Last Saturday, I realized just how different the city can seem based on how you are visiting it. So, I'd like to share some of my impressions of my whirlwind day in Berlin.
Berlin by foot: In the morning, Eileen and I spent a long time painting our nails with straws. Yes, that's right. It's very strange, but exciting. Actually, she used a sponge. In any case, when we were done, we decided to go shopping. There is a huge shopping center called Alexa at Alexanderplatz (one of the major Berlin landmarks, most notably the location of the TV Tower, the second highest structure in the EU), which is two stops away on the metro. But, we didn't take the metro (called the U-Bahn, by the way). Instead, we just walked, and what a lovely walk it is (this wasn't the first time I've walked to Alexanderplatz, by the way, but for the sake of this blog, I'm putting it all into one day)! First, you pass over the Spree (the river that runs through Berlin), then continue heading north. Now, it's not a conventionally pretty walk. Much like the German language, finding the beauty in Berlin is less about appearances and more about the atmosphere, I think. There is graffiti everywhere, lots of hipsters (especially in Kreutzberg, another neighborhood nearby that I just read is one of the most hipster neighborhoods on earth), and nothing old. Now, the lack of old things is because the city was decimated after the war, divided into two, controlled by conflicting forces, and then forced to rebuild itself up after that whole fiasco was over. So, you can't really blame them for having a new city. In a way, I find it refreshing, especially after Italy where everything is an open air museum, carefully preserved for hoards of obnoxious tourists. The tourists here are coming for something different, and there is a truly international atmosphere. In any case, the walk to Alexa was lovely. After Alexa, we walked farther north and got the best burritos I have ever had (along with some pretty phenomenal mint lemonade)!
Berlin by U-Bahn: There are two types of subways here in Berlin: the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. U stands for "untergrund" or "under ground" and the S stands for "schnell" or "fast." I prefer the S-Bahn, because they're generally above ground and you get a nice view of the city. But, the one I take most often is the U8, which is pretty convenient. They go by an honor system, in that you buy a ticket but don't ever need to scan it. They come by every now and then to check, but from what I can tell, not often enough to ensure the system is working. In my three weeks here, I've been checked exactly once (yesterday, in fact). But, it is nice not to have to fumble through your bag for a ticket every time you enter the subway. In Paris, it was slightly more convenient to have a Navigo card that could be scanned through your bag, but without it, it really slows things down to rummage through your bag every time. It's also probably not that safe given how many pickpockets there are in European cities. In any case, we took the U-Bahn back, which is nice, clean, fast, and efficient. Basically the opposite of NYC's subway system...
Berlin by bike: Eileen has a friend who is a professional skateboarder, Mack. When we were back at the apartment, Mack and his wife, Ricarda, stopped by and asked if we wanted to go to an American/German festival. Basically a huge amusement park. He said that as German-Americans, he and Eileen absolutely had to go! But she didn't want to, so they brought me along instead. I rode on Eileen's lovely blue bike, and it's amazing how different Berlin is by bike. I've biked in a few European cities—Paris and Vilnius, most recently—and it's always fun. Vilnius was a bit low key, but biking in Berlin was a lot like biking in Paris. Suddenly, instead of worrying that a bike is going to run you over while you walk (the cars are much more careful of pedestrians), you get to worry about not running other people over on your bike! You also get to use all of the carefully designated bike lanes (sometimes on the sidewalk, sometimes in the street). It is fast-paced, cooler (temperature-wise—it's been quite hot here, and when you bike, you get a nice breeze!), and more practical. We got halfway across the city in twenty minutes. Then, coming home, I went partway with them, then drove the rest by myself. I got a lovely ride by the Sony Center, Brandenburg Gate, circled around Kreutzberg (went a bit out of my way since I made a wrong turn), and was back to Eileen's in time to head out again to see a movie. The fair was horrible, by the way. Apparently it used to be much more elaborate when all the American soldiers and their wives were there. In any case, I got a Waldmeister slushie, so it wasn't a total loss.
Berlin by car: In Berlin, there is a car sharing system called "DriveNow." While I can't do it with my American license, Eileen can and did on Saturday night when we were worried about not getting to the Sony Center in time to see a movie with her friend Annett. DriveNow seems very practical, as they don't have specific parking spaces. Instead, you look up where the nearest one is, drive it wherever you want, and park it in any free space where the next person can find it. We drove from Mitte to Potsdamer Platz (where the Sony Center is) and had plenty of time to park before the movie started. The fun part of seeing Berlin by car was to see all the driving skills you need to be a European city-driver, none of which I think I possess. Eileen had to drive a stick (though she says she does prefer automatic, which are becoming more and more prevalent, but also are much more expensive), watch out for the hoards of bikes and pedestrians, and parallel park. Very different from driving around in Clarence, where there aren't that many cars to begin with, and also barely any pedestrians to deal with.
So yes, those are some of the various ways to enjoy Berlin! Soon, I'll take pictures of all the graffiti here and write a post about that with more pictures.
No comments:
Post a Comment