Berlin

Weekend Trip to Berlin, Germany (August 8, 2015 – August 9, 2015)

Part 1. How Hard It Was To Go To Berlin

Although I traveled Europe several times, I had never taken flight from one place to another within Europe. So, here is one mistake I made: I didn’t know how much time I needed to spare before the boarding time.

If it were the only mistake, it would have been okay. Here is another one: I had never biked to the airport- therefore, I knew neither where exactly it was nor how long it would take by bike.

Well, I did estimate the time and managed to get up at 4AM (the flight was scheduled to depart at 7:05AM). I thought it would be more than enough. NOPE. Taking shower, packing up my stuff, and planning the trip took me an hour. YES. I planned where to go, what to eat, etc. in that morning (as always, by adding favorite places to Google Maps).

Well, but still I had 2 hours. I left home around 5:20AM, assuming I will be at the airport around 6PM according to Open Street Map (it works offline!). Did it take 40 minutes? NOPE.

I blamed myself for forgetting that it was the damn navigation which made me go through the private farm yesterday – I thought I took a turn earlier than I should have, but it turned out the navigation was actually guiding me to go through the private farm which doesn’t have road from some point.

When I arrived at a company called Naviair which must have a way to the airport according to the navigation, it was 6:15AM. Jesus! There was a giant fence around it, which was twice taller than my height, and I was starting to panic. Where am I?

Searching for a silver lining, I dialed to reception just to confirm there is no way going to the airport through the company. AWESOME! Luckily, there were some people on the streets to whom I could ask directions. GREAT! They said I passed the airport several kilometers ago. I was three times faster when I biked back to where I came from- as more panicking as time went by.

Here comes the last, horrible mistake I made: stupidly enough, I didn’t know the gate is usually closed 15 minutes before its departure (because I always boarded with enough time left). I got the airport at 6:35AM, the gate was going to be closed at 6:50AM, and the estimated time for security check was 11 minutes. Do you see the little, tiny possibility to catch the flight?

BUT I MADE IT MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *BIG GRIN* – Mina, in Berlin

The flight took about 40 minutes and I was in Berlin at 8AM. Seriously, lucky me! I almost gave up when I got caught by the security. Jesus Christ! It was my first time that I was stopped and inspected – I still don’t know what caused it, but after brief search, they let me run to the gate.

Good to see you, Berlin!

August 8, 2015. All by foot (about 20+ km)

August 9, 2015. All by foot except for taking a bus from Central Station to the airport.

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Part 2. Trivial Stories

It was the very first burning heat I had this summer. As I mentioned several times before, Denmark is rather cool and windy. I was sweating all day in Berlin. One guy at a hostel surprised me by saying that it was kind of chilly compared to other days. Everything is relative ;)

I didn’t expect Berlin to be this touristic city, but it was! There were so many people at every tourist attraction. I could see the reason why- the city tries its best to preserve what’s left from World War II and remind people of it.

However, I couldn’t understand why people were sitting on Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (and even one person doing push ups). Also, there were so many bicycles on pedestrian’s road although there was bike lane. Is it because of too many tourists who doesn’t know about biking manners? Anyway, I now more appreciate how exemplary Copenhagen’s biking culture is :)

Oh my, these birds were so aggressive. While I was having Kebap, they not only wondered around me, but also jumped on the table and chair, approached to the plate, and kept hanging about it.

See? It was absolutely, really, really sunny :)

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Part 3. Photos

East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is an international memorial for freedom. It is a 1.3 km long section of the Berlin Wall located near the centre of Berlin on Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The actual border at this point was the river Spree. The gallery is located on the so-called “hinterland mauer”, which closed the border to West Berlin. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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Buddy Bears in Berlin

The story of the Buddy Bears started with an artistic event in Berlin in 2001. Inspired by the idea of bringing art in the streets of a metropolis like the cow parade in Zurich and New York, the initiators of the Buddy Bears, Klaus und Eva Herlitz, decided to start a street art project in Berlin. (From http://www.buddy-baer.com/)

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Architecture in Berlin

Berlin‍ ’​s history has left the city with an eclectic assortment of architecture. The city’s appearance in the 21st century has been shaped by the key role the city played in Germany’s 20th-century history. Each of the governments based in Berlin—the Kingdom of Prussia, the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany and the reunified Federal Republic of Germany—initiated ambitious construction programs, with each adding its distinct flavour to the city’s architecture. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

– THE END :) –