Along the way; Berlin part 1

When I first arrived to Berlin after a rather enjoyable and cheap bus ride from Poznan (watching one of my fauvorite movies; Fantastic Mr Fox), my first mission was to get some cash. This was actually a problem for me for my whole stay in Germany, not getting cash but spending it. Euros seem like just a distant memory, even if I'm always converting zlotys in my head. The fact is that Poland is just dirty cheap and I had gotten used to thinking that 10 zloty is a lot of money, which is around 2,50 €. I actually spent the same amount of money on food in one day that I could survive with for a week in Poland.

My first photo in Berlin. I don't know how actually german this is, but it was good. And expensive.

Second mission was to find a place to sleep. I did some quick google mapping and took the S-Bahn to Alexanderplatz. I was walking around, the memory of last days awful city hiking clearly in my head and I gave up after a while and got something to eat at the square. I was looking throuh my bag and found my pile of hostel brochures that I gathered yesterday in my moments of desperation. As I was browsing through them I found one for Berlin. So I headed to Warchauer Straße, Sunflower Hostel (clickclick). In the end, the marathon in Poznan and my troubles on getting a hostel, which led me to take all these advertisements, was actually one of the best things that happened to me in my life so far, for it took me there. The hostel is very nice, cousy, the service is immaculate and it's located very well in the Friedrichshain area. I warmly recommend this place to anyone. When I was settled the day was already turning into night and I decided to take a walk and check out the East Side Gallery.

 I have to admit that I had no idea what the remains of the Berlin wall look like. So the first thought in my head as I saw it was that's it? it's just a graffiti filled  thin piece of wall next to a big road?. And it just reminded me of somekind of soundblocking walls next to the highways. I was anyway very fascinated about the artwork but somehow still prefered to walk on the other side, on the river shore and watch the lights on the other side and people passing by. Like a stranger walking these streets. I just wished I could take a piece of that night and put it in my pocket, go back home and treasure it forever. Come back one day and think; I remember you.

The next day I continued on the subject and went to see the Kunsthaus Tacheles. I like to check out all the big sights and keep myself somewaht educated but still I think it's more important to focus on the things that really interests oneself. For me it's these things -the abandoned places, street art, just walking in the streets, going to parks, breathing new air and observing people and the general life of the city.

I really, really enjoyed this place. Originally called "Friedrichsstadtpassagen", it was built as a department store in the Jewish quarter (Scheunenviertel) of Berlin, next to the synagogue.Serving as a Nazi prison for a short while, it was later partially demolished. After the Berlin Wall had come down, it was taken over by artists, who called it Tacheles, Yiddish for "straight talking."The building contained studios and workshops, a nightclub, and a cinema. Outside, the garden featured an open air exhibition of metal sculptures as well as galleries and studios for sculptors and painters. Thanks, wikipedia. If you're ever in Berlin, you should check it out.

 

After this, I spent a lot of time walking around town and jumping into trains and trams and getting off anywhere. It was such a beautiful day, the sun was shining and it was warm all day. I felt like I could search around this town forever and just wonder how beautiful everything is. Maybe it's the autumn.

 

Finally we sat down with my travel partner to investigate another part of the german culture. A delicious, cold, foamy part. Sitting at the bar terrace in the sunshine in Berlin. At that moment i couldn't have wished for anything more. All I can say is that I'm grateful. I'm grateful for this life and for these opportunities; and it makes me appreciate every moment. As soon as I realized this for the first time, I saw much more beauty in the world. I wrote some postcards to send to Finland. Again I hoped I could just grab that feeling, the moment and put it in an envelope and stamp in on it's way.

Isä olen täällä maailman toisella puolen,
Äiti älä pelkää kyllä pidän itsestä huolen

And last the essential. I just can't walk past a dog without taking a picture.