Spring Break, Part 1: Berlin

I spent three nights in Berlin. I stayed with my German friend and her boyfriend, who lived in Berlin for a year, so I had the privilege of incredibly knowledgeable guides (and the comfort of a nice apartment, complete with a double- bed futon!) We pretty much saw chunks of every part of the city (which is huge, but not overwhelming because it extends out instead of piling everything on top of itself).

It was pretty striking to stand beside the wall... and so interesting to see the way that the city is evolving, now that it's been taken down.

On Thursday (my last day in Berlin), my hosts had to catch an early- morning bus to Prague. That left me to navigate the city on my own for a few hours before heading to the airport in order to fly to Athens. I'm proud to say that I did so with no problem (though I do have the benefit of being a native English speaker, and of living in a world in which most people speak at least a modicum of English.) I spent a lot of my time in the German Historical Museum, then wandered around in the sunshine and stumbled across a market before taking the SBahn to the airport.

Overall, I really liked the city-- it's got character, but is by no means in-your-face. It also has a whole lot of variety-- very distinct neighborhoods within the city. It feels like a city that's doing something-- that's pushing and pumping, but not in a caustic way; it's more subtle. And though I'm generalizing from limited interactions, everyone I met was friendly and helpful. It's also a very down- to- earth place, and seems to be less skeezy than a lot of cities I've been to (or even US culture, in general).


#1 Memorial to the Jewish victims of the holocaust. the blocks of concrete are of varying heights, while the ground beneath them waves up and down. it would be easy to get lost inside of it.


#2 the window from which Michael Jackson dangled his infant child! (I'm not sure which window, specifically, but it was one of these)
#3 sunset over the city. took this photo while standing near the Sony Center

#4 sign at Checkpoint Charlie. pretty crazy that all of the old signs remain, signs which used to dictate people's lives. but now people go about their daily business without paying them mind.
#5 view from the staircase of a four- story ex- factory which has now been taken over by artists who both produce and showcase their work within the building. there's also an open bar up near the roof, from which patrons can look out over a yard that houses large sculpture installations.