When I told my German friend Ursula that I wanted to take her two sons (aged 10 and 13) with me to Berlin she was thrilled. “Until about two decades ago it had a somewhat peculiar reputation of being a city that wasn’t family friendly”, she said. “That couldn’t be further from the truth”. Today, the once divided capital of Germany has sky-rocketed from a remote destination behind the Iron Curtain, shrouded by the illusion of espionage and political intrigues to one of the hottest, trendiest cities in Europe.
We lucky three had the decided advantage of headquartering out of the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin’s premier address for refined, graceful hospitality. With its red-awninged door just steps away from the famous Brandenburg Gate, the iconic property provided the perfect checkpoint for our adventures in the days to come. We plotted and schemed in our spacious surroundings, stopping occasionally to glance across the square where Andrea Merkel’s headquarters reside with its uniformed security in full force. The square fills up quickly, especially on weekends, with music, bikers, walkers, families and lovers.
Berlin is absolutely cosmopolitan, with a vibrancy and hum of a constantly changing city that embraces its historic and cultural life, while relishing change and what’s new as well. We planned to split our adventures into three parts: high-brow artsy (museums and historical sites), physical (walking, zoos and gardens) and just plain fun (Legoland, shopping, outdoor art, music).
Day 1: The serious day. How can anyone visit the city of 3.5 million without visiting Checkpoint Charlie, the point of crossing between West and East Berlin? The night before we had discussed the significance of the wall and its consequences and when we arrived, we took more time to talk about the value and significance of human rights and the near extinction of a civilization. Pretty heavy-duty stuff, but important. Next, we headed off to Museum Island with its five world-class museums. Especially good is the Natural History Museum with its dinosaur exhibit. Here is housed the world’s largest dinosaur fossil. It’s a brachiosaurus, one of the long-necked, long-tailed giant reptiles and just one of many large dinos in the collection. So much seriousness has made us hungry so we stop for a sizzling currywurst (their version of a hot dog) and grab a slice of irresistible strudel. Heading back to the Adlon, we decide to spoil ourselves and indulge in some lighter fare. For the 13 year-old it’s getting on his iPad (free wifi for hotel quests) and giving his pals a rundown of his day. For the 10 year-old it’s listening to music and for me, a luxurious trip to the Spa for a session with Yoga Master Vijay Kumar Vyas.
Day 2: Let’s get moving. We opt to start the day with a City Segway Tour, an enjoyable way to see Berlin once you get used to it. We pass by many of Berlin’s wonderful parks and gardens which are crowded with families, couples and performers. Next, we decide to head for the Berlin Zoological Gardens. There are some great zoos in the US, like the Bronx Zoo. There are some outstanding aquariums like Monterey Bay’s. And there are some lovely botanical gardens such as the Huntington in Pasadena. But the Berlin has all three – with around 17,500 animals spread out over 84 acres, the largest in Europe. Very easy to spend the entire day here. Check out Crocodile Hall, Polar Bear Feeding at 10:30AM, the Panda Bear House and the immense hippos. Hungry after all the calorie-burning, we agree on schnitzel for lunch at Brechts (www.brechts.de). We’re there right at porcini season and stuff ourselves like Three Little Pigs. Walking back to the hotel, we have a heavy discussion about which pillows we’ll each choose for our evening’s slumber. The Pillow Menu offers 9 varieties. I’m choosing the anti-aging down, the teen is going for goose feathers and the 10 year-old is happy with his cuddle pillow.
Day 3: Who’s ready to rock? I wouldn’t say we left the best for last, but we’re definitely ready to party! The boys wanted to start at Generation 13. Over an area of more than 600 sq meters, the historic premises of the Hamburger Hof in Berlin’s Mitte district have been chosen by three friends to exhibit their collection of sneakers from all over the world (more than 2000 pairs), plus action figures and t-shirts. With their arms loaded with bags, we agree to cab it over to my selected spot: KaDeWe. The famed department store houses Europe’s biggest perfume section. The food hall with its restaurants and snack bars ranks as the second largest in the world. After a buffet lunch of German specialties, I insist they accompany me to the third floor where a virtual vista of shoes stretches as far as the eye can see. Three beautiful pairs later, we decide it’s time to see the outdoor art that Berlin is so famous for (both boys are very art-prone). The never-photographed street artist, El Bocho (the invisible) created the world’s biggest piece of tape art at a public swimming pool in 2009. He is amongst many popular renegade artists who have expressed themselves using walls, pavements and stairs as their canvas. Out come the iPhones for shots of curious and intriguing caricatures labeled with political, ecological and humanitarian statements. With our arms, stomachs and heads full, we head back to the Hotel Adlon for our final night before leaving tomorrow for London.
Berlin – Little Details
Getting There: We flew on the superb SwissAir which leaves Los Angeles daily. Flat bed seats in business class make this flight legendary. Plenty of entertainment for kids and adults, fine cuisine and wines, fast efficient baggage service. www.swissair.com
Staying there: The Mararajha of Patiala said it best: “Those who do not know the Adlon, do not know Germany either.” Built by Lorenz Adlon in 1905 for 20 million gold marks, it opened to great acclaim in 1907. Emperor Wilhelm II was an early guest and loyal patron for his entire life. Other notables include Greta Garbo, Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplain, Enrico Caruso, Teddy and Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas Mann, who stopped at the Adlon en route to Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize for literature. Of special note is the Adlon’s “Children Travel the World” package which makes the hotel a memorable experience for adults and children. It includes a luxurious double room with extra bed or crib, a lavish gourmet breakfast buffet, fresh fruit, a children’s book and candy upon arrival. A guided tour of the hotel and kitchen can be scheduled. For a day outside the hotel, the Adlon provides a rucksack filled with a camera, coloring book, city map and tasty treats for a subway, S-Bahn train or bus trip. The hotel pool is open daily until 11pm.
Mort Hotel Information:
For reservations and additional information:
Phone: CRUISE and RESORT at 888.652.6400
E-Mail: LuxAdvisor@cruiseandresort.com.
