Berlin with Jenn

Kirk and I made our way out to Berlin for a long weekend. Jenn is a friend of ours from Los Angeles who is now living in Berlin.  We did a bit of a weekend swap, she stayed with us one weekend, and now we have the opportunity to crash at hers!

Berlin is fantastic.  You can just feel the history soak thru your skin.  Truly a captivating city.

First observations of Berlin:
Hot
Gray buildings
Trees
Quiet
No living rooms or dryers
People kept to themselves, a bit serious, no smiles or jokes
No cameras - requested multiple times in bars not to take pictures.
Hipsters
Very artsy
Feels like Brooklyn
Watch Towers
Guys dress like its the early 90's - shorts and t-shirts

Our first night we walked over to the Eastside Gallery - graffiti art displayed on the Berlin Wall (1.3km long).  We walked down the sidewalk and admired all of the various artists.  My favorites below:

At the end of the gallery, we entered into Bar 25.  Unfortunately we have no pics - since it was not allowed, but I hope my description can paint the picture.  Sort of a cross between a compound and beach place.  We saw various folks, ages ranging from babies to the elderly, fully clothed to really nothing on, high on drugs and high on life.  We sat along the river, had a nice cold beer, talked and watched all the people coming in and out.  Swing sets, and an electric horse, skate park and beach volleyball, jungle and wide open spaces.  A very interesting place to say the least.

Afterwards we met up with Jenn's friends for a bite to eat, our first taste of weinerschnitzel, then off to another bar for a drink (at Lolita's and sat outside during a thunder storm).

The next day we rented bikes and spent the whole day sightseeing, had some amazing Vietnamese (Chen Che) for lunch and enjoyed all of the Berlin's shopping.  We had dinner at Sol y Sambria (tapas restaurant) before heading to a small bar, Gershe (really trendy place, but no cameras once again) then to Watergate.  Watergate is a popular night club.  This club is typically a cocaine-fueled electro scene that stays open very late, in fact most if not all the bars in Berlin stay open for 24 hours.  We made it until about 4am, fueled only on food and drinks.  Just couldn't hang with the locals.

Various places we checked out:
Eastside Gallery, Berlin Wall
Parliament Building, Reichstag
The Bundestag
Altes Museum
Berliner Dom
Berlin Holocaust Memorial
Topography of Terror Museum
Berlin TV Tower
Checkpoint Charlie
Babel Platz (burning of the books)

Thanks for the wonderful weekend Jenn, see you in Croatia in a few weeks!