" What to expect inside Germany's Parliament Building called Reichstag "

[ REICHSTAG aka Deutscher Bundestag ]

Is the seat of the German Parliament.
The original version was built in 1880s, topped with a stone dome but was damaged by fire and war during the Nazi period.
It was restored in the 1960s, with a classic Neo-Renaissance style and added its Glass inspired dome that was designed
by Architect Sir Norman Foster.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DETAILS :

ENTRANCE - Free
- best to book in advance.
- register at this Website link , fill out the form
- or you can go directly, but must wait in line * for at least two hours/ depending on traffic *

TIME SCHEDULE :

From 8 am to Midnight * last admission 10 pm *


the inscriptions on the front


How the Parliament looks like many years ago, dated 1914.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hallo Jungs! *hello guys*

Berlin: it was in 2012 the last time we were in this city, though much has changed since, this edifice remains the same.

The first thing we did was to make an online reservation in advance.
There are schedules for you to choose, fill out a form, where you leave your contact details and passport infos.
They will email you with their confirmation.


a glimpse inside the Dome

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The initial plan was to visit Reichstag during the night,
because of the spectacular aerial view and the glimmering lights, but decided otherwise,
given the weather in Berlin which proved to be foggy and misty during winter time.

We booked as early as 8:30 A.M. but still got there 10 minutes late! *blame it on jet-lagged and bad alarm setting*.
From our hotel, we took the Metro from Hausvogteiplatz to Unter den Linden metro stop.




* hello! that's me on the right *


up the stairs with these catchy shout-outs from EU

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning walk was wonderful by the way.
From Parisier Platz, we passed the Brandenburger Tor, aka the Brandenburg gate.
The streets were quiet, the place was silent.
Apart from us and a few locals heading to work, the crowds haven't gathered yet.

The first sight of the Brandenburg gate with all the flickered lights beside a giant Christmas tree...


*note: Left side building is the US embassy.



On our way to the Parliament we saw a crocodile of small school children shepherded by their teachers.
They were cute! ^-^


My guess was they were heading the same direction as we were, but I was wrong.
They crossed the other side of the street on the way to the garden.




------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are helpful street signs for you to follow, leading you to the side entrance of the building.
Once inside, there will be a bunch of security checks and scanners.
Strict securities are implemented.

One security clerk was cheery and had this "Welcome to Berlin" speech prepared.

SEC: Hello! welcome to Berlin!
Speak English? Where are you from ?

Me: Hello (smiled)

SEC: Are you from China?

Me: shook my head and said: No, (still smiling)

SEC: ah! from Japan?

Me: No...

SEC: so, where you guys from?

Me: I finally caved in and said from the Philippines.

Well, I think it only took him like more than 10 seconds to register where in the world is that?!
and surprisingly said, Oh wow! what a nice country. ^-^


* this is the area where they officially check your belongings *

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were then ushered outside the building into the west side gate, where we took the lift up the dome.

[ It read: " DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLKE " which means To the German People. ]



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once inside, Audio guides were provided with some brochures and newspapers in case you're interested.




Inside the dome, the walkways are in spiral manner with what seem to be an upside-down pyramid shaped that looked below
the Parliament seating.

There are sensors along the way, with the audio guides included, you get a description of its history,
in and outside of the building as you walk along the platform.




It is immensely spacious and airy.
In case you want to know...
It is made up of 800 tons of steel,
3000 sq metres of glass plus 360 mirrors.




You can wander freely around the area, go up and down or take pictures outside.
At the top of the dome, there's a seating area, this was where we took lots of self-timed shots and yes, selfies included. ^0^




----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a clear day, it would've been great to capture lots of panoramic and scenic view.
But the dull-grey skies were all we could managed at that time, nonetheless... it was still worth it.


the art read: [ Stimmen Für Den Mindestlohn ] that translates to : Vote for the minimum wage

More shots from the inside looking out.




see the Brandenburg gate on the right?


nice detail







================================================================================================================================

If the place was packed, we would've finished it in less than an hour, it would've been tedious.
Instead, we almost have the place to ourselves.
So, we took time to appreciate each and every detail down to its imposing exterior.
The audios were helpful especially, if you're into history,
As for me, I have a short attention span, I get bored easily, so I tend to shift my gaze from here to there.






just look at how this was intricately carved.





you have to look up once in a while


Exiting the building


Bare trees in Winter amidst the green


Outside the Bus stop area
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the end of the trip, I can say that the Reichstag tour was pretty much satisfying.

