Clinton Presidential Center Offers Insight Into The Life of Our 42nd President

There are fourteen Presidential Libraries.So far, I’ve visited five: Johnson, H.W.Bush, Carter, Ford, and most recently Clinton. They are alike in many ways, chronicling the lives of a U.S. President, but they also reveal much about the times when each man held the office and the history of our nation and its people. Each one, in its own way, tells us who we are as Americans.  

 

Located in a beautiful 32 acre park on the southern banks of the Arkansas River in the state capital Little Rock, the Clinton Presidential Center is a contemporary designed two story building.  Its a Platinum LEEDS rated building, the only one in Arkansas, meeting the highest standards for environmentally friendly construction and operations. 

 

Along with its large exhibit halls, there are full size replicas of the White House Cabinet Room and the President’s Oval Office as they were during the Clinton years.  The archival and library holdings are the largest of all the Presidential Libraries with approximately 76.8 million pages of paper documents, 1.85 million

photographs,  and over 75,000 museum artifacts. There is also a rooftop apartment provided for the Clintons when they visit Little Rock.

 

A special exhibit honors “The Little Rock Nine” a group of nine black students who courageously integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.  

 

Opened in 2004, the Center is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation.

 

The Foundation works to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote health and wellness, and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens. 

 

The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is the first graduate school in the nation to offer a Master of Public Service degree. It emphasizes real-life application where students gain the knowledge and experience to further their careers as leaders in the areas of nonprofit, governmental, volunteer, or private sector work.

 

The Clinton Presidential Center attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the nation and world each year and plays an active role in the Little Rock community, hosting a number of events, lectures, and conferences throughout the year. It has been instrumental in bringing more than $2.5 billion in economic development to the area.

 

“Forty Two” (named for the 42nd President), is the Center’s popular restaurant open Monday through Saturday for lunch and afternoon snacks.  It also serves a exquisite Sunday Brunch.  The Clinton Museum Store is located

in a separate building adjacent to the Center.

 

While many museum in Little Rock offer free admission, The Clinton Presidential Center

has a small admission fee. It is open daily except major holidays. The internet offers considerable information about the Center and other attractions in the Little Rock area.

 

 

 

 James Weaver 

Senior Travel Writer
GolfWiz Blog 

U.S. Open Returns to Merion for the Fifth Time.

The Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, will host the 2013 U.S. Open Golf Championship June 13-16. It is the fifth Open to be held at Merion.

The most recent Open here in 1981 was won by Australian, David Graham. The event will mark the Centennial of the Marion Golf Club and a special exhibit “The Art of Golf” is being presented at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

in its honor from March 16 to July 7.

 

No golf club in the nation has hosted more USGA championships than Merion. The 2013 Open will be the 18th national championship at the club.  Previously, the club has also been the site of the 1916, ‘24, ‘30, ‘66, ‘89 and 2005 Amateurs; the 1904, ‘09, ‘26, and 1949 U.S. Women's Amateurs; the 1998 U.S. Girls' Junior and the 1960 World Amateur Team Championships.

 

Designed by Hugh Wilson, Merion Golf Club's East Course was opened in 1912. Its perhaps best known as the where Bobby Jones won the 1930 U.S. Amateur to complete the “Grand Slam.”  Hugh Wilson had never designed a golf course, so he went on a seven-month trip to Scotland and England to study British courses. Several features of Merion East are derived from famous British courses, not the least of which are Merion's distinctive Scottish-style bunkers, which are now known as the "white faces of Merion"

 

Wilson's layout covers only 126 acres of land, a very small area for a golf course. It was ranked seventh in Golf Digest's "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses" in 2005, and Jack Nicklaus has said of Merion East, "Acre for acre, it may be the best test of golf in the world."

 

Bill Iredale, Merion's championship committee chairman stated, "we feel that our East Course is a very special venue, a classic golf course which, while lengthened some 400 yards to accommodate modern players and equipment, still retains the same shot angles, bunkering and greens that challenged Bob Jones in 1930, Ben Hogan in 1950, Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus in 1971 and David Graham in 1981."

 

Jim Hyler, chairman of the USGA championship committee said, "we are pleased to bring a U.S. Open back to an old friend in Merion. We have no doubt the East Course will provide a sufficient challenge for the world's best players."

