The Country Mice

Siegessaule — The Victory Column. Two-hundred and eight-five steps to the top and one is rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of the city.

The tower was built to commemorate the German victories over Denmark (1864), Austria (1866), and France (1870).

It’s pretty impressive. So is walking behind one’s septuagenarian father (80 years this December 24th) as he takes all 285 steps without a break, or even breathing hard.

Of course, all that climbing makes one thirsty.

So we wandered back to the Brandenburg gate where an, ah, assorted crowd was gathered.

Yup, we’re reliving history with every step.

Modern history as well.

And then, because we all needed some more stimulation, we took in 3-D Imax. Some under-ocean series. Impressive and big and multi-sensory.

The Imax theatre is in the same building as Europe’s national headquarters for Sony. Now *there’s* a toy store!

And the Sony building is built near the former “Checkpoint Charlie,” American sector border crossing between East and West Berlin.

And outside the building, it all comes full circle.

So many great opportunities for discussion with N&L