#SQUADMOMENT

Lizard, Nele, and Hailey have made this trip wonderful. Liz is the perfect match up for me. I love how she makes my lunch every day and always makes sure I stay hydrated and happy. I've done tons of shopping while I'm here and been to so many historic sites!! I even went with the girls to Liz's grandparents' house, where they made us incredible food and when we got full Liz and Nele kept telling  them that we were hungry, and to keep  them  from being sad we were forced to eat more. It was delicious cruelty. I feel both sick and hungry just thinking about it.
I don't want to leave Berlin in a few days, we are definitely going to try to squeeze in as many activities as possible before the flight back.

The four of us (the Squad) went to the Berlin zoo, where they have a diverse amount of species. It was funny because we got off the metro and were confronted by a shopping center, and then we turned around and there was a zoo hidden in the center of the city. Not only are the people here diverse, but the environment is as well. Often times, shrouded in the lush trees is something completely unexpected and totally magical. We saw large cats, ocelots and fosa, many monkeys and soooo many birds. I love birds. They even had chickens!! It was a total blast.

After we went to the zoo we saw some hot cars, and then went to a skyscraper to someplace exclusive and mystical called the "Monkey Bar". There was an all-around view of the entire city (even from the bathroom). We could see the city center with its beautiful architecture new and old, the zoo directly below (including some monkeys), and historic sites with blossomed up from the rich folaige which makes Berlin such a unique city. I'm glad my mind's eye can recall every immaculate detail, because I was so astounded that I didn't take any photos. A picture could never do that kind of beauty justice.

The next day Lizard and I went to Templehof airport, full of history. I was completely entranced by how much this extravagant building has endured. Built by the Nazis using slave lobour, it bears a gleaming exterior and a rough, ramshackled and abandoned interior. The main gates along the hallway are completely empty, as is the high and vacant terminal. The tarmac sports one massive airliner which was used during the Berlin Airlift during the American Occupation (I took a picture of it for my brother Isaak who loves planes) and one out-of-place white tent which  houses refugees. It was sad  to see it sitting out on the tarmac.
One room in the airport was converted into a basketball court by the Americans, and another was used for bowling. In  the underground bunker there are original paintings from wartime, and marks on the walls where the American troops stationed there had tallied scores for a game of pool. The Hunger Games were filmed at Templehof, wherein much of the underbelly has remained jagged picturesque concrete and will never be finished. The airstrips are fixed in a massive  park which will hopefull remain undeveloped, despite lying in the heart of Berlin. Loads of people go there for skating or walking their dogs.

For lunch we went to a Beirgarten where the Schnitzel was to die for and the Apple Beer was intensely flavorful. Sehr lecker! Then we went to Schloss Charlottenburg, an amazing castle that was bombed during the war, and was currently under construction. The gardens were scenic and serene, complete with a lake and many statues. We walked over a petit bridge and spat in the water, because Lith's father said it was traditional and spitting in the water meant one would return.

The next day we went to the Reichstag and saw a cheesy museum called the Story of Berlin. Then I went shopping with the Squad and got some stuff for my family.
On Tuesday we visited Potsdamer Platz and Sans Souci, both beautiful places. We walked at least 3 kilometers in the rain through the gardens.
Today we're alloted to visit a Nazi prison. Tomorrow I'm probably going swimming with the squad. Friday remains to be planned