 

“The Art of Golf,” an exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art showcases “The Golfers,” a renowned seven-foot wide 1847 painting by Scottish painter Charles Lees that is admired by golfers worldwide.  The exhibition will feature portraits of golfers, a historic feather golf ball and antique Scottish clubs, and highlights the art and sport of golf in Victorian Britain.

 

An iconic painting, The Golfers (1847), by Scottish painter Charles Lees (1800–1880), is the centerpiece of The Art of Golf exhibition celebrating what has been called “a game of considerable passion” Modern golf’s roots can be traced to the east coast of Scotland, where kings and commoners have played the game since at least the fifteenth century. Lees’s monumental painting (7 foot.wide by 4.25 foot. high) shows  fifty-four spectators clustered tightly around a two-ball foursome match played on the links at St. Andrews. 

James Weaver
Senior Travel Writer
GolfWiz Blog
jimweaver35@comcast.net 

Rail Europe Is The Way To Travel For Americans Abroad

   

Its reasonable to say that most Americans have never ridden a train (discounting subways, amusement park rides, and antique railroad attractions).  Unless you live somewhere that has rail service, you probably don’t even think about trains. Cars and planes are how Americans get around.  In Europe, however, most people get where they need to go by train.

If you’re planning to visit Europe, you need to

seriously consider doing what the Europeans do.

 

Riding the train in Europe is simple, convenient,

comfortable and inexpensive.  Trains are clean, fast, and reliable (they arrive and depart on time).  In short, its the best way to get around.

My wife Barbara and I have visited Switzerland

four times and travel extensively throughout the country and in northern Italy by train.  We’ve also made five trips to Germany and travel by train throughout that country. 

 

Best of all, you can get your tickets or rail pass

before you leave home.  Simply visit the Rail Europe website.  It can help you reach thousands of European destinations in the most enjoyable comfortable way – by train. With it you can travel at high speed on its extensive network, which cover all major European cities and countries.

 

Rail Europe has  access to over 11,000 routes (25.000 destinations) served by the major European train operators.  Its so well connected it can help you reach your destination easily and enjoy it even more.

 

Some travelers enjoy getting to know more than one country and the Eurail Select Pass allows you to visit three, four or five bordering countries. The most popular countries visited with the Eurail Select Pass are France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, which means you can see Paris, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Geneva, Venice, Rome, Cannes, Barcelona and Madrid in one amazing trip.

 

You can push the boundaries with its Eurail Global Pass and travel around 24 countries on our network. Wherever you decide to go, it can help you with tips and guides about the destinations you choose, just take a look on its website for information to help you on your travels.

 

When you arrive at the international airport of any major European city, you’ll find a rail connection in the ternimal building.  Its an easy and convenient way to get to where you want to go. Its better than by rental car or taxi and less expensive.  Rail Europe can also book you a hotel and a city tour.  In short, its the best way to visit Europe. 

 

If you only speak and read American English,

you might be concerned, but fear not, service personnel on all the railroads speak your language and are friendly and helpful. Signs, too, are often in English as well as the local language.  The universal language of numbers -- Train #3456 (to your destination) departs at 10:00 AM on Track 8-- works very well.   

 

One of the best things about train travel in Europe is that you’re doing what people do here

and can experience another aspect of local culture that many American travelers miss.  Visit the Rail Europe website at and learn how easy it is.

 

 

 Jim Weaver
GolfWiz Blog
Senior Travel Editor
EmaiL; jweaver35@comcast.net

Grand Central Station Celebrates 100 Years

Manhattan's Grand Central Station Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary

Grand Central Station New York City, New York

                         

                           Grand Central Station, one of the landmark buildings of New York City, is a century old this year.  More than 700.000 people pass through it each day with little or no thought of its history or importance, but it played a significant role in the city’s growth and expansion.  Railroads were a principle mode of transportation in the 19th Century and the early decades of the 20th moving both people and commerce enabling the growth of the city and nation.

