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it's impossible to overlook the holiday season is in full swing there are sparkling lights all over berlin but that's about the only thing that's just like years past and the run up to christmas and times of covert 19. there are hardly any tourists and the grand goal of ours may be merry and bright but there are a few people around to enjoy them. plenty of christmas trees though like this one in front of the brandenburg gate. the difference this year is especially apparent on john diamond one of the most beautiful squares in the city this place is usually hopping in december it's the site of a popular christmas market but due to the pandemic it was of course canceled this

year. and spite of it all i'm on the hunt for a berlin's christmas spirit are people in a festive mood at all where does the city shine brightest and with christmas markets cancelled where do i get my annual fix of gingerbread boy let's find out. we're going to pay a visit to $1.00 of berlin's most elegant hotels the adlon. will also make a stop at the historic highs of the morial church. and will catch up with globe trotters steve heinous and the portuguese capital lisbon.

traditional christmas markets were called off even before the most recent shutdown was announced but individual booths like these are still per minute. the side of it how do you feel about christmas markets being canceled it's sad yes really a shame for. one i'm a big fan of christmas markets for now we'll have to make do with what we've got and hope things will be better next year 1st. of all couldn't get an alternative set up like this substitute for the real thing no of course not this is just a compromise it's better than nothing but it's nothing like a traditional christmas market to feel fresh and it's really sad that we don't have the regular holiday markets this year and that's going to but under those circumstances to protect our health and safety i think it is absolutely acceptable . and so are you doing anything special to try and get into the spirit of things do you have any tips for us that's not the only the target of everything we just moved

into an apartment together. and we've decided to put up decorations and stuff like that out a little christmas cheer in the bad right now from sometimes not but we need an advent calendar things like that to get into the spirit on the 1st sunday of advent we had waffles coffee and cake just like always we're sticking to our usual traditions i used to give. the difference in many spots around town a striking it's so quiet potsdamer platz normally bustling with crowds it's almost deserted usually you'd find a colorful christmas market here too complete with ice skating rink and sled run. the major traditional christmas markets and might not take place this year but when

it comes to the festive season people in germany can get quite inventive here's a look at some socially distanced alternatives to germany's time honored christmas favorites. snow christmas lights who suggest not this may look like a typical christmas market but there's at least one major difference in the varying town of launching this year to traditional christmas market is a drive through on. what. i think what we just had to christmas is our favorite holiday and we want to make the most of it is my. right we're looking forward to christmas and want to get into the spirit of the season and we're hungry. whether they come for traditional treats or to just soak up the atmosphere it's been a huge hit patrick smith had the idea after closing his restaurant to take over restrictions. and everyone is so happy birthday ring this even when they have to

wait no one seems to mind that some actually like waiting it gives them a chance to hang around and enjoy themselves 10 or 15 minutes longer finish the meeting or could be seen going to. visitors can pick up traditional brought worse cotton candy and a lot of other traits without leaving the walk in safety of their own vehicles there's even more whining thermos flask on offer for those who want behind the we'll of course some travel quite a distance for the pleasure of a trip to the drive in market. we want to support this market and there's not much else around going to come for dinner and some mulled wine well not alcoholic puns for me the driver we're here to give our kids a. of christmas to get them in the holiday spirit.

the restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus have gravely affected the tourism sector hotels are among the businesses hit the hardest at berlin's luxury hotel adlon there are more employees than guests these days but that didn't stop them from decking the halls. and these empty chairs there are usually people from all over the world enjoying afternoon tea. i have an appointment with hotel manager costs that. has all but it was old beautifully decorated but for whom do you have any guests at the moment that's i do have guests as many normally have this time of year that's one thing about 20 rooms are booked that's a 6 percent occupancy rate. to create christmas yet in this year for the guests and

staff to spread a little joy. i'm going to guess that the so very few guests how do you sustain a hotel of this size during a crisis financially. we're not breaking even of course this would also cost a lot of money to operate even if you close temporarily but decided to make a statement of sorts to make it clear that the hotel is open to all our usual service and you came up with a very special thank you for the pandemics frontline heroes tell me more than once it's been hard on us sure but the hotels that are still able to come and want to come into our regular customers business travelers were know that we are there for them and we will provide but when you take. a moment to think about the people who are really making a difference in these difficult times it is clearly those working in our health care system people who work day and night to save other people's lives and nursed

them back to health. so we thought what can we do to shore appreciation and to give something back the answer was obvious as a hotel we could offer them complementary stays so that's what we did i mean that was the response norm overwhelming within 34 days of the 1000 overnights days you offered were all booked and the waiting list was started half of the states have already been redeemed more than half of our healthcare heroes have come to stay here in our hotel that everything because to ensure they enjoyed themselves it's been incredible when it comes from is a thing like the pandemic in the restrictions that followed the tourism and berlin on hold but that's not entirely true in the midst of the 2nd lockdown the long awaited new berlin airport opened its doors to the world and you can also now visit the reconstructed berlin palace my colleagues look at stake i went and checked out .

