stu Tower's and Thins lists.
Thanks again everyone!!
Now I've got to get my Deutsch in 30 Tagen back out and do some reviewing!!
gruezi
