Welcome to the end of the work week. Hopefully the week went well for you and the weekend will be even better, but for today we are focusing on a couple of cool things that will make the day amazing. In today’s installment of Freebie Fridays, we have things you can do that won’t cost you a thing if you are in Berlin. Check it out in today’s Dollars & Sense!
Visit The Reichhstag:
Infamously gutted by fire on February 17, 1933 – an event the Nazis used as an excuse to suspend basic freedoms – the Reichstag is today home to the Bundestag, the Federal German Parliament. The celebrated renovation by Lord Foster was conceived as a ‘dialogue between old and new’ and resulted in a cupola that is open to the general public. A trip to the top is a must, but expect airport-style security and long lines. At the centre of the dome is a funnel of mirrors, angled so as to shed light on the workings of democracy below but also lending an almost funhouse effect to it all.
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Visit The Stasi: Die Ausstellung Exhibit:
A small but extremely informative exhibition about the Stasi (the internal security force of the former German Democratic Republic, abolished in 1989.) on the ground floor of the Stasi documentation center. Ingenious spy equipment and rows of jarred ‘bodily smells’ taken from interrogation chairs illustrate the terrible extent of Stasi surveillance. The exhibition is in German, but if you call beforehand you can get a very knowledgeable guide in English.
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Financial Tip Of The Day
Shop The Sale
We all like brand new things, but you you wait until your favorite store is having a sale, you won’t have to worry about paying full price because everything will be on sale and you can save a ton of cash.
