For our second night of World Cup-watching, we headed to the Alexander Platz, the heart of the former East Berlin. The beer garden there had a giant screen with a view of the TV tower the East Germans put up as a symbol of communist technology that could easily be seen on the other side of the Berlin wall. On my last visit, I remember this area being in dire need of a cleanup. Its mid-century buildings were literally falling apart. Now the square is filled with department stores and other shrines to capitalism.
The beer garden served basic German and Italian food, with plenty of cold beer on tap. I don’t drink much beer at home, but it just tastes better here! The waiter wasn’t too pleased when we tried to get separate checks.