berlin

January 4, 2020

A Peek into Friedrichshain Cafés

These are some of the lovely cafe’s I came across during a saunter through the Friedrichshain neighborhood in Berlin, Germany.

Love everything about this: the imperfect wall combined with the black table, the antique mirror with the little botany illustration next to it, and the exposed brick.

This is Louise Chérie Café, a little French cafe’ where I had a pear tart. The owner was such a dear to me, and she made me feel so welcome when I was starting to become lonely on my solo travels. I was grateful for her company and hospitality!

Many of the interiors and exteriors of Europe look unfinished and patchy (it’s so old!), and I love that. You might find mixed and matched furniture, peeling wallpaper, creaky wood, and unique objets d’art. If I’m being honest, most modern architecture and decor in America sort of… repulses me (unless it’s extremely futuristic, like the houses of Palm Springs!) These spaces were a treat.

January 2, 2020

A Historical Walk in Berlin

As a Jewish woman, it was very important to me to visit some of the historical sites in Berlin. Still, I couldn’t quite process the acts of barbarity that took place there, even when I was there; it was too much to digest cognitively. I did feel the presence of souls-taken-too soon as I rode from Czechia into Germany, however. It was a powerful experience.

I decided to go on an Airbnb walking tour with Jack, a mightily knowledgable man from London. He was well-versed in German history and shared notable stories.

Here are some places I visited:

Bebelplatz, where a Nazi book-burning ceremony took place. A line from Heinrich Hein’s play, *Almansor*, is engraved on a plaque in the square; it translates in English to “That was only a prelude; where they burn books, they will in the end also burn people”.

Brandenburger Tor is considered both a symbol of Europe’s volatile history, and also European unity and peace.

Reichstag: the beginning of the end, where Hitler’s enabling act was passed. This began the removal of rights.

As you start literally going down hill, the the pillars grow and you begin to feel lost and suffocated. There are many interpretations of this installation, including forced segregation, isolation, loss of identity, and the rise and fall of the Third Reich.

Designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold, the slabs are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent an “ordered system” that has lost touch with human reason.

This site is where Hitler’s bunker and office were located. It is now apartments and a children’s playground. So creepy.

This used to be the Nazi Air Force location.

Anhalter Bahnhof was a railway terminus. It functioned as a Holocaust deportation station, and from 1942-1945, around 9600 elderly jews were transported from Berlin to their deaths in the ghettos and extermination camps in Eastern Europe.

All that remains of Anhalter Bahnhof today

January 1, 2020

I Still Keep a Suitcase in Berlin.

Baretto: A sweet Italian cafe’ in Berlin

Pretty sure these blue doors are the entryway to my heart

Dusty book piles everywhere and the scent of old paper

December 15, 2019

Café Cinema

Berlin is home to numerous distinct courtyards. Hackescher Markt is a square located near Schwarzenberg House, which is a truly special courtyard in the city.

Café Cinema sits at the entrance of the courtyard on Rosenthaler Straße. It has a long history of bohemian rendezvouses: filmmakers, artists, and locals have gathered there over the years. The walls are covered in graffiti and artwork, and it’s a great meeting place.

November 9, 2019

Exploring Berlin On Foot

I love Berlin’s combination of urban design and a timeworn ambience.

My favorite place I ate during my Germany trip was Cafe’ Datscha. I had the “Black Sea” breakfast, which was pickled salmon, king prawn, trout mousse, cream cheese, hash brown, scrambled egg, avocado, and blintschiki. I can’t even describe how tasty and refreshing this dish was.

The architecture! So much to take in.

November 4, 2019

Turkish Market

I was thrilled to visit the legendary Turkish Market in the heart of Berlin (Kreuzberg, lining both sides of Maybachufer Strasse, alongside the Landwehrkanal) while in Germany.

There were gobs of vendors selling just about every type of fare you could picture: spices, street food with warm sauces and cheeses, fresh veggies and fragrant breads, to name a few.

Of course, I had to stop for an authentic Turkish coffee to impress my ancestors. That stuff is no joke!

This guy knows what’s up. Glad to have made a friend.

Community markets seem to provoke a sense of belonging for me, which is why I find the experience so special. Everyone is offering something distinct in order to nourish in one way or another.

October 28, 2019

Anarchy in the EU

This colorful building is my most favorite in Berlin! Located on Kreutzigerstrasse in Friedrichshain, the former squat is now a community project that brings edgy joy to its passerbys :). There wasn’t much light that day, unfortunately, but the shadowy tones accurately reflect the mood.

Punk is surely alive and well in Berlin! One of the city’s most seductive qualities is its endless display of street art.

October 21, 2019

Berlin: Mauerpark Fleamarket

Oh! Hello, shoe-mobile!

On my second day in Berlin, I walked across the bridge connecting Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain to catch the tram into Prenzlauer Berg. My lovely Airbnb host informed me about a fleamarket in Mauerpark that takes place each Sunday, so I had to take advantage of it. There were heaps of vintage clothing, crafts, handmade goods, art, antiques, decor, and of course, a visually intriguing cast of characters.

Made friends with the folks of Lanz-Records-Berlin! We had a dance party to Stereo Total.

Works by La Tercera Mano. Yes, I brought one of those plaster baby doll heads home.

October 17, 2019

Berlin: Arrival

I arrived in Berlin by train after a busy week of exploring Prague. I’ve long heard about the city’s reputation as a cultural hub, an alternative mecca of artsy dreams. “Is this Kreuzberg?” I exclaimed at my taxi driver as we passed through a graffitied, gritty area. Indeed, it was. Phew!

Kreuzberg is the European version of Brooklyn. Actually, the neighborhood reminded me of the East Village in its hay-day: punks with piercings, vegetarian restaurants, street art, little booths with junky merchandise, and bohemians rebelling against their parents at each turn. Truth be told, it made my heart swell up like a punched lip: I ached for the subculture anarchy of yesteryear. New York City has become so commercialized, its primitive spirit seems drowned out by an overarching instagram filter. Berlin is alive with genuine weirdos that make me feel at home.