How’s this for stating the obvious, Berlin is Huge! A four day visit around Christmas was never going to be anything but a toe in the water. We packed as much into as we could but you’d need a life time to get to know and appreciate this town. As a result of our exploits today I am knackered. I have to admit it wasn’t all galleries and museums today. It was mostly Cathedrals and not the ones built for the glory and honour of what ever God people believe in. Rather it was the Cathedrals to the great God shopping. Massive temples dedicated to the global brand names that flash their neon signs worldwide. Back to stating the plain obvious again but shopping looks and feels the same the world over and practised in bigger and bigger buildings. Berlin will throw up the surprise and there is a place called Hackescher Markt which had a very unique feel about it. As I was saying I am exhausted by this trip so I’m going to make the pictures do the talking. These are a few of the images that I grabbed in the past few days. This is the view I have from our hotel room. The massive building on the left is the Foreign Affairs Building. This is the Mitte district of Berlin which was part of the Russian controlled sector. When I’m in any city I always try to take a number of candid shots of people as we travel around. Where possible I talk to the subjects and let them know I’ve taken their picture and most people are fine about it. Anyway here are a few people I met in Berlin today.
It Occurred To Me 
To say that Berlin is huge is a significant comment. Frequently it used to be thought that living in the former West Berlin would be claustrophobic – a feeling of imprisonment. However anyone who visits Berlin knows that, as you say, it is huge and has a large variety of environments. From the urban to parkland to lakes and forests. A bus ride of nearly 50 minutes and a ferry crossing of 20 minutes and an S-Bahn journey of 20 minutes and you have travelled a loop all within the former West Berlin. Yes it is huge!
As a European capital it is still relatively inexpensive to live there. (That will change!) Also I find it a remarkably unhurried city. It is possible to stroll the main streets without jostling crowds.
Also the abundance of green space and trees keeps the air clean.
Berlin has a greater mileage of waterways than Amsterdam and Stockholm put together!
It certainly warrants another visit Oliver. I have been there for nearly 4 months in 2010 and still feel that I’m only scratching the surface of this wonderful place!
You are right about the it being an unhurried city.