Berlin there, done that

OH HEY BERLIN!!!

Easy Jet….you done did great kid, no really….I like the Easy Jet flights a lot....and no…snacks are NOT included….but I’m really ok with that….I’ll save the snacks for really important flights…like for when I go home…SNACKS will be very important…as are liters of water on treks….Weave and I started that tradition long ago…liters are good ANY TIME…every time…and snacks…well you ALWAYS need snacks…and it’s a fun underappreciated word…right then….BACK to BERLIN….so with the time change and the fact that DAY LIGHT savings time was hitting…did hit…or was going to hit…hmm I cannot remember….well this whole day light savings time really through me for a loop…I’m already 7 hours ahead in Greece and then went back an hour in Berlin and Prague…and yet again another hour…or ahead an hour….SO CONFUSING…which is why I’m still tired from this whole time-debacle.

WE arrived in Berlin STARVING and in search of our hostel…which we found pretty easily. SUPER! It actually ended up being in a SERIOUSLY prime location…no really…we had walked all around this area our first night here and this was PERFECT. IT was so accessible. MAD props to Kathryn...serious mad props…however, WE WERE STARVING…and I could have gone for some German food…to try it. I’ve never really had an opportunity to try German food…I mean I like hot dogs? That isn’t German though…I just don’t know…but instead we opted to search for the hard rock café. Ok so though I could have gone for some German whatever-ness…there is NOTHING like chicken….and…oh wait for it…BROCCOLI….I LOVE, live, think about chicken and broccoli more than I should…

SIDE NOTE: If you were to ask my mom what I would want for dinner on ANY given night and ANY given day repeatedly for 6 weeks straight…do you know what I would say…I want chicken…I LOVE chicken, we an unhealthy passion. If you ask me what I want for dinner on any given day I will probably and always say CHICKEN….FOR ALL THAT CLUCKS AND IS FABULOUS when I get home to America I want chicken for days straight….I also want sushi….but that is another story…I’ve gotta stop thinking about this…

THE SEARCH for the HARD ROCK was on………and in the process we ended up wandering randomly into major parts of the city like where the Jewish Synagogue was well what was left of it from the war and the brand new one built right next to it…it was really cool…EVENTUALLY we found it….woo…DUH, I got chicken and it was AMAZING….but let’s not talk about it anymore…I don’t think I can handle it without getting emotional….I’m going to need a moment.

OK much better….moving on….after our AMAZING AMERICAN-meal we just wandered. Wandering wanderers around Berlin, which was so awesome. I just love Berlin. I love the people, the culture, the crazy crisp air (check out that alliteration), the history is just so intense and captivates you. EVERYTHING about Berlin was really great, I absolutely will be returning. While we were wandering we found ourselves at the Brandenburg Gate AND the Reichstag. THEY were crucially lit up with tons of lights and colors and why you might ask?? Well alright, I’ll tell you. Because we had decided to visit Berlin during their Festival of LIGHTS! This was so cool. All the serious buildings, historical monuments, you know all the important things in the city were lit up with TONS of lights and images were being flashed into the starlit evening sky. MAN, I just really love Berlin. If you ever have the opportunity, just go….you won’t be sorry.
Amidst our wandering we decided to head back to the hostel to prepare for an evening out….the girls in our hostel room had given us some maps and things of where they went the night before. They were from Madrid and seemed really nice. Only one of them spoke English really well….but it we could still communicate. It’s funny these different languages….I mean we talk about whatever we want all the time and how are we to know that the people around us do not understand English….and how were those girls from Madrid supposed to know that both HJAY and I understand Spanish. I was really surprised that I understood most of what they were saying….I guess my 8 years of Spanish paid off? Haha mehhh NOT really.


We ventured out sooner than later after some quick preparations and walking toward the metro stop we came across an Irish pub called KilKenny’s. The same Irish pub we stepped in on our first night in Berlin….only we decided to go in because it WAS bumping…it was really loud…and when we walked in a MASS of gentlemen were all dressed up like Geeks crowding the bar area. Now we could have sat at a table in a more tame area of the bar…BUT I saw a table just CRYING for us to sit there….so we took a seat…and literally, LITERALLY 2 minutes….mere moments of us sitting down 15 of those geeks crowded our table….Drunken Englishmen are SO fun. We started chatting up a storm and they loved us and by us I mean Joana and the fact that Kathryn kind of sort of looks like Sarah Palin and can kind of-sort-of nail a dead on impression of her. Those Brits were so funny….they were in Berlin for a “stag” weekend….apparently ONE of them was going to get married….do we know which one? Not a clue….they all seemed to be so single it hurt haha. Anyway they were dressed to the 9’s in geek garb because apparently nerds and geeks was the theme of the Stag….the lucky guy getting married must be a geek in real life….either way it was really fun….so fun in fact that we closed the bar down with them….BUT we were not done so we decided to go to the AM to PM bar we ALSO went on out first night in Berlin because well it was open from AM to PM….or was it PM to AM….either way I was content….we went with just a few of them….I was rather taken with one of them. His name was Lee….and come to find it….haha he’s a professional cricket player…..http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/12445.html he may or may not be in Wikipedia….mostly may…hmm….um random.