my 1st stop the so-called b.t.r. berlin's major airport it is only been in operation since october 31st. so touristic me speaking this is the very latest berlin has to offer. this is the terminal building and i've got to say it's neither beautiful more ugly it's just an airport and it's not particularly big if you consider that the whole thing was designed for around 46000000 passengers a year. however as you can see it is a. we use at the moment there are only a handful of travelers claiming the pandemic hit the airport hard

in addition it was opened with an unbelievable 9 years deal late please explain to me. and on the runway hardly any movement. it's. as you can see there's hardly anything going on here so let's see if it's different in the city center. plane. please believe me people. are going to the little people. and that's the new old palace the so-called homeboy form to me it kind of looks like a film set

a little bit unreal. 3 facades of the palace where once prussian rulers resided or built in historical stock only one side is very modern. i like the historical facades better but many people have a completely different opinion. so the reconstruction is controversial mainly because of the reproduction of the historical facade. i am permitted to enter the courtyard the head of the opening the once completely destroyed palace has been rebuilt since 2012 there are only a few scaffolding left home board who vote for women or lynn palace what is it actually as a basic it is primarily a center for culture and science there are exhibitions will hold events and have a culture education program will consequently focus on world. cultures it's the home of the level it's our questions were leading to democracy and the environment there's an exhibition on how berlin and the world are interconnected another about

the fascinating history of this site over the course of 700 years it's 4 different buildings including the whole forum and these were located at this site of the 1st dominican monastery in the whole solar palace in the c.t.s. germany's parliament and now the home port form which is now almost part of this history there what's the biggest attraction for tourists here what is there to see and to give the here you come on as i don't know if they're really in the garage larger courtyard reconstructed on 3 sides is a brand new part of berlin just waiting to be discovered then there's the north south passageway and the palace itself so. legibly the home board form will open soon and that's a glimmer of hope jury was locked down. until mid december stores in germany were still open for christmas shopping. always

making sure to keep it distance between mass shoppers i'm n.k.t. the probably berlin's most famous department store. it 1st opened its doors over a 100 years ago. on the 4th floor it's christmas the lower every kind of decoration and magical everything you could wish for and more. it seems like business as usual to me but this is nothing compared to what they're used to according to. store manager team will favor. anyone how noticeable is the absence of tourists in the store to me but. very

barely those from the surrounding areas account for about 50 percent of cod a v. revenue the rest is generated by visitors from elsewhere in germany europe and the rest of the world so we are noticing the difference at the moment but we're flying the christmas flag so to speak for billionaires to come here and feel and enjoy a sense of normality. no money of normality but only to some degree only 3000 people are allowed in the store at a time how do you keep track digital monitors at the doors count people as they come in the door that shows us how many are inside at any given time and our team also keep a close watch on things. do you really know that name barbara lin are still coming here to ca davey or have you noticed a reluctance in people to spend time indoors during the pandemic lines and tighten up on many many stops honestly believe no i feel that their leaders are supporting us standing by us we see plenty of evidence of that it is wonderful but 1st thing

in the morning you see someone had 2 words the cheese counter for a little chat because they may spend most of their time at home and have very little social interaction lives out here the seals deficit cheerful happy to engage in conversation find out how they're doing that's what we're here for to. keep in touch talk to people and offer our customers nice things to take home and i think that now is an insecure i think then what's the biggest challenge for the store in the current situation i think of i think there are many different kinds of challenges that's really the 1st thing is respecting the regulations that it's their safety is priority number one simply and i think we're doing very well at maintaining safety in this thing that you can tell that from the feedback we're getting them to be that from the authorities or i guess it's and then of course our goal is to fill the store with the magic of christmas so that the visitors feel good when they're here relaxed and happy. setting off to discover foreign lands is

not really an option for most 5 people going to the coronavirus pandemic but our globe trotters steve payne is just couldn't wait any longer and had to portugal and the capital lisbon he wanted to know what people there are doing to get in the mood for christmas. welcome to portugal where i'm spending winter this year due to the pandemic today i am in lisbon in the run up to christmas with my local friend how well i actually met 8 years ago travelling through bolivia and now he's going to show me how the portuguese celebrating this time of the and that's why we are actually here in front of a church it's usually all the traditional portuguese christmas starts right fortunately still largely we're very catholic country and so the traditional way to to leave it is you should fostering today and then you meet with all your family and all the community inside the church for

a special service called. and then after the service you can go to your respective family house and have a feast we do it your own family's ok so we go in and check it out let's go all right. christmas wouldn't be written this without christmas pastries and what we have done in germany you have the bull's eye well the bull's eye is the super traditional christmas breads. that's usually made with crystallized fruit on top so it's very colorful and he also has tried treats and raisins and so it's and it was invented right here at school for 3 of us you know right in the heart of.

