Free Weekend in Berlin

This weekend, my program did not have any weekend excursions planned for us, so we were able to do what we wanted. I was excited for this weekend as I was eager to take full advantage of this time to explore places in Berlin. One way I could do this was by walking from my apartment in Charlottenburg to the Brandenburg Gate in Mitte. It took me around an hour to complete the walk, which was very beautiful. I live right outside of the Tiergarten, which is a vast park in Berlin; I was able to walk through this park and see all of the locals.

Along with this, my route led me past some monuments and memorials, such as the Victory Column and the Soviet War Memorial for Russian soldiers that lost their lives. Right after this memorial, I finally arrived at the Brandenburg Gate. There were so many people there, and there was also music being played. I then asked an American tourist why there were so many people and was informed that it was German Unity Day. For this occasion, the Brandenburg Gate was lit up as it has not been due to the energy crisis here; many public spaces in Berlin are not visible at night to conserve energy. I felt fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time, and to be able to experience this on my own was incredibly special.