Berlin is a thrilling city.
It's addictive. Once you have tasted it - you want more. I keep coming back to this wonderful place, because it is not polished, neat and tidy. It does not try to persuade you into thinking is is nice. It just is what it is and don't give a damn about your feelings about it. Take it or leave it - it's your choice.
The people here are a totally crazy mix of up dressed business men and spaced out free thinkers, with spikey hair and Saftey pins through their mouth. It is a delight to sit at a busy cafe and just watch different types of human expression just walk by. This town is one big exhibition of art. And you are in it... what do you want to express?
Getting around
The Metro is an excellent way of getting around. Buy a Berlin Welcome card for unlimited travel on public transport and you will always have a short walk to the nearest point of transportation. Nowadays google maps help you with what station to go to and when the next train leaves.. no sport any longer. (Backpacking in China 30 years ago was not a walk in the park, but that is another story)
Detail of the Metro station, most probably Alexanderplatz.
Bahnhof Wittenbergerplatz.
A nice old central Metro station, just beside the large Kaufhaus, Shopping centre, KaDeWe (KDW). My wife Åsa is "Thrilled" to pose in front of me, but this does not stop me from taking that desirable picture. All for the art!
KDW,
Really near by lies the ruins of the old church that the allies bombed the shit out of. It is not really a authentic ruin, but a constructed remains, or theatrically posing ruin , that everybody comes to see. This city got some real pounding during the war and pretty much everything is rebuilt and in good order today. But not this church. They decided to take the day off or something...
Berlin TV Tower
Unless you are blind, or totally shit wrecked by german beer, mind you it is excellent! - you don't miss this one. It can be seen from all over town.
It is well worth a visit, even if you have to stand in a queue, god I hate queues, and the view is of course fantastic. This centrally located tower overlooks everything.
In the TV Tower lobby.
Go with the Flow
A tour by boat on the Spree, the river that runs through Berlin is also a nice activity. If you are a late teenager or a hip young adult this is totally bullshit and I should talk about Berghain instead, Europes hottest night club, and a nightmare to get through the doorman. I haven't been there myself but that is more due to my unsexy habit of getting tired early in the night and as a consequence I usually go to bed before people starts to invade the nightclubs. I rise early though and get to take some nice pictures of sunrises now and then. But then again, this does not get me into Berghain.
A street tunnel near Museum insel (island)
Ahhhh - Ein Wurst!
A Bierstube, that is a German local traditional homemade food joint. For example the sausage with sauerkraut. Let me get this straight. If it is one thing the germans do now how to make - it is the sausage! They are Gods in the making of sausages. And cars. I mean, who would not want to have a Porsche? And Beer....
Yummy! Me like!
The town is also riddled with artists that can not wait until the are safely returned to their ateljé before they unload some of their creative ideas that has magically touched their souls.
The dark past
A visit to a concentration camp is a must. This is Sachsenhausen. A truly upsetting place to visit. Sadness is a good description of the feelings I get when I think of all the horrors that where taking place here.
A monument for the victims of the holocaust in central Berlin
The true reason we where in Berlin - David garrett
This Guy is amazing. One of the worlds best violinists. Charismatic. Good looking. A devil on the fiddle. Great show! If you have the opportunity to go and see him - DO IT!
More reportage will come from Berlin. This is only one of several trips. I still have to get into Berghain somehow. Many more places to indulge in. So stay tuned (follow me) for more travel storys and if you liked it; Upvote! Show your support.
(Have I told you when I road the trans siberian railroad to Peking in 1986 and ended up in Tibet singing Swedish children songs to local tibetans?)
Man, reading this post makes me want to travel so badly. Needless to say, Berlin is going to have to be one of the first places I visit outside the US.
I dare you. If you go there, you will want to come back....again and again...
Enjoyed your post and will keep a look for more in the future
thanx a lot. i like to travel. i like to take pictures. and this place seems to be the right place to start writing stories about it...
Will keep my eye for more of your post - all the best