Berlin - May 2016 Day 3

On our third and final day in Berlin we unfortunately only stayed for half a day before traveling home, but in the time we did have left we did quite a lot. We left the hotel quite early that morning and headed to a train station where we got a few trains into the city, with us being quite a big group this was quite a stressful thing and needless to say it was a close call for some people be left behind! After the few trains we walked to the Jewish Museum on what was a very hot day so it wasn't the worst thing I could think of, once we got to the Jewish museum we walked around the gardens while we waited for the tour; the gardens at the museum and the whole building was just incredible! The museum was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind who designed it so that the different exhibits worked with the building so that the building is part of the exhibits which is what makes it so unique and incredible. 

Once we started our tour around the museum we saw all the incredible things inside; it ranged from pictures of real people who lived through the holocaust and their stories to their belongings. When I was in the museum I learnt a lot about how Jewish people were treated during the second world war, how their lives changed and what they did to keep safe. One of the more incredible things I saw was a map with the different hiding places of a family in hiding in Berlin during the war and the different places for the different family members(a family who were successful in hiding too!) although the two most incredible things in the museum in my opinion where the two structures built to represent the fate and ending of the different people. One was outside, with tall concrete blocks with grass and plants on top which to me represented hope and freedom, the other one was much different, the other exhibition was inside a dark room shut off from the other parts of the museum and leading up to this room where all the names of the concentration camps on the walls showing that this was supposed to represent the fate of the people sent to the concentration camps. The room itself was completely black and when the door was shut it was almost pitch black except from a small slit of light coming from a tiny window in the top corner showing that there was still a very small chance of hope and survival be it small and very far away which to me was quite incredible and touching!

After going to the museum which was insanely amazing and I wholeheartedly recommend going to if you're in Berlin! We then went on a river tour at around 11:30 which we very nearly missed! The tour went past most of the places we had visited in the last three days showing us it from a different point of view along with new things once again showing how beautiful the city is! One of my favourite places we went past on the river tour was the 'Bode-Museum' (or at least that's what I think it was called as we just went past) as this was the last thing we did in Berlin before getting ready to go home I think it was a lovely way to finish the trip and see Berlin for the last time. After the boat trip we got a train to one of the main train stations where we bought food for our trip home before finally going back to our hotel getting our luggage and sadly heading home.

  
I hope you enjoyed my time in Berlin as much as me and that you'll possible consider going taking a trip your self to this amazing city!

Lots of Love
Aimee
xoxo

don't forget to follow me on Instagram @aimarie23
and twitter @storeraimee 
 
 
 
 
 

Lunch at the Walled Garden

When I was in Scotland this August I went to Gordon Castle in Fochabers; a very sweet little town near to where I was staying with very good fish and chips, which is known for it's "walled garden". The gardens are absolutely beautiful and were built in 1803, full of different fruit trees and vegetables and greenhouse full of different types of tomatoes and fruits. The garden also has children play areas and houses around the edges that reminded me of the secret garden and would be a dream to live in. Finally in the garden their is a café that was sensational, it has such a huge range of food and such a friendly feeling, serving food fresh from the garden and the local area. When I went it was only lunch time so I couldn't try some of the food that did sound amazing as we had only gone in for something small but I had the Scottish smoked and cured fish board and a Fentimans Victorian Lemonade(my favourite). The platter has a range of fresh fish from different types including oak smoked salmon, smoked trout, smoked peppered markerel, hot smoked salmon, marinated Orkney herring (which were amazing)along with some home made foccia bread and some salad. The platter was incredible, as a seafood lover, there was actually too much fish (a very rare occurrence) and I would definitely recommend paying a visit if your in the area! 

After lunch we then went for a walk around the garden it's self and as it was a very hot day (I know very surprising for Scotland)it was lovely! With lots of fruit trees we couldn't help but try a few plumbs which were very nice! The garden had beautiful flowers which smelt amazing and topped off the day perfectly and next time I'm in Scotland I will be going again. Mother even purchased a bottle of their world famous gin! 

I hoped you enjoyed todays blog post

Lots of Love 
Aimee
xoxo

you can know more about the garden on the website -  http://www.gordoncastlescotland.com/

remember to follow me on Instagram @aimarie23
and twitter @storeraimee

Berlin - May 2016 Day 2

 During our second day in Berlin we left the city and went to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. When we got to the camp we got handsets that would tell you about all the individual parts of the camp along with a map of the camp. When you first go into the camp their is a small wood full of memorials and graves for all the people killed at the camp which was beautiful and quite, the fact that it was surrounded by the trees really added to it and made it more secluded. This also created contrast from the camp it's self which was very open, to get into the camp you walk through the original gate from when the camp was in use which seamed very surreal. The camp is now very open with only a few buildings remaining of the original barracks that were there and lived in but instead in place of them are stones in the shape of the them; which is the Jewish way of memorial instead of flowers which was a thoughtful touch. Although this camp in particular was for political prisoners it did house a variety of prisoners accused of different crimes. Although there were still a few barracks which we could go into; in the barracks there were still the original toilets and wash basins that were used along with information and stories of people who were in the camp in other rooms which would of been use for sleeping in. We could also go to the execution ranges that were used at the camp which surprisingly wasn't the most disturbing thing in the camp, the part of the camp that effected me the most were the medical barracks: in these rooms people were tested on with diseases, they were also experimented on by other imitates along with body stores below them. The rooms were just cold and ere especially the medical rooms that were still the same from when they were used. But despite all the horrible things in the camp that reminded us of the atrocities that happened here there were also beautiful memorial that were built through out the camp after it was liberated including two status and stain glass window in a museum on the site. The camp also has a building full of belonging of the inmates such as cards made for female inmates and cutlery made by inmates. But overall visiting the camp was an eye opening and education experience that I recommend doing if your in the Berlin area.

After going to the concentration camp we went to Potsdam and to the site of the Potsdam conference; which was held at Cecilienof: the old home of the German Royal family as Berlin was too dangerous in 1945 when the conference was held. We has a tour through out the building which told us all about the conference, the German royal family and other pieces of information you wouldn't get from a text book. The building was very beautiful but photography wasn't aloud so I'm not able to show you but it was very beautiful and something I recommend seeing. After the tour we walked around the garden was also very beautiful and as photography was aloud I can show you. 

After Potsdam we then went back to the hotel for dinner after which we headed back out into Berlin where we went to a few gift shops and of course starbucks. Then we headed to the television tower or the Berliner Fernsehturm which is 368 meters tall and is the second tallest structure in Europe. To get to the top you go up a lift,(as that would be a lot of stairs)when you get to the top the whole way around there are windows so you can see the whole of Berlin which is amazing although I wouldn't recommend if your afraid of heights! It also has a bar at the top so it is quite popular with people who live in Berlin ans not just tourists. The television tower also has a gift shop at the bottom to buy souvenirs so you can remember the amazing experiences.



After going to the television tower we went back to the hotel, which was the end of day two. 

Lots of Love 
Aimee 
xoxo 

don't forget to follow me on Instagram @aimarie23 
and twitter @storeraimee