off so let's finally try it so let's try that. while. just like all german christmas bread. week christmas eve. in germany we have christmas markets do you have anything like this more in the. mint not in the same sounds but usually what happens is this whole downtown area where it's very much shopping and tourists quite here every shop gets decorated and then you can see that's all the special lights and the christmas tree so usually people just to have a wall come in try to get some seconds. let's

talk about christmas dinner some might say the most important part about the whole christmas eve and then we actually came to a more traditional restaurant here in this bend to try something you would actually have for christmas dinner but not in a restaurant i would i would say read never in the restaurant you always have the christmas dinner you with your own family but still this is it would be exactly what you have wild caught fish were just some vegetables around chickpeas potatoes some cabbage sometimes. very down to earth and very typical and this was actually in the past somewhat expensive cuts so families would really save up. so they could afford but at all for the christmas you know even so it's not christmas eve i would say let's enjoy it that's against. drunkeness whole chris. this experience we have

a tradition no greater switcheroo really could call this using a nonsense so that's about the fish and all. consuming. for many people around the world the christmas season is a time of contemplation and celebration of their faith. and friend of the kind of don't have memorial church star shaped ornaments with personal wishes written on them remind us how quickly the ordinary can become something extraordinary this person wishes they could spend christmas with their grandparents.

for many going to church isn't it revokable element of christmas but will services be possible in the midst of a pandemic. gamma has been the memorial church's pastor for 15 years as one of our none of us has ever experienced a christmas season quite like this one how is it been for you but. i do know that fortunately we are allowed to worship together and that's what we will do things to on christmas eve a lot of it will be our lead services day and so on that night and something we have already been doing during the advent season has been said on weekdays we hold mid-day prayer services. there are fewer people in it to miss the usual that those

who come on are really appreciative it means a lot to them and we think it will be the same on christmas eve thing we've got on . the economy what service like in times of the coronavirus what care and what can't be done. from where i'm at on does it was the 1st of all we maintain one and a half meter distance between chairs no one sit side by side as you're only good but that's a certain quality of it's own you focus more on yourself and perceive those around you differently now allow to sing so instead we have the organ sing for us if you will the and then we can either sing along in our heads or i read the words aloud to the music in the least bit order. is interesting this gives us a new sense of protection which can be very positive it was sudden for the 3rd and i think in the volume of my district currently our service is a shorter than usual because we leave things out that would normally be part of the

service but that in turn helps us focus more intently for those who were on board the come on our thought of what was quite simply on this count among all this can you even get in the mood for christmas or is there something missing. dustbin it's not really well i'm curious to see how things develop from my experience as a pastor i can see that true christmas spirit is when we really began to celebrate it before that we're busy organizing the preparing everything of and that's not the same as the christmas celebration itself i think we reach christmas eve and christmas day we will find ourselves in a festive mood and then hopefully we can leave the hustle and bustle in a few of our troubles behind and focus on what christmas is really about is important to remember that it was on christmas thank god became man born as a child in a manger works in a makeshift shelter cooper be. gun considering that things here are still pretty

common is it all began under the circumstances well that's less nice about it or does it still should offer them providing already way back when happy holidays thank you to. the. 'd 'd one bright check plots right next to the church some scattered stalls are doing their best to spread a little christmas cheer. may. be good and again i think what mulled wine please. and at least some things haven't changed. after all that 20 twentieth's put us through i almost didn't believe it possible

but my little stroll through berlin really didn't get me in the mood for christmas there's something comforting about all those shimmering lights although of course that sheer full crowds are missing hopefully next year we can all get back to how things used to be happy holidays and be safe wherever you may be.

how do you live your life when you are 1st and foremost considered the daughter. went mcconnell event on was just 3 years old mother was kidnapped in argentina and since then her mind has been consumed with searching in full public view. but

mccullough belmont doesn't want to be just the daughter of an abducted any more. than 30 minutes on the w. . thing. spin. everything revolves around christmas. here in a german village famous for its handcrafted toilets candle arches incense smokers more. we find out what magic in soul about. the world. 90 minutes. has a virus spread. why do we have it and when will. 100 or 3 . technics and the weekly radio show is called spectrum if you would like any

information on the coronavirus or any other science topic you should really check out our podcast you can get it wherever you get your podcast you can also find us at w dot com the. science. story of produce and propaganda. they were called the rhineland bastards born after the 1st world war. their mothers were germans living in the occupied drying land their father's soldiers from the french colonies the families half a german children had a hard time because they were a reminder of the german defeat. exclusion and control culminated in forced sterilization under the nazis. fish documentary examines the few traces that remain of their existence. we call them the children of shame.

starch january 11th on d. w. . this is g w news live from berlin boris johnson cancels christmas for millions in the u.k. was a very early on i mostly read colonel to continue with chris was those plans the prime minister on fails tiger covert restrictions as the new strain of the virus fuels fears. also coming up israel starts its rollout of the covert 19 vaccine but the

palestinians have to wait by the west bank and locked out and infection rates they are on the rise foreigners have yet to secure supply.