                  New York’s first rail service was begun in 1831 and during the 1840s several additional lines were begun adding a variety of terminals, depots, freight houses, and passenger stations throughout the city. A haphazard network of railways resulted in noise, pollution, traffic, and chronic accidents. By 1858, steam locomotives were banned from much of the area and were no longer in service below 42nd Street. A new terminal was needed.  In 1869, shipping magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt purchased property between 42nd and 48th Streets, Lexington and Madison Avenue for construction of a new rail yard and the first Grand Central. It cost $6.4 million and opened in October 1871 serving three different railroad companies.  However, it was nearly obsolete from the beginning and had to be substantially enlarged in 1898.  The updated station featured a classical facade, a unified 16,000 square foot waiting room, and distinctive ornamentation including monumental cast-iron eagles with 13 foot wingspan.  Perhaps most significant was its 650 foot long train shed.



                              The age of steam locomotives (in the city) was quickly drawing to a closed and following a catastrophic accident in 1902 that killed 17 and injured 38 there was a public outcry for electric powered trains.  Within months plans were made to demolish the existing Grand Central Station and create a new double level terminal for electric trains.   This was an expensive project ($80 million or roughly $2 billion today).  It took ten years to complete and drastically changed the cityscape forever.  The former rail yards were paved over from 45th to 49th streets and developers paid the New York Central Railroad for “air rights” to build on top of the new tracks.  And build they did, including dozens of large apartment buildings, hotels, and corporate headquarters along Park Avenue and adjoining streets. The new Grand Central Terminal opened in 1913.  More than 150,000 people came to see it on the first day.
                                 Fast forward five decades to 1967 when the building was threatened with demolition (it had already happened to the city’s other railroad terminal Penn Station). A group of city leaders were successful in preserving the building an having it designated a national historic landmark in 1976.  Two years later it won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court sparing it from the wrecking ball.  


                                   After decades of deferred maintenance, the building was crumbling.  The roof leaked, stonework was chipping away, structural steel was rusted, pollution and dirt had stained surfaces, and commercial signs blocked out natural light  In 1883, Metro-North took over operation of Grand Central Terminal, and soon after the railroad began a systematic program of repairs and capital improvements, including a $4.5 million project to replace the leaking roof and skylights.  However, people soon realized that what was needed was a new terminal building.  In 1884, architects began working on plans and six years later construction started.



                                      Excavation was a huge job since the rail yard had to be lowered an average of 30 feet below street level.  In spite of the construction project, rail service continued uninterrupted.  Trains continued to use the old Grand Central, until it was razed in 1910. A temporary station at Lexington and 43rd Street was used until 1912.


                                    Forty years later, faced with declining income and rising costs, in 1954  the owners resolved to make the most of its assets, commissioning plans to demolish Grand Central Terminal and replace it with a 6 million square foot office tower.  Nothing came of this plan, but in 1958 it agreed to demolish the six-story office structure at the rear of the terminal and replace it with the 59-story Pan Am Building which opened in 1963. 

                                  Fast forward thirty more years.  In 1994, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority gained long-term control of Grand Central Terminal in the form of a 110-year lease from American Premier Underwriters, a successor to the Penn Central Corporation.  A comprehensive revitalization plan was begun in 1996 with the cleaning of the main concourse Sky Ceiling.  As restoration and renovation continued, the project generated more than 2,000 construction and construction related jobs.  The revitalization project culminated with a gala rededication celebration in 1998. 

                                    Now, completely restored back to it's 1913 splendor, Grand Central has become a midtown destination with five exquisite restaurants and cocktail lounges, 35 casual international eateries in the lower level Dining Concourse, gourmet foods from the Grand Central Market, and 68 unique specialty shops throughout the concourses.  All this in addition to the trains.



Happy Birthday Grand Central.



                                       Grand Central has become an international example of a successful urban project that gave new life to an historic building which otherwise would have been discarded and destroyed.

Grand Central Station Main Concourse

Grand Central Food Market 

Grand Central Oyster Bar 

Jim Weaver
GolfWiz Blog
Senior Travel Editor 
Email: jweaver35@comcast.net

There’s Lots To Do in Southern Delaware, Rain or Shine

 

Best known for its great beaches, Southern Delaware has a great history as well.  So when its not a “beach day” there is a wealth of great things to explore here. 

 

                                               Guestroom at Bellmoor Inn in Rehobeth.

