The Czech Republic is so conveniently located in the middle of Europe, making road trips a very easy and fun way to see the continent. One summer, we decided to take a trip to Berlin and a neighboring city, Potsdam. We drove from Hradec Králové to Potsdam and were there in less than five hours. Our hotel was located outside of the city overlooking Lake Schwielowsee. Rather than taking a car into the city, my mother decided that we would rent some bikes. It was a lot further than we thought… 

There were a couple of sights on our agenda for the day, including Sanssouci Palace, the summer palace of Frederick the Great, and the surrounding park, as well as the Dutch Quarter, a neighborhood of small, red-brick houses. After a 10.6-kilometer bike ride in the scorching heat, we finally made it. The palace was impressive, with fountains and statues lining the stairs leading up to the building. I was hungry, so we didn’t spend much time there because when I get hungry, I need food as soon as possible. 

We made our way to the Dutch Quarter around lunchtime and found a little cheesecake shop, Café Guam. Cheesecake for lunch? That’s always a good idea. We walk in and saw about ten different cakes to choose from. We took six pieces, each a different flavor, and shared them with one another. They were thick and creamy; just what I needed to satisfy my hunger. With a full stomach and a much better mood, we explored the rest of the city. 

The next day, we took a train to Berlin. My father had booked a sight-seeing tour, which isn’t something we do too often, but it was a good way to see a lot of the city in one day. Our tour guide started by taking us to the Berlin Wall (of course), the nearby Holocaust Memorial, and Checkpoint Charlie. My heart broke as we wandered through the memorial, with columns of all sizes surrounding us. Being in that city was like walking through a time capsule and yet I find it hard to imagine that part of history. After the memorial, we visited the famous Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag Building, home to the German parliament. It was a lot of walking for one day and in general, a lot of exercise for a weekend. But after the cheesecake, the exercise was definitely needed. 

The day flew by and soon, we were at the hotel spending our final night in Germany before heading back to the Czech Republic. A part of me didn’t want to go back. I wanted to keep exploring Germany. But, what could I, a child, do about that?