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Berlin - Part 2
Written by: Meredith Daniels
History abounds, sleep awaits
As we followed the pink lead car and listened to our guide (when we didn't lose the radio frequency), we got great views of Tiergarten Park, the Victory Tower, the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate. Even though, by the time our safari was done, my legs had become a little stiff and I had sweat pouring down my back, I was happy we did it.
We'd soon learn that the restaurants around Prenzlauer Berg were just as good for dinner as they were for breakfast and lunch. At W Der Imbiss we had some fresh, vegetarian naan pizza. While there was no air conditioning, commonplace at restaurants and clubs in Berlin, we really enjoyed our meal and the price.
Soon it was time to dance off dinner, and our guide, Henrik, couldn't have picked two more contrasting venues. First was a swing club called Clarchens Ballhaus, where there weren't many people in the ballroom, but many were outside on the patio where there were tables available and a view of a beautiful, starry sky. The big band version of Oasis's "Wonderwall" did bring some patrons back to the dance floor.
And then, just like the young, NYC club scene, we ventured to a place that was a converted industrial building. At Tresor, (tresorberlin.de) we saw some Berliners I'd thought I'd have seen sooner (the young, pierced, Mohawked crowd). And while I was able to see upon entrance to the club, my vision quickly blurred, and all I had were a couple of Diet Cokes. It's because, like any techno club with its pounding music and dark, sweaty atmosphere, there was a strobe light. But this was a ghost strobe I had never encountered. It was as if my tripmates and I were playing some freaky game of tag - trying to find each other and then jumping back when we appeared to be right in each other's faces.
After a 4 a.m. shower and just a couple of hours of sleep afterwards, I energized myself with a nice hotel breakfast and decided to check out the great shopping area around the hotel. The Berlin weather had been pretty good so far (confirmed by my Canadian tripmates who understood the temperatures in Celsius).
So, I decided to forego the umbrella and head to the little farmer's market right by the Deutsches Bahn. There were all kinds of dried sausage, cheeses, herrings, bread and some handmade crafts. If I had been leaving the next day and had packed lighter (big mistake on my part I'd later find), I would have stocked up on some German fare.
Instead, I decided to walk past Berlin's famous department store, Ka De We, and head to the Europa Center, where I'd be sure to find some souvenirs. There were lots of stores and fast food places inside and some good places to get your cheesy souvenirs (I bought some pens, magnets and even pieces of the Berlin Wall).
It was beginning to rain pretty hard, but I was able to run back to the hotel and get my umbrellla and meet one of my tripmates for our trip to the Jewish Museum http://www.jmberlin.de. We took the Bahn to Kochstrabe (although you can also take it to Hallesches Tor) and walked through an outside market where we looked to purchase an umbrella for Robin. We actually found a dollar store-type chain instead, called Kik - a good place to keep in mind if you need to pick up a cheap umbrella, some batteries or other little items.
The Judisches Museum Berlin was amazing from the outside (a modern, zinc façade that glistened in the sun - we had some breaks here and there). It also seemed quite familiar and that was because, as Robin pointed out, Daniel Libeskind, the museum's architect, is the same man who designed the concept for the new Freedom Tower in New York City. Outside and inside - Libeskind considered every detail of the design in order to reflect the tensions of German-Jewish history. Whether you're a Jew or not, German or non-German, you can't leave the museum without being affected in some way. Of particular note are the Memory Void, Installation Shalechet (walking on fallen leaves) and the Garden of Exile.
The museum was a great choice for the still-rainy day, as was the nearby walk to Checkpoint Charlie - the crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. While we didn't have time to hit the museum there, we took each other's photos by the ersatz cabin.
I'll have to skip a bit to something I'd thought I'd never do in Berlin (not a sex show venture, that won't be until Amsterdam) - karaoke. But, our tripmate, Marcela, who apparently frequents the karaoke bars in Los Angeles, was experiencing karaoke withdrawal. I don't even know how we found a place, but we did - a bar called Cheers (thank goodness no one "knows your name"). They charged us 5 euro and a one drink minimum for unlimited access to the stage, mic and songlist. We gave them the song codes and they gave us the opportunity to make fools of ourselves. I attempted Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and lost my breath half-way through. Who knew rapping was such hard work?
Day Four - Berlin…our last and longest one yet
After a full 5 ½ hours' sleep (the most I'd gotten on this trip, so far), it was time to tour Berlin by bike http://www.berlinonbike.de before heading to the train station to catch our hi-speed train to Amsterdam (we were to arrive by 11 p.m.).
Our guided tour took us along the trail of the former Berlin Wall, past memorials for those who died trying to climb over, and through neighborhoods that had long emerged from its Cold War past. We even got some great group photos in front of a picturesque River Spree. And what better way to end the bike ride than with some Currywurst (trucks all around Berlin) - yum.
No sleep 'til Dortmund…
The German leg of our trip should have ended as we boarded our train to Amsterdam (the trip was supposed to take 6 hrs. and 25 min.), but instead, it continued through the night. The train ride was comfortable and the food wasn't bad while it lasted. After just 2 ½ hours on the train, we were told by a conductor that Dortmund was the last stop. Apparently, it was the other half of the train that was continuing to Amsterdam (beware of the commuter train rules and stops when you board).
Well, it wouldn't be a trip story without a real "story," so this would be ours. We wouldn't be able to catch another train in the correct direction for about five hours and then we'd have to take four more connecting trains to get to Amsterdam. Thank goodness for some innovative, fun tripmates who brought tic-tacs and cards and taught us Texas Hold 'Em as we hung out in a bar in the Dortmund train station. It was fun and unforgettable, and while I'd be looking forward to just a good three hours of continuous sleep, I couldn't wait to reach Amsterdam… TO BE CONTINUED
Read Part 3
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