Berlin - Better than Paris?

I'd love to say that Berlin has always been on my bucket list, but I'd be lying. In fact, if it hadn't been for one of my closest friends Cat, who signed up for the Berlin Marathon last September, I would never have gone. Never one to turn down an opportunity to see somewhere new though, and wanting to support her, I found myself  for the first time ever in Germany and, another first, on the supporting side of a sporting race.

East Side Gallery

 The minute we arrived, and despite the language barrier, I felt at home. I could live there. Easily. It's clean, it feels incredibly safe, the streets are wide, it's organised (anybody that knows me even a little bit will know that organised fun is my favourite kind of fun), it's beautiful and the people are friendly; but not too much so; I remain British after all.

Wide, clean streets

 It's not easy for Germany to get the tourist vibe right, and as its capital city, Berlin has to lead the way in being sensitive and respectful to the past whilst looking firmly to the future.

Somehow, it does manage to get it right though. On the one hand there is no getting away from the past: the Holocaust Memorial and Museum attached it make you stop and remember the horrors of the past, and throughout the city there are reminders of Berlin's grueling history. At the East Side Gallery, the colourful, painted parts of the Berlin Wall bring fourth the feeling of elation felt by anyone present at the time it was destroyed, whilst unpainted more central parts of the wall were, to me, more shocking in their sparsity. Checkpoint Charlie, an entirely fake recreation of the checkpoint complete with dressed up soldiers, allows for some more humorous photo opportunities.

Holocaust Memorial. Sobering.

 

On the other hand , Berlin is a thriving metropolitan city with huge amounts to offer. Our tour guide Barnaby talked us through the city's earlier history and showed us a host of impressive buildings such as the Reichstag; a must-do tour if only for the views, the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Cathedral and Potsdamer Platz amongst others. Race registration even took us to an eerie abandoned airfield (Tempelhof) just outside the centre.

The Reichstag

 Sacrilegious as it may sound, especially given my french side (sorry Mum!), bar the odd building pockmarked with bullet holes, Berlin felt like a better, cleaner version of Paris. The beer was brilliant, the food akin to our very own British stodge and, though we didn't sample it ourselves, I hear the nightlife is worth the visit alone... just one reason I'll be going back soon. Vive Berlin!  

Elation at Cat and Gareth complete the marathon.

Live Music on the streets

Soph x

P.S. Here's where we stayed, if you're looking for affordable self-catered apartments.