Located where Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic, it has a long and illustrious maritime history. Captain John Smith of the Jamestown Colony in Virginia explored and mapped the rivers Southern Delaware in 1608-09. Surveyors Mason and Dixon established the southern boundary of Delaware in 1764, the line that separated North from South during the Civil War. At the small stone marker you can stand with one foot in Maryland and the other in Delaware.  You can also visit a marker in Lewes, where the Dutch first landed in Delaware in 1629. 

 

The first state in the United States (by virtue of being the first to sign the U.S. Constitution in 1783) Delaware might never have been a separate state. Pennsylvania and Maryland both wanted the land, but in the end because it had been first settled by the Dutch it was granted separate statehood.

 

For more modern attractions, you can tour the historic Lightship “Overfalls” in Lewes.  Coastal waters could be treacherous and ships needed signal lights to guide them. Anchored lightships were used where light houses could not be built. Only 17 lightships remain of the 179 commissioned between 1820 and 1952. The Overfalls is one of very few open to the public.

 

In Bethany Beach, you can tour the Indian River Lifesaving Station built in 1876.  When ships ran a ground on coastal sand bars during storms and were sinking, the exceptionally brave men of the Lifesaving Service came to their aid.  Its a fascinating story that is little known. 

 

Nearby in Fenwick Island you’ll find the Discover Sea Shipwreck Museum.  This free museum is located on the upper floor of a souvenir shop, but don’t be fooled.  Its an excellent museum filled with millions of dollars worth of treasure and artifacts reclaimed from dozens of sunken ships off the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean.  Many of the ancient sunken ships were Spanish vessels loaded with treasure from the “new world” headed back to Europe.

 

Even before the America entered World War II, there was much concern that Germany would

attack our Atlantic coast. In 1941, the military began building massive coastal fortifications.  Today, at Fort Miles Historic Area just north of Lewes you can visit one of these facilities built to defend the Philadelphia Ship Yards, oil refineries along the Delaware River, and Dupont chemical works from attack.  There is a massive artillery piece here with a 12 inch bore. Originally there were two, plus a number of smaller guns.  The big guns could fire a 275 pound payload up to 25 miles -- really big bang.

 

A gun barrel from the U.S.S. Missouri (the battleship where the peace treaty was signed ending the war with Japan) has been acquired recently. The Missouri was the last American battleship ever to be built and went into service in early 1945 just months before the treaty signing.  The gun barrel is 66 feet long and has a 16 inch bore.  It will be placed on a (yet to be built) outdoor mount for public display at Fort Miles. 

 

Southern Delaware also has some great food.  At Luca Restaurant in Millsboro they always use the freshest local ingredients in keeping with Italian tradition of following the rhythm of the seasons. The daily features are chosen from what is delivered fresh each morning.  Its pasta and bread are made fresh daily. Wines are hand picked by an Italian Master Sommelier, some specifically for Luca. It is an Italian wine experience like no other. Located in a former bank building, the vault at Luca has been converted to a private dining area that can seat up to six guests.

 

The difference is in the extra little touches at Nage Bistro in Rehoboth Beach. From the specially formulated cocktails to the handcrafted garnish on the bistro's chef-created sandwiches, entrees and desserts, everything is just a little bit better here.  Its a great meal at a reasonable cost.

 

The Bellmoor Inn & Spa offers upscale lodging in Rehoboth Beach, with a variety of luxury hotel features and special amenities. Its elegant, beachside accommodations are the ideal lodging option for family vacations or romantic weekend getaways.  Its centrally located near the best attractions, beaches, museums, entertainment, shopping, and dining. The Bellmoor the ideal hotel choice in Rehoboth Beach.

 

Southern Delaware has an abundance of ecotourism activities. There's everything from whale and dolphin watching to beach combing, nature walks, photo opportunities, canoeing, and bicycling. Part of the Atlantic Flyway, the area home to a variety of land and sea birds.  Other options include a choice of great beaches, camping, nature trails, boating, and fishing including surf, ocean, bay, and freshwater.

 

The cultural experiences are numerous here, including a summer arts festival, a winery, art galleries, dinner theater, historic train rides, outdoor performances by the ocean, and sounds an annual Nanticoke Indian Powwow, which draws native Indians for tribal dances from near and far.

 

Order your free Visitor's Guide at www.visitsoutherndelaware.com and begin enjoying Southern Delaware.

 

Photo Information ---

 Recovered artifacts on view at Shipwreck Museum.

