As soon as L picks me up at Alexanderplatz, on the day of arrival, and we step out onto the buzzing streets of Berlin I am greeted by a band playing under the viaduct. I had left Schönefeld airport dragging along 30 kg of overstuffed suitcases with sweat pouring down on me. No signs to be seen. No information on which platform the damn express train would depart from. And no connection with L. So when I arrive to Alexanderplatz, exhausted, disorientated and thirsty, the music from underneath the viaduct is well needed. The first evening in Berlin is spent in an Asian joint just around the corner from the apartment where beers mixed with Sprite are drunk and big plates of tofu are being eaten. Ah Berlin!
Since school is not on the agenda for another week or two, the first days of me being in the new capitol I stroll around Prenzlauer Berg, walk down Kastanienalee and Schönhauser Allee, end up in Mitte, pay visits to shops, find myself in front of the Berliner Dom and continue around the Museuminsel. As night falls, music from the street musicians fill the air and peoples chatter is all around me as I made the long walk back home.
Then the sun went up again and it was once again out and about. This time L was with me and we took the U-Bahn to Charlottenburg, watched the city marathon as we flew passed high above, walked to Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm) with ice cream cones in our hands and enjoyed the tall green trees in Tiergarten. As tiredness and fatigue took a hold on us we headed for Clärchens Ballhaus and ate Käsespätzle with Röstzwiebeln and Apfelkompott and got a taxi to drive us back home to Prenzlauer Berg.
Facts about Berlin. The taxi is super cheap - it cost us almost the same as a U-Bahn ticket to get home from Mitte.
The whole thing with not paying with card. It is amazing how cash is king in this country. They actually charge you extra if you want to pay with card - in the taxi and at the restaurant. So befriend an ATM, treat it well and all will be good.
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