Berlin, Germany

After another terrible experience on a night train in a full cabin of comers and goers all through the night, we arrived in Berlin around 8am. Confused as to where we supposed to go from the train station, we stopped in at the nearest mall to have breakfast. We asked where we could find the S-Bahn (the tram/bus system for Berlin) and were directed back to the train station. Once there, we made the short tram ride to our hostel’s neighborhood.

We were greeted at our New Zealand themed hostel by the overzealous owner who, noting our fatigue, showed us to our rooms. We quickly arranged our things and settled in for a much needed nap on some of the most comfortable beds we’ve had so far. When we finally woke after 3 hours, we chatted with a new roommate, Dylan, from New Zealand. We discussed plans to take the free walking tour of the city and Dylan expressed interest in joining us. After showers and getting ready, the three of us headed to the city center to find the tour.

Arriving slightly late, we were happy when we saw the group just ahead. We joined and enjoyed a day of history all around Berlin. We started at the Brandenburg gate and the Reichstag before walking to view the Berlin wall, the holocaust memorial, Hitler’s former bunker, numerous SS buildings and even more historical sites from the communist era so recently ended in Berlin. We finished on Museum Island with the sun setting behind the impressive architecture.

After the tour, we grabbed some beer from the local supermarket and headed back to our hostel to hang out. We sampled some local brews and prepared for a night out. We decided to pass on the pub crawl and instead ventured out with Dylan to a local bar and food on the way home. We returned at an early 11:30pm and headed to bed.

We got up on Sunday and again ventured out with Dylan. We started our day at the Turkish Market where the vendors had all kinds of foods and craft goods. We walked the paths trying our best to keep warm. While choosing what to buy for our lunch, we were caught in a sudden hail storm. We huddled under the awning until it passed and then hurried back to the subway station.

We took the tram to Alexanderplatz, famous for the huge TV tower in its center. We sat outside trying to dry and warm ourselves in the now bright sunshine. Seeing the guide for our tour that day, we packed up our things and headed over to join the small group. We did the Alternative Berlin free walking tour which gave us a view of the modern lifestyle of Berlin. With our small group of 6, we took the tram from neighborhood to neighborhood viewing different kinds of street art, artist studios, squat houses and converted recreational centers. It was an interesting view of the art life that flourishes in the streets of Berlin.

After the tour ended, the 5 tour-goers went together to the East-Side Gallery, the longest stretch of Berlin wall still standing. Local artists have been commissioned to paint the wall so we walked the length to view all the pieces, some still in creation. Finally, growing hungry and cold, the 5 of us headed to a kebab shop for a late hot lunch. Full and satisfied, we said our goodbye and headed back to our hostel.

Back at the hostel we used the internet to solidify our plans for the next leg of our European tour while sipping on hot drinks. Finally, after calls home, we packed our things and readied for bed. We had a train to catch the next day.