 

                                      Overfalls Lightship is open to public in Lewes.

                                   12” Gun from WWII is on exhibit at Fort Miles

                                                     outside Lewes.

 

 

                                   Lifeboat at Rescue Service Museum at Bethney Beach.

                                              Bank Vault seating at LUCA Restaurant.

 

James Weaver
GolfWiz Blog
Senior Travel Editor

Golfing In Western Canada Offers Spectacular Views

Some of the most scenic views in the world are in the Canadian Rocky
Mountains.  Resorts here have the very best, plus lots of great golf.
See if you agree.

15^th Hole, The Fairmont Banff Springs:
This 479-yard par 4 is the original first hole of this historic course,
nestled against its famed Waldhaus Restaurant and pub.  The view
from the elevated tee includes a distant view of the valley, edged by
mountain cliffs and the Bow River

18^th Hole, Stewart Creek Golf Club: 
The par-5, 520-yard finishing hole at Stewart Creek not only provides
one last crack at making birdie it also saves the golf course's best
view for last. The view may cause you to lose focus on the golf shot as
it provides a panoramic view of the 18th green, #9 green and Hole #1
with Cascade mountain providing the back drop.  Take a virtual tour
of the hole via Stewart Creek’s website.

                       
10^th Hole, Canmore Golf & Curling Club:
The first and tenth holes are great opening holes running side by side,
featuring a large bunker between the approach of both holes.
  A 520-yard par-5 hole, the 10^th is situated in the valley between
two towering mountain ranges.

                       
9th Hole, The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge:  Known
as Cleopatra, this voluptuous par 3 measures 231 yards from the back
tees.  Any of the tees have an incredible view from a high elevated tee,
with a mesmerizing backdrop of Pyramid Mountain. Check out new
flyovers of the course from The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s Website.

4^th Hole, Mount Kidd Course:  This 197-yard par-3 hole
is Kananaskis Country’s most photographed hole.  The backdrop to your
tee shot is the impressive Mount Kidd to your left and directly in front
is Mount Lorette, the namesake for the other 18 holes at Kananaskis. 
To the right of the tee is the crystal clear, fast flowing Kananaskis
River and further right is the snow covered Mount Evan Thomas.

18^th Hole, Silvertip Resort:  The
par-4 finishing hole sums up your Silvertip experience, with tees
sitting at the highest point on the golf course.  A dogleg-left
orientation drops dramatically to the Timbers Clubhouse below, allowing
both golfers and diners on the outdoor patio with a view of great golf
shots, the breathless Bow Valley and towering peaks of the Rocky
Mountains. An online webcam gives travelers a wide-angle view of
the hole each day.

Canadian Rockies Golf courses are easily accessible via Calgary
International Airport, with service by most major air carriers.
Learn more at www.canadianrockiesgolf.ca.




By Jim Weaver
GolfWiz Blog
Senior Travel Editor 

Berlin, Now 775 Years Old, Is An International Symbol For Peace and Unity

I went to Berlin hoping to learn how it has changed since the collapse of  Soviet controlled

East German government, the GDR, in 1989.While most visitors are simply looking for the

tourist sites, I was looking for something more.

 

Having visited Leipzig just days earlier, I had seen St. Nicholas Church near the city center and learned of the “Peaceful Revolution” of October 1989 inspired there. It resulted in  nonviolent demonstrations in Leipzig, in Berlin, and in other GDR cities and the collapse of the Soviet controlled government.  Berlin was a divided city for nearly 30 years and the Berlin Wall (the "Wall of Shame" according to former mayor Willy Brandt) had symbolized the "Iron Curtain" that separated the city and Germany.  Today, only a small section of the wall remains and its a graffiti art gallery.

 

The Berlin Wall Memorial is a stark reminder of the division of Germany.  Located next to the former border, there is a piece of the Berlin Wall next to the infamous border strip and watchtower. The facility shows how the border facilities were constructed and imparts to the visitor a lasting impression of the nation’s tragic division.  The Reconciliation Church was located at this site. It was blown up in 1985, as it stood right on the no man’s land “death strip”. After the fall of the Wall, a Chapel of Reconciliation was erected and opened in 2000.

Victims of the Wall (more than 1,100) are regularly remembered during church services.

There are also several other “Wall Memorials” in the city. 

