Once again I was able to share my blissful stay with another visiting friend. She’s a German-bred woman, but had not yet given her taste-buds a bite of this city… not to mention the heavenly Prinzessinnengarten pizza we rewarded ourselves with when our insanely busy weekend came to an end. I’ve realized this trip has taught me a lot about myself; I need visitors to be over-productive. There’s no in-between.
Here’s a round-up of the things that we did and discovered in Berlin in those three days.
Riding Bikes
I’ve discovered my love for biking. Maybe it’s because you’ll find there are more bikes than mosquitos in Berlin. No doubt you’ll get stung by the temptation to follow in the tracks of a local and ride your way to fun (I’m really killin’ it with this metaphor stuff eh?). I need to harass Ottawa’s mayor to create usable bike lanes. Sometimes we need to bike to actual places… we’re not all here to scenically ride along the river. Germany is 99 steps ahead of the game, can somebody please acknowledge this.
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Pampa
While we’re on the topic, I’d like to point out that you really get to see and discover more on a bike, compared to a dark and closed-off metro. Like this strange but multi-purpose cafe (?) we stumbled upon in Friedrichshain. By the name of Pampa, I say this is the up-and-coming YAAM. Beach-bar! Hair-dresser! Restaurant! Bon-fire! Trampoline! Yell out the first thing that comes to your head — they’ll have it. It’s funny, I yelled “house made purely of old windows” boom, there it was.
Pampa, as it turns out, is the new beach hangout part of Holzmarkt, the former infamous Bar25 location.
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Sammlung Boros
Below you’ll find some gloomy and unclear photos of the Sammlung Boros exhibit. I used an effect called go see it for yourself I’m not giving you a wiki summary. But for real, even if you don’t understand the questionable reality of modern art, this is definitely more than just a gallery — it’s historical, a WWII bunker, a world-phenomenon, jaw-droppingly impressive. Alright I need to chill. But come on you’re in Berlin, spare 6 euros and experience the Boros’ art collection. I promise you, it changes the way you think about art. Make sure to book in advance!
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Café Virdris
Another recommendation: if you’re into an old-fashioned home-y vibe, visit Cafe Viridis on Blücherstraße. A charming old man greeted us at the front counter, treating us as though we were guests in his own home. The vintage furniture and board games fit-in perfectly and the food definitely felt like it was made with lots of TLC. Couldn’t help but have our hearts melt at how adorable it was. Fuck you Starbucks.
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Berliner Zoo
Berlin Zoo: I don’t know how the kids do it. It is huge; I spent a good five hours there. However, I still don’t think I’ve seen all the kings of the many jungles — regardless of the fact that 3/4 of that time was spent hugging goats at the petting zoo. If only it were realistic to kidnap one.
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The Jewish Museum
We can pretend that I didn’t just visit the Jewish Museum because it’s the only one I can currently afford — but because it is a sacred part of German history. I say, more than anything, the architecture is truly amazing. Weird how something as simple as a room can make you uneasy. Dark and chilling as it is, they’ve created an interesting way to help visitors understand the magnitude of the events that took place in Germany’s history.
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Prinzessinnengarten
As mentioned before, try the pizza at Prinzessinnengarten, they grow their own veggies and herbs. Very hippie, with tables set up amongst the forest. The physical proximity will help you get into the tree-hugger vibe. If you’re bored, help yourself to some free vintage clothing, ping-pong or the used-book sale. Clearly, we were too pooped to take advantage of any of that.
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