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The tower
of Kaiser Wilhelm Cathedral has been left standing since it was bombed
during W.W.II as a reminder of the devastation of war. Around it is a
monument and visitors center, but it can never blend in with the modern
buildings now surrounding it.
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This
view of the reunited Berlin is from a restaurant on the top floor of a
major department store. We were delightfully surprised by this city of
the future. It has 2 or 3 times the land area of Paris and is one of the
greenest cities in Europe. Parks, shopping and public transport join the
East & West and very few visible signs of the separation remain.
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Berlin
is also the construction leader of all Europe, with not only more buildings
going up than any other city, but more height, more glass, more imaginative
designs than any where else. This photo of modern building construction
really captures their spirit of "pushing the envelope" with
new styles and techniques.
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Our favorite
sight to visit was this marvel of engineering, a water clock. Standing
3 stories high in a shopping plaza, the yellow-green liquid flows from
the tube on top into the thirty flat beakers on the right, at precise
two minute intervals. When these are all filled, the liquid flows to the
12 globes stacked on the left, filling one each hour. The real fun occurs
at 12 noon & 12 midnight, when all the globes are rapidly drained
to a reservoir below and the process begins all over again. These events
always draw a crowd.
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The fastest
train in Europe, the German ICE (inter city express) travels at 220 miles
per hour. We rode this one from Berlin to Hanover. The Ice does not cross
borders, but always stays in Germany.
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| The German
ICE trains provide spacious, luxurious, generally uncrowded interior compartments
which exemplify the epitome of train travel in Europe for the year 2000
and the new millennium. |
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King Ludwig
II is famous for his Neuschwanstein Castle which Disney used as a model
for Cinderella's Castle in each of his Theme Parks. However, few people
know that King Ludwig built several other castles such as Linderoff, shown
here. This small, intimate castle was originally a hunting lodge. The original
wood rafters and fireplaces have been blended into a magnificent, elegant
décor. |
| Ludwig added
the beautiful formal gardens with fountains and gold statuary, but he also
left a rustic lodge with a massive tree growing up through its roof. On
the grounds around the castle Ludwig created his own fantasy land complete
with an cave 'grotto' where Wager's operas were re-enacted with piped in
music and colored lights. The King could watch, or become a character in
the story. It's clear that Walt Disney 'borrowed' quite a few ideas from
this eccentric, romantic King. |
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