 

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial, is located near the Brandenberg Gate. It consists of  nearly five acres covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. According to the architect, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason.  An underground information center here has the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims. 

 

The Jewish Museum Berlin, one of the finest (and most recognizable) examples of contemporary architecture in the city, was designed by Daniel Libeskind.  He has called it “Between the Lines”, a title that reflects the tensions of German-Jewish history.  The permanent collection extends over 2,000 years of German-Jewish history. 

 

Every Berliner over 40 years of age can remember the years when the city was divided

and the Soviet Union controlled East Berlin and East Germany.  The DDR Museum (GDR in English) here recalls life as it was for millions of Germans during the years of the Soviet regime.

Visitors can see a furnished apartment and a Soviet made car. The interactive exhibits demonstrate the many pressures and limitations that made up everyday life under Soviet rule.

 

The Brandenburg Gate, erected between 1788 and 1791, has been one of Berlin’s most important monuments for over two hundred years. A former symbol of the divided city, it drew visitors who would climb to an observation platform to glimpse of the world behind the Iron Curtain which separated East from West Berlin, geographically and politically.

 

I asked my guide what Berliners thought following reunification. “Initially everyone was very pleased,” he said. “Later, some from East Berlin missed the old system where most all of their needs were provided for, and some West Berliners complained strongly about the high cost of rebuilding East Berlin and East Germany.

 

Berlin has 170 museums (Museum Island in the Spree river alone is the site of five internationally significant museums) which makes it an impossible challenge to visit all.

However, American travelers will no doubt appreciate The Kennedys Museum and The Ramones Museum. President Jack Kennedy make a great impression on citizens when he visited here in 1963, at the height of the Cold War, and made his famous quote “Ich bin ein Berliner.”  The president and his family are remembered at this museum.  The Ramones were a punk rock band from New York City.  They had a 30 year career before retiring in 1996. The museum exhibits the impressive personal collection of artifacts from a Berlin fan.

 

Berlin is blessed with some of the world’s greatest architecture, both classic and contemporary.  One could spend weeks just

exploring architectural gems. 

 

The baroque-style Hohenzollern Palace, once the seat of German government was a landmark in the city since the 15th century, when the Prussian royal family began construction, until 1950, when the GDR decided the war-ruined palace was a reminder of a decadent old world and destroyed its remains.

 

In 1976, The Palast der Republik was built. It housed not just the East German parliament (largely a ceremonial body) but also a bowling alley, a disco, and other public space. In 1993, it was torn down because it was riddled with asbestos, but critics argue that asbestos problems in West Berlin were solved without demolishing buildings. They believe a remnant of Cold-War politics was behind its demolition and the neo-Hohenzollern palace construction project now in the works.

 

The question is when it might be finished. The due date is 2013, but its budget still has to make up an 80 million Euro shortfall in private (corporate) donations -- and 32 million Euro from the city of Berlin, which was deeply in debt even before the current financial crisis hit. For now the "Schlossplatz," or palace square, is empty, and not all of Berlin will mind if it stays that way.

 

I had hoped to see the new Berlin International Airport scheduled to open in June 2012, however, here to, construction delays have pushed the opening back a full year.  A good reason to return in 2013.  Berlin is a fascinating city and I hope to see more.

 

If you’re traveling to Berlin, you should consider staying at Indigo Hotel, a new boutique hotel

well located in the old East Berlin  www.hotelindigoberlin.com . Owned by the same folks who own Holiday Inn, it is very comfortable and has an excellent restaurant. When planning your trip view  www.visitberlin.de/en and  www.germany.travel.com.

 

 

The DDR Museum remembers life in Berlin as it was under Soviet control from 1945 to 1990.

The Berlin Wall and “No Man’s Land” strip (looking into East Berlin) as it was before the fall of the GDR regime.

 

 Brandenberg Gate was the dividing line between East and West Berlin for nearly 30 years.

 Holocaust Memorial remembers the millions of European Jews who died under Nazi rule.

  In 1989 Berliners demonstrate against the Wall and help bring down the Soviet backed government.

Olympic Stadium built by the Nazi government for the 1936 Games now fully restored was the site of the World Cup Soccer Championships in 2010.

James Weaver
GolfWiz Blog
Senior Travel Editor