This week is technically DIS Spring Break (I reiterate, we have many nice breaks for getting out to experience culture). Due to the unfortunate events in Brussels, my plans to go there were thrown into complete disarray. So, my friend Tien and I went to Berlin instead.
You may say, why Berlin?
Well, our only “real” reservations were for Prague starting Saturday, so busing to Berlin, and train hopping from there to Prague seemed to be the easiest route to keep those plans. Tien’s friend also happens to be studying in Berlin, and thus we had a floor to sleep on (thank you Kat!). Berlin wasn’t exclusively on either of our “must-see” lists, but it was definitely a good idea to go.
We were able to take a free walking tour and then also an alternative tour of the city’s historical area and more modern, hippie-ish areas. It ended up being quite a lot of walking, but then again when doesn’t Europe include lots of walking.
Bradenburg Gate
where international artists can legally post whatever they want
Another place we loved was Fassbender & Rausch aka. a huge chocolate shop with phenomenal chocolate sculptures of Berlin landmarks. Also, specialty hot chocolate in their upstairs café.
hot chocolate trio of mugs
Lastly, my favorite part of Berlin was a “food-truck community” type place inside a huge warehouse. It was interesting because people can try their food stand idea out for a couple of months and then determine if people like it (buy it) to keep their stand or abandon their idea for something else. It’s similar to Paper Island back in Copenhagen. It reminded me very much of Copenhagen, the hygge feeling and maybe it was also just the sweetness of all the delicious, freshly made food and drink aromas.
as a cheese addict, I had to try their version of mac-n-cheese
the owner caught in the “making” stage of spatula (german noodles)
So, mainly we walked and ate a lot, but it was a very fun and unexpected couple of days, which are the best kind of days in the end!