Went for a long weekend in Berlin right in the beginning of September. Lovely extension of summer, as altho Estonian summer was absolutely gorgeous, the weather went from 29 C to 14 C in one day on 29th of August.
Berlin is always fun, even more, when the touristing is done, so there is no agenda. Strolling through different neighborhoods is how to get the best idea of the city!
East Side Gallery, the longest and most well preserved piece of the wall
Friedrichshain area. Berlin's party hotspot, where the legendary Cassiopeia and other clubs are, just next to Warschauer Strasse.
Also visited a nearby Zauberbar Kürbiskern - the magic pumpkin seed bar - a fun place with shisha, good cocktail and a manager welcoming you with magic tricks and candy.
Caipirinhas on the beach at YAAM - Young African Art Market. Entrance is donation based and inside there is plenty of authentic food kiosks, a beach bar with all kinds of cocktails and markets with clothes, jewellery, arts etc.
Why we in the first place went to Berlin? Because a Finnish band 'Sunrise Avenue' is finishing up their last tour. A fifteen-year-old me loved them and I've occasionally listened them all over the years, so had to finally catch them live as well. It was a full house at Mercedes-Benz arena and a really good concert!
Went to search the abandoned amusement park - Spreepark - in a huge park. It closed is 2002 as it went bankrupt. The area is closed off but they offer tours which you have to book in advance. Walking around it, it is possible to see some of the former rides, sadly the most iconic one - the ferris wheel, was taken down in January as it had become a bit too unsteady. We did not look into its history too much before we went there, so we did not know it was taken down just recently, so we were trying to find it and could not possibly understand how the highest attraction is not visible from any corner. I mean, at least we collected plenty of steps!
Used the Bolt bikes or scooters quite some to travel longer distances, went back to Kreuzberg area and had a well earned drink at the riverside before heading on to more culture. First of these bars was already playing some techno music and also had a cover to get in, the back ones were free and a bit more chill.
Boros Foundation. Boros Collection is a private collection of contemporary art by Karen and Christian Boros, been on display since 2008 in a World War II era bunker. Can be visited only by guided tours on specific times. During 1.5 hour guided tours, the guide talks about the exhibited works, the history of the building and its architectural background.
The bunker has also been used as a Red Army prison, Cuban fruit storage unit nicknamed Banana Bunker, and a '90s underground fetish club.
The magnificent New Synagogue, from 1866
Awesome Sunday brunch place - Hallesches Haus
Checkpoint Charlie, a reminder of the former border crossing, the Cold War and the partition of Berlin
Yadegar Asisi - The Wall panorama
"The Panorama transports visitors to an autumn day in the Kreuzberg area of Berlin. The 1980s alternative scene is booming, where punks, squats, trailers and a petting zoo meet on the streets of SO 36, completely separate from life in Mitte and East Berlin – despite being just a stone’s throw away. The several-metre-wide death strip and its border fences separate east and west, FRG and GDR, capitalism and communism."
Luftgarten outdoors bar at Tempelhof old airport turned into park.
Note to self: start carrying cash when travelling. Living in Estonia, card is accepted everywhere, so I never have cash. Yet, even in Berlin, many places are still cash only. We literally counted our coins and red pennies in Tempelhof.
Comments
Post a Comment