If there is a next time for me in Berlin, I'll make sure to visit it again, only this time, it's going to be during the night. ^-^


=============================================================================================================================================

" A slice of Berlin "

It's official!
i'm slackening with posts and insights to share.
these days, the thought of browsing through photos and in need to sort them is a chore,
it's making me feel lethargic.
My drive seems to be fading and the fuel for words are nothing but a blank stare at my screen.

Thankfully though,
the long weekend last week, had me re-charged and helped unwind my preoccupied mind.

A slice of Berlin was the first stop of our Euro trip last winter.
(still can't believe it's been months already)
To be honest,
I wasn't as ecstatic to visit as I was to see Rome or Madrid.
But boy, was I wrong.




you see, I've already been there (last 2002) and yet have no clear recollection about this trip,
rather than, it was with a bunch of hungry tourists off to see the other side of the world.
I somehow can't picture myself in front of Brandenburg Gate, standing outside of the Reichstag,
or simply walking along Unter den Linden.








In short, everything was a vague.
et alors, I did have doubts as to whether I'd enjoy Berlin pour le deuxième fois.


I have to thank my dear sister Pepperoni, who persuaded me to check it out again.
she said, this time, there would be no pesky tourists,
no need to hurry for the first seat inside the tour bus,
no tour guides waving their hands where to direct us
and no time constraints,
( the thing I detest the most while traveling. )
now we do Berlin at our own pace and in our own time.



so what do we think ?!

Berlin is a city filled with much history and interesting stories both sad and telling.
It used to be divided into two, the west and east side,
although nowadays, you'd hardly notice it.
The weather especially in December is pretty cold, a bit chilly and mostly misty.





Berliners aren't the most friendly or least bit hospitable,
but they're not rude or disobliging either.
It's just the way they are.
Majority of them understands English and would help you in case you're lost and need of directions.
It pays to know a bit or two about their language.
For example, the menu doesn't only consist of Currywurst,



you ought to try something other than that.
Words like ausgang (entrance) and eingang (exit) directs you in and out of the Metro.



and each metro stop surprises you with an unpronounceable name like this one.





read as Haus-Vog-Tei-Platz. (see, I told you it's hard to pronounce. ^0^)
This is the nearest stop to and from our hotel.

The city is divided into areas like the Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte, Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg etc.
We chose the Mitte area, we thought it was more convenient at that time,
since it's close to the Museum Island and to almost everything.



The city is huge!
so to get from here to there.
you need to take the local bus, rent a bike, convenient Taxis or simply take the Metro.
they have one of the most comprehensive and accessible transportation btw.






inside the taxi, which is a posh Mercedes-Benz btw.


and the taxi tariff

If you're a museum aficionado or just plain curious about paintings and artifacts.
Do: check out the days where you can get inside for ~Free. (usually during 6 pm onwards)
If you're traveling for the first time however and time is a battle,
you can buy the Berlin Welcome Card ( which includes unlimited Metro ride + 1 Museum Visit ) or an all Museum Pass Card.
Check out this link here, this is one of the most helpful sites so far...
Berlin. De

Inside the museum, photo taking isn't prohibited except for Flash photos.
so you can take all the pictures you want, and i mean A-L-L.


museum's facade

yeah, feast on it!
No one, not even the security will stop you from doing it.
so better have your batteries charged and your camera(s) ready. ^0^








Night time, as in most European countries isn't as lively and cheerful compared to some Asian countries.
But it does have the best Christmas theme street markets every December.










This is the first time I've been to one of these German Markets and
though, It seems to be a bit generic,
I am still fascinated by it, from the food to the nice handicrafts.

So, there you go, my second impression this time made it more memorable.
I hope this helps the next time you wish to visit the city.

* where was this *
berlin, germany