Feeling tired...and sad...

..could just be the night..

Security guards for chickens....

Made a U turn at the Museum cluster and am actually trekking back towards the Alexander Platz station using a difference route so that I can see different things. Could only window shop and saw this nice colourful display...really pretty. Unless you're afraid of butterflies. These are fake of course. But so much care was made in the layout...

Quieter streets, lined with road side restaurants and shops. I liked this lamp post plastered with layers and layers of adverts, from professional ones to your regular off the photocopier machine type.

See the photo above, in the center, a thin dark vertical strip of building, with a yellow light on the ground level?

That's an old old theatre, still in use! It was the only oldest looking building along the entire stretch that kept it's old charm with no new coat of paint.

Though I didn't go in, this was the ground level. A 3meter arch tunnel covered with classical posters.
Didn't go further on past the tunnel...didn't feel too safe, because it's a back passageway. But very interesting, because it seemed like a local haunt to kick back and relax. On the left and right are the back of the restaurants/ cafes and still have customer tables!

Look at the layers of theatre posters...

Back to the road, I encountered 3 markers on the cobble stone floor, marking the place was home to Jews before they were taken away to camps. Suddenly I felt remorse and a quiet acknowledgement of gladness that the place kept it's historic look.

Big empty streets. Where are all the people?

One of my biggest impression walking the streets of Berlin is that the locals are scary. The youth travel in packs...like wolves. You'll never see less than a group of 8 walking together. Usually a mix of male and female. The frightenting thing is that walk in fast strides while chatting, almost like marching!!!... Not like the usual outing with friends in SG where you stroll.

I had a flash feeling of what it must be like in a riot.

So many cars..but not many people in sight...

Shops on the right are modern and built below the train tracks. =)

Local street signs.

I'm reaching my destination soon...This entire stretch has boring graffiti....getting dark! Hurry!

Ah ...here we are...let me introduce you to what Berlin uses as it's local icon. If you go to a souvenier shop, you will find either a bear (to represent the berlin bear), or their 'green' and 'red' man, which is used in all their traffic lights.

Yes, you see it? their green man wears a hat! (crossing the road and took this!)

Ack!!! why am I still on the road taking the pic!?!!! hehehe....

Here we are! the Station sign for the U-bahn.

Open plaza at the platz...

Finally it's 8.30pm. I settle down for my meal. Only had breakfast at the hotel that day. Save $$.

The only places left open were restaurants and they were all packed with no english menu. In addition, not cheap. So with nothing economical/ simple that was still open I decided to try their KFC.

Made me miss our local KFC. the place stank of oil and was run like some low-end eatery. Tables looked greasy and chairs had crumbs everywhere.

So i chose to sit outside and watch the 'traffic at the plaza' of trams going by. The table beside me was a mother with a young kid.

Another unsettling thing was that the KFC had a security guard. who stood around the door! Goodness..initially I thought he was just a passing cop..but realised he was hanging around as though securing the area. Please note that the KFC is about the size of...hmmmm....you know the starbucks in T2 airport? Yep...two times the size of that. And outside there are only 4 tables!

I guess I did feel safer having him around. He was polite since I was a customer. I figured, maybe it's because groups chose to plonk themselves at the tables/ some homeless people could give trouble as it was very near the subway access.

It was not fun eating there. Air was still, not cool, but not warm either. And just too damn quiet. My first meal in town..urgh...

Going back to the hotel. This is the transit station called 'Ostkreuz' that is under a revamp. It's easy to spot when you're arriving at this station because of this old tower on the left. My Boss, mel and me still do not know what it's for.

The station layout is complex, but I figured it out. hee...we have to use this route everytime we want to go to town.


Train arrival signboards. Just like in Frankfurt, one track has many train routes passing. so make sure you baord the right one. Only two routes go to Schonefeld airport. S9 is one of them and have to wait for a long time if you miss one (about 15mins)

You can bring bicycles into the train too.

It's a long 50min trip back to the hotel....so we take photos! hahaha...

Even at midnight back at the hotel, it looked like it was 7pm SG time.

For da record.... =)

Happy...

I the only one who got the High Distinction in the CBA module...I think coz it's my individual assignment me did ...and reviewed by ge. =) It was noted as the best of the lot.

A couple of us got HD for the jialat CMI lecturer module. I credit it to the studying...hahaha...coz I could add to more than what was subtley provided on the classroom walls.

two more modules to go...zzz...freedom ending soon again! Gak!

Alexander Platz...

is one of the main train stations on the Berlin map, so I did my quick exploration.

Here's the Berlin dome. Known to be the only dome like structure in the city. There are not many old buildings around, my guess is that they are all bombed during the war. See the modern but old buildings like the Sanyo one below. They are right next to the historical buidlings and look really functional and plain. Like a post war quick rebuilding project.

Fountain with King Neptune in the middle of the park.

Clock tower of a church!

The back of the church looks like a mini version of Notre Dame in Paris. (Berlin Dome on the left.)

The tower that reminds me of so many city towers, marks Alexander Platz. (restaurant on top!)

Wandered over to the Museum cluster. About 5 to 6 of them side by side. Sadly all were closed because it as already so late. Yes, I know, it's bright still, but it's already 8pm local time!!

I wanted to go visit the Greek Gods museum (can't remember the exact name) but it's supposed to be filled with statues of all of them with history included of course.

A nice tourist decided to help me make a pic down the outdoor hallways of the museum.

Above: one of the museum's undergoing upgrading

Boat timing was perfect!

Alongside the museum cluster is the River Spree which cuts through the heart of the city. See how I've wandered from the Platz tower?

Sunset...

Hackescher Markt - It's really a train station above! Yep, I have walked all the way the another station! This area is in the middle of a city park with lots of bistros lining up the sidewalks. A nice place to sit back and feast with friends. =)

bye bye J.J....

"I'm thankful for my chance to have this family, everything we've shared, every chance we've had to grow.

I'll take the best of them with me and lead by thier example wherever I go...

This isn't what i want but I'll take the high road

Maybe it's because I look at everything as a lesson

or it's because I don't want to walk around angry

or maybe it's becasue I finally understand

There are things we don't want to happen, but have to accept.

Things that we don't want to know, but have to learn.

And people we can't live without, but haeveto let go."

~ Jennifer Jarreau (aka. J.J.) goodbye message in her last appearance on Criminal Minds, season 6 episode 2.