Berlin
Day One -- Berlin
When the first sight that greeted me, upon landing at Berlin's airport, was a store called Love Sex and Dreams (LSD), I thought I had landed in Amsterdam's airport by mistake. Having many preconceived notions before starting my exciting, yet affordable two-city excursion, I couldn't help but wonder what else awaited me in Berlin.
As a New Yorker traveling in another big city - I naturally found myself making comparisons to the Big Apple. So, upon arriving at the Ellington Hotel http://www.ellington-hotel.com on Nurnberger Strasse, with its surrounding shopping area (the Kurfustendamm), and a few blocks' access to the Deutsche Bahn (Berlin's underground metro), I wasn't disappointed.
The hotel just opened in March 2007, but like the rest of Berlin's western, youthful development, it retained its charming history. During our tour of the 285-room facility, we saw an interesting contrast between the art-deco red and white carpeted hallways and the old tile and marble stairways.
Those old tiles had probably been leaned on by David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Carlos Santana, among other famous musicians. That's because in the '70s, the building was home to the legendary "Dschungel" disco. Back in post-war Germany, it was the hottest jazz club in the city. It was here, in the legendary Badewanne, that Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington (the hotel's namesake) played.
My airy and light room (which looked like a page out of the IKEA catalog) was a welcoming sight, although I wondered why the bathtub was in the middle of the room where my neighbors across the street would be able to get a "Red Light District" view (yes, I make mention again of Amsterdam's surreal entertainment). I opted for the separate shower that was set back a bit.
Refreshed and raring to go, it was time for a Velo taxi ride around Alexanderplatz, Pariser Platz and Potsdamer Platz (platz means "square," I soon learned). It was quite touristy and fun, and of course, scenic. We passed stone lines where the wall used to be, a Holocaust memorial and some new buildings as well, such as the Sony Center and the typical Starbucks. And since Berlin's mascot is a bear, we took a picture with one (well, a man in a bear suit who charged us one euro) and passed painted bear statues that reminded me of the Cow Parade that was around NYC about seven years ago.
The two velo taxi drivers joined us for drinks as we waited for the Canadian members of our group to meet us for dinner. We ate outside on a covered deck at a restaurant called Freischwimmer (www.freischwimmer-berlin.de). The view was beautiful, as the restaurant was set on a canal, with views of other restaurants and people in bathing suits enjoying themselves at nearby beach bars. "Yes," I thought, "I could get used to this."
After a satisfying meal, we walked around the neighborhood Schlesisches Tour with our scene guide, Henrik http://www.berlinagenten.com). There were a lot of other trendy restaurants and beach bars within blocks of one another. And, if you've been to Playa del Carmen, Mexico or even Miami, the setting looked familiar with sleek, trendy bars set on mounds of sand and either beach chairs or other seating all around. But we weren't near an ocean and we weren't in a tropical climate - in fact, one place had a deck leading to a pool in the middle of the River Spree. How relaxing to be in the scene, yet still be in the center of Berlin. We walked around a bit more, however, before settling at a place called Strandgut http://www.strandgut-berlin.com.
Day Two - Berlin
Nicole, our tourism guide, certainly seemed rested and although the rest of us could have used a little more shut-eye, we looked forward to our first German breakfast. We all envisioned lots of eggs and wursts and potatoes, but what we got was a bit healthier and possibly one of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. The restaurant was called Cafe Anna Blume http://www.cafe-anna-blume.de in the hip neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg. We decided to order a three-tiered hodgepodge to share. It was filled with fresh meats, cheeses (hard and soft), fruit, smoked fishes, crepes and eggs.
Hopped up on caffeine (the latte kept coming) and extremely satisfied with our meal, the group was ready to take another neighborhood tour with Henrik. Going into the trendy shops and watching the cool, young Berliners reminded me of Manhattan's East Village, although parts were a bit cleaner and some of the buildings were typically old East Berlin. I wished we had more time to shop in the many vintage shops and small galleries, but Henrik did point out some of the highlights. There was one store that made customized messenger-type bags and I regret not making a purchase, but they do take online orders. http://www.tausche-berlin.de.
So, after feeling like a young Berliner, it was time to do something totally touristy - the Trabi Safari. Despite the name, there would be no animal sightings on this trip, although, after sitting in one of those tiny cars for over an hour, you start to feel a bit like a caged rabbit. We were a little late to get the convertible, but they do have a few available. We took twp cars for six people (max is four to a car) and we had two among us who could drive a stick shift, because that's how these cars run (although the manual control is not what you're used to) http://www.trabi-safari.de).
Read Part 2