Bits of Berlin, Part 1

Though I spent last weekend in Berlin, I hardly took advantage of the city in my first 48 hours there. You see, I'd taken a late flight from Paris on Friday night and spent nearly the entirety of Saturday (and most of Sunday) at the betahaus, reveling in the energy of The Hive (<- recap to come soon, by the way!) By 4pm Sunday, I was desperate for more than the 15-min walk from my apartment. So, thankful for clear-ish skies, Lauren and I set out on a wandering tour. We began from Berlin's Central Station by chance.
As I've said before, I am not one research pre-trip, but I've almost always been able to depend on general knowledge in recognizing historical sights and buildings. I was struck by my own ignorance this time. While Lauren photographed Brandenberg Gate, I ran into an information center for a free map and learned we'd walked passed the Band des Bundes, Reichstag, and Roma Memorial on our way. Later on, we ended up strolling down Friedrichstraße, Berlin's most legendary street (unbeknownst to me), through "the most beautiful place", Gendarmenmarkt, and finally, to Checkpoint Charlie. (I looked everything up as we walked.) I was absolutely amazed at the juxtaposition of architecture, even though my cousins had warned me in advance. And the gray weather amplified the feeling of the city's recent history. But! I didn't have time to reflect on it. Soon after arriving at Checkpoint Charlie, I bid adieu to Lauren and headed to another part of the city I had yet to meet, Kurfuerstendamm, for a lovely dinner with the boy's parents...