Berlin — The Ginger Guy

My birthday is a middle birthday. It’s about the middle of the year and about the middle of the month. This means there’s a good distance from any major holiday and I never received special attention in class at school. (One teacher at primary school gave us a cushion you could sit on all day if you were in class on your birthday) This year I decide to do something different, go away for a bit and do something interesting.

So naturally, I went to Berlin.

Travelling from London was exciting but I had a constant twang of nervousness. I'd traveled by myself before but not this far and not this... spontaneously? Landing at Berlin Schönefeld Airport the first person I spoke to was a guy I met on the plane, who happened to be sitting next to me and we just started talking to each other. James was lovely and oddly he too was traveling to the city for the first time and also had no idea where to go or what to do. Having an equally lost companion was, comforting.

Heading straight into the center, we went for lunch. Sitting outside a place by the Spree, the aroma of beer and sound of lapping river was masked by how anxious I was to get to my accommodation for the visit. I hadn’t heard from my host since before leaving the UK, and I was worried. My impromptu comrade picked up on my nerves and though our conversation, left me with some bits of advice from his experience of travelling alone in his early 20’s, including the perennial ‘If in doubt, find an Irish bar’

We parted ways and I quickly sobered to exactly where I was, my next move? To get in contact with my host and after a lot of calls that rang out (and after a brief bout of fainting after looking at the prices on Late Rooms) I managed to get in touch. Generally I settle for a hotel or staying with someone I know. This was a last minute Airbnb, staying with Bernard and his roommate Janis. Janis turned out to be the only person I actually met from the apartment, once when I arrived and once as I was leaving, waking him up both times (I think he was an art student). Any worries I had were broken apart by just how nice the room was, spacious and modern, there was a little welcome note and complimentary towel waiting for me.

The room was out by Sonnenallee* in the Turkish part of town, busy streets full of mix and match tables and chairs, the smell or kabab and tobacco accompanied sounds of European traffic. My first night was spent close to my place, checking out local shops (including a Lidl). Being in the Turkish area of town is like constantly being in Glasgow city center at 11PM, it’s always acceptable to have a kabab.

*Sonnenallee is also the title of a 1999 film. A comedy about East Berlin

Having quickly learned that you only need one ticket to travel on ANY mode of public transport in Berlin I made my way into the center. In my head I was a cool and intrepid traveler with a rucksack and one train ticket. Exploring the hippest and most underground parts of the city and experiencing the Berlin you see in 90’s films like Sonnenallee. In truth, I had no Idea so I did what any millennial would do, I asked Twitter:

@ChrisQ_1 Check out @travelsofadam and his travel blog. He's based in Berlin 👍 — Lewis Henshall (@ljhenshall) September 9, 2016

@travelsofadam @ljhenshall A beginners guide would be good. But I'll slide into your DM's!— Chris Quilietti (@ChrisQ_1) September 9, 2016

Adam was great to have in my pocket (on my phone) for two reasons. One; He is a fantastic travel writer and blogger who lives in Berlin after having visited and fallen in love with the place. He’s forgotten more about being there than I’ll ever know. Two; when I had random questions, I could pester him and he was always quick and helpful.

My questions ranged from the obvious:

To the specific:

The vague:

To the ones I had to find out myself:

That’s shorthand for “Tell me about the Gay culture here as my only reference is Matt Smith in Christopher and his kind”

I eventually managed to get comfortable and wander around wherever I wanted to. The most striking part of the trip for me was the history. As much as Berlin is a super modern and international city. There are parts that seem frozen in its dark history. I didn’t believe a friend of mine when they said you could still see bullet holes in buildings. You can. Some structures had the marks of restoration

and the filling in of the brickwork bullet-wounds but the battle of Berlin was visible. That alongside memorials and plaques, is one of the things i’ll take away from this trip.

Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism

A hub for the creative and home for the hipster, Berlin is a stunning city, caught in time that is a symbol of its own reunification. The international home for all. This was most evident for me when I visited Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg, they do a thing called Street Food Thursday that just bustles with life. The smell of fresh baking, cured meats and beer. Soundtracked with laughter, chatter and sizzling grills. It was life, tasty, tasty life.

I forced myself to have a beer, I don’t think I regret it.