Berlin, Berlin, Stop Pleading Guilty.
A weekend was just spent in Berlin, and my, it certainly won't be the last. It's odd really, that it's taken me so long to visit. I am, for some unsurprising to hear, rather interesting in the World Wars, and thus, Berlin has a certain attraction for me. However, I've never really had the chance to go, which is really a load of bollocks, as I live a 40 minute flight away, which is perhaps the reason why I've never been. You know the thing; 'It's so close I can do it whenever.'.
But this Christmas, I got tickets from my Super-Extra-Amazing Girlfriend (a title well earnt), so off we went on a long weekend trip to the city.
After a long discussion about where we should stay (not only location in city, but also how much we wanted to spend on a room/appartment that we wouldn't be in for long), we ended up at Die Fabrik, a hostel on the edge of Kreuzberg/Friedrichstein. We got a private, double room, on the 4th floor for €156, which in our opinion was fine. Our room was large, came with towels, sheets, duvets, extra blankets at no cost, and was quiet - as was the whole hostel (although this might have something to do with the dates we stayed), but, it did smell of smoke. Why they don't do smoking and non-smoking rooms, I do not know. Anyway, all-in-all we were very happy, and we were only in there when we woke up, and went to sleep. Breakfast downstairs in the cafe was lovely - not a buffet, as the website says, but a good little menu. We stuck to the same thing every day. Delicious.
We spent all the days heading, as quickly as possible, from one place to the next, making the most out of our travelcard-type-card, and more importantly, keeping inside as much as we could. It was freezing, freezing cold - the coldest we've ever been, with temperatures getting down to around -14 with wind chill. It actually hurt just to be outside. Of course, I decided to take my new shoes, and not my Uggs. Of course. Anyway, that way we got really familiar with the U- and S-bahn, and saw a lot of cafes, and exhibitions/museums. Helmut Newton, The Jewish Museum, The Bauhaus Museum, The C/O Gallery (Don McCullin was fantastic), and the Holocaust Memorial. We shopped (or at least, ran from shop to cafe, shop to cafe...), and even tried the Mauerpark Fleamarket, but in sub-zero temperatures, it wasn't so much fun. We ate delicious Vietnamese food at Monsieur Vuong, and at Hamy Cafe (in fact, our entire stay had an Asian theme in regards to food), and where we had coffee, tea and cake, we were never disappointed. I make an effort to really eat my way around new places, and I wasn't disappointed here - although I willingly admit I wasn't a big taker on the German food on offer, but had it been warmer, I'm sure I would have (that make sense for me).
Berlin was magic. From the vaguely snug interior of the S- or U-bahn, we were able to get a good view of the city - quite beautiful in that steel-grey, ice-cold light of winter. The city was oddly quiet what with the cold, but it did allow for a slightly different experience - a good one at that. The best bit about the cold was the incredible feeling of defrosting, as you worked the life back in to your toes, cuddled your coffee, and felt the feeling come back in to your nose. Quite exquisite, really.
Alas, we didn't see any of the wall, or anything related to the war other than the museums of course. But these things can wait - I will be back.
What did strike me about the city, was how you can't escape the war. It felt as if every corner you went around, there was something to remind you about the war. Or more specifically, the holocaust. I'm sure this could provoke people, but I can't help but wonder if this is fair on Germany? Yes, the holocaust took place there, but does that have anything to do with the German youth today?
I am all for museums, and not forgetting, believe you me, but I wonder what effect it has on a country, or a city, or a people, to have constant reminders that at a certain time in history, a terrible, terrible event took place in their country. Perhaps German youth don't see it really - perhaps it is me who is attaching the 'guilt', or 'shame' - or whatever you might call it. Perhaps they see it just as I do; nothing directly to do with them, but just as a reminder so as to not forget. I hope so.
But this Christmas, I got tickets from my Super-Extra-Amazing Girlfriend (a title well earnt), so off we went on a long weekend trip to the city.
After a long discussion about where we should stay (not only location in city, but also how much we wanted to spend on a room/appartment that we wouldn't be in for long), we ended up at Die Fabrik, a hostel on the edge of Kreuzberg/Friedrichstein. We got a private, double room, on the 4th floor for €156, which in our opinion was fine. Our room was large, came with towels, sheets, duvets, extra blankets at no cost, and was quiet - as was the whole hostel (although this might have something to do with the dates we stayed), but, it did smell of smoke. Why they don't do smoking and non-smoking rooms, I do not know. Anyway, all-in-all we were very happy, and we were only in there when we woke up, and went to sleep. Breakfast downstairs in the cafe was lovely - not a buffet, as the website says, but a good little menu. We stuck to the same thing every day. Delicious.
We spent all the days heading, as quickly as possible, from one place to the next, making the most out of our travelcard-type-card, and more importantly, keeping inside as much as we could. It was freezing, freezing cold - the coldest we've ever been, with temperatures getting down to around -14 with wind chill. It actually hurt just to be outside. Of course, I decided to take my new shoes, and not my Uggs. Of course. Anyway, that way we got really familiar with the U- and S-bahn, and saw a lot of cafes, and exhibitions/museums. Helmut Newton, The Jewish Museum, The Bauhaus Museum, The C/O Gallery (Don McCullin was fantastic), and the Holocaust Memorial. We shopped (or at least, ran from shop to cafe, shop to cafe...), and even tried the Mauerpark Fleamarket, but in sub-zero temperatures, it wasn't so much fun. We ate delicious Vietnamese food at Monsieur Vuong, and at Hamy Cafe (in fact, our entire stay had an Asian theme in regards to food), and where we had coffee, tea and cake, we were never disappointed. I make an effort to really eat my way around new places, and I wasn't disappointed here - although I willingly admit I wasn't a big taker on the German food on offer, but had it been warmer, I'm sure I would have (that make sense for me).
Berlin was magic. From the vaguely snug interior of the S- or U-bahn, we were able to get a good view of the city - quite beautiful in that steel-grey, ice-cold light of winter. The city was oddly quiet what with the cold, but it did allow for a slightly different experience - a good one at that. The best bit about the cold was the incredible feeling of defrosting, as you worked the life back in to your toes, cuddled your coffee, and felt the feeling come back in to your nose. Quite exquisite, really.
Alas, we didn't see any of the wall, or anything related to the war other than the museums of course. But these things can wait - I will be back.
What did strike me about the city, was how you can't escape the war. It felt as if every corner you went around, there was something to remind you about the war. Or more specifically, the holocaust. I'm sure this could provoke people, but I can't help but wonder if this is fair on Germany? Yes, the holocaust took place there, but does that have anything to do with the German youth today?
I am all for museums, and not forgetting, believe you me, but I wonder what effect it has on a country, or a city, or a people, to have constant reminders that at a certain time in history, a terrible, terrible event took place in their country. Perhaps German youth don't see it really - perhaps it is me who is attaching the 'guilt', or 'shame' - or whatever you might call it. Perhaps they see it just as I do; nothing directly to do with them, but just as a reminder so as to not forget. I hope so.
