After much planning and research for my Reading Week adventure, the first stop is Berlin, Germany! During my time here in Scotland, I heard numerous good things about Berlin and with a cheap RyanAir flight, my friend Joy and I decided to take up the opportunity.
On Saturday morning, I made my way to the Glasgow Airport, hopped on my plane, and landed in Berlin, Germany! I am excited to add some new stamps in my passport this week. With help from public transportation, I made my way to my hostel and grabbed dinner at a local Italian restaurant down the street from my hostel. Once my friend Joy arrived, we checked out a local bar to try our first (and cheapest) German beer, the Berliner! We called it an early night for a busy day of exploring tomorrow.
We grabbed a free breakfast from our hostel (loading up on the warm bread and butter as a snack for later) and walked towards Victory Tower. On a beautiful Autumn day, we walked through a beautiful park on our way to Victory Tower. As we walked towards the Reichstag Building, we also walked past the Bellevue Palace and Soviet War Memorial. We checked out the beautiful architecture of the Reichstag Building and the Brandenburg Gate, snapping a few polaroids along the way too.
The next stop of the day was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. That was a very cool and unforgettable experience. The museum explained the history behind the Holocaust and held stories and memoirs of the murdered Jews through letters, pictures, and postcards. The memorial itself has no mathematical structure, so each gray block varied in size, and despite the warm sun, it was surprisingly cold under the shade of these cement blocks. Joy and I were shocked at how rude and inconsiderate some individuals were around the museum and memorial. We also checked out the Topograpghy of Terror and Check Point Charlie.
After much historical reading, Joy and I walked towards a hip neighborhood called Kreuzberg. We stopped at an ice cream shop and got free ice cream along the way too! Definitely a highlight of the day. Kreuzberg was an amazing and hipster neighborhood, with colorful, pastel buildings and cute restaurants and shops. Joy and I stopped to grab some tacos as a late lunch!
The next stop was the East Side Gallery, formerly apart of the Berlin Wall. It was super cool! We walked down the East Side Gallery, checking out the artwork and pointing out our favorites. Each section of the wall differed with its own message, which I really enjoyed. I do suggest waking up early in the morning and check it out before it gets too crowded.
Our last stop of the day was another adorable neighborhood called Friedrichshain. Friedrichshain also had beautiful pastel buildings and charming shops and restaurants with outdoor seating and sparkly lights. After checking out the neighborhood we hopped on the train back to our hostel to unwind after a busy day.
For dinner, we checked out a Georgian restaurant, which was fantastic! I had cheese and potatoes dumplings which were delicious and Joy and I checked out a local brewery bar to finish off the night.
Monday morning, we grabbed breakfast at our hostel again and explored the beautiful, Victoria Park. It was a wee bit cloudy that day with some rain in the forecast. Just like Scotland! Victoria Park is known for a beautiful set of waterfalls, but with the onset of winter, the man-made falls was turned off. With the rain pouring down harder, we made our way to the Jewish Museum.
The Jewish Museum was also a beautiful exhibit of history and memorials. The Jewish Museum had remaining artifacts of the Holocaust; pictures, postcards, and letters from the Holocaust; and stories of the Holocaust survivors. Definitely one of the most memorial parts of my trip so far. Again though, Joy and I were shocked at how rude and inconsiderate people can act in such a solemn environment.
Next, Joy and I explored Bebelplatz, a public square with an opera house, library, and church in downtown Berlin. I really enjoyed observing the beautiful and intricate architecture of the square. Next, Joy and I checked out the Berlin Cathedral, which was amazing as well! I wish I did pay the ticket to explore the inside of the cathedral though.
Joy and I stopped at a bakery so I could grab a pretzel and a ginger cookie and we ended up having a lovely conversation with a German dad! Joy and I found a charming vintage store and shopped for a bit. I have been very into thrift shopping these past few months! With a beautiful sunset in the background, we checked out the Berlin TV tower and made our way back to our hostel.
It was a cozy night in at our hostel for Joy and I that night. We stopped at the local grocery store to grab some food and beers to work on our postcards and plans for the rest of the week. We called it an early night for an early morning to catch our bus to our next destination!
Berlin was a very cool and urban city. The mix between modern and history created a unique feel to the city and is something I haven't experienced before. The artwork and graffiti that covered the streets and walls also added to the vibes of the city. I am glad I discovered Berlin for the weekend because I don't believe I would ever make a vacation out of visiting Berlin. If I ever make my way back to Germany, I would definitely explore South Germany and the romantic towns and beautiful castles.
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