ANYWAY. AM to PM…..ok I was rather happy at this point and Joana’s great idea just sparked Britney Spears right out of me….GOOD GRIEF…seriously….DO NOT mention Britney when I’ve been out for an evening. It is not fair…I can’t help it and she knew it….enter embarrassing after thoughts here. HOWEVER, after a rendition of Lucky the bartender came over with a piece of paper that said American Idol Winner, Am to PM 2008…..and he gave me a shooter which was delicious….and the brittish guy that was trying to sing the American national anthem which was HISTERICAL got a shooter as well….and it was an inappropriate one at that haha….he lost…obviously….so I was in Britney mode and Kathryn was Sarah Palin for the rest of the night….I think we all lost our identities for a bit….and then it was like 4 in the morning when we were planning on going for the Gold for Berlin’s nightlife oh well…I suppose down the street never really hurt anyone….we had a ton of fun though….well worth the short walk haha. I video documented much of these events but…..how about that sad, sad tale….


GOOD MORNING BERLIN! I need shoes….pronto. MY FEET are hating me so Heather and I ventured out for some kicks while Joana and Kathryn got ready for the day……and ONWARD. We went straight to Checkpoint Charlie….this was really cool. They still had the post up with a guard though I don’t think he was a legit guard…but he certainly dressed for the part. It was good that I got a book the night before….Berlin in 24 hours…haha because that is what we basically had to do….24 hours and Berlin….CAN WE DO IT!? Ehhhh I think we could….so after we Checked out CHECKpoint Charlie haha get it…..so much CHECKING this trip hahaha get it again? We went to the Chez republic and saw a hockey game where the players CHECKED each other and now we were Checking-out CHECKpoint Carlie….SO WITTY!

Next on our list was the Jewish Museum. This was so interesting and architecturally incredible. Anna and Brosef I really think you would have enjoyed this….despite that you don’t like the architect who designed it…it was still really really cool. We learned a lot in that museum and just being in a city where there was so much more behind the history made it even more of an awesome experience. After the Jewish Museum H-jay and I went to find the Topography of Terror but on the way we found the Martin Gropius Building and that was pretty cool….and then it started to rain…eww gross…LUCKILY I had an umbrella so I was good to go! The Topography of Terror was really intense. The Topography of Terror is an outdoor exhibition that documents the past of the surrounding area so literally where this stretch of pictures, information and outdoor exhibit was/on was where the Gestapo headquarters used to be…literally on the walls of the headquarters they had all this information…..how unbelievable is that? To be in a place where not too long ago people were discriminated to unimaginable heights because of their beliefs….I literally was dumb-founded just thinking about it….I still am….

INSERT getting lost in Berlin like we got lost in Prague here…..and so H-jay and I were off just exploring Berlin like everyone should explore a city…getting lost. It was the best piece of advice my tour-guide from my high school trip abroad told me…just get lost…you won’t be sorry…and I’m not. We got lost and found the Berlin Wall which was amazing. We walked the wall until there was no more of the wall to walk…it was the longest stretch of the remaining wall that was covered in artwork. We continued to wander and walk and get lost until my feet seriously couldn’t handle it anymore…. (Later to find out that I strained the arch in my foot eeek!)

SO after some random shopping at the metro stations, which was really fun…AND a slipper purchase for H-jay because her feet were ALMOST as bad as mine…but still pretty bad….OY vey….walking miles every day is fun…just not when you walk so much that your feet cannot take it anymore….

While we were walking we knew that food was absolutely on the agenda. I really, really wanted to try some hardcore German food….especially since 1. H-jay is German and told me all about it 2. Because I was hungry 3. Because Everyone thought H-jay was German and just started talking to her in German which was really awesome and Hysterical at the same time.
We stumbled upon this German Pub/Brewery and it was really cool. It was right by the TV tower that you can see from all over Berlin. I got whatever H-jay told me to get…not because I can’t decide for myself…but because we wanted the same thing…haha THAT didn’t make sense….I don’t feel like re-working my last ideas…I just wanted food. We got some form of bratwurst, sauerkraut, and potatoes. IT WAS SO GOOD. IT WAS GREAT. SO I REALLY DID LOVE everything the people, the food, and the place….I heart Berlin.

We walked back to the hostel…aching every step of the way….LITERALLY and took a quick nap. It was decently late but we had to be at the airport at 4 IN THE MORNING....so taking a nap and then staying up all night was really the only option. We played cards….OF COURSE…..you don’t have to ask who won….just ask h-jay….she’ll tell you….haha I just LOVE playing cards.

Soon enough Kathryn and Joana came back from a serious night out and we went immediately to the Airport…..we made it back to Thessaloniki in one-piece, exhausted, but stoked about a great trip. I need more time in Germany THAT IS FOR SURE! I loved EVERY second of it and there is so much history and so much more to see there. I learned a LOT and I’m glad that I took my time and appreciated everything that I could. I’m not taking this experience for granted…I’m doing everything that I possibly can….when else in my life will I have this incredible opportunity….right? RIGHT!


The Saddest Tale of All the Tales:
We were unpacking after our long trip and all of our friends were anticipating some great and fabulous documentation. I tore apart my suitcase, everyone’s luggage, my purse, my jacket, I looked through everything and tore it all upside down. What happened to my camera? Germany happened. Auf Wiedersehen my amazing baby-blue cannon camera….Auf Wiedersehen……such a sad tale….such a sad end to such a great trip……I told you it was a sad, sad tale….was it not? I need a camera and pronto.


OH WELL…..with every good there is an equal bad….this was the bad…..no worries…I’ll get a new one…..maybe…..but anyway….I’ve Berlin there….and Done that….

NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:
I’m not looking for Meteors…but I AM GOING to METEORA!!!! Just you wait avid readers…just you wait….but until then, so much love from my Grecian shores to yours.

-H