So as I had mentioned before, I enjoy shopping and accept that it is possibly my worst addiction. I haven't however mentioned specifics and have now got to move onto the more exciting detail. Spending money on plane tickets. My latest trip was to Berlin. I have been there before for only two days but I must say that seeing just a wall and visiting the Christmas market was far from sufficient and I knew I had to go back and visit from the day I got there and began exploring; so here it was.
I arrived in Berlin on a cold but sunny Sunday Afternoon and the first thing which caught my attention was the long streets - covered in art. I don't think I had appreciated the fun and colourful walls which are covered in graffiti as much as I thought I did the last time I was there. When I arrived at the Park Plaza on Wall Street, I noticed a lot of bikes on the street corner which were to rent. Of course immediately I tried to get on one to see if my legs would actually reach and found that the bikes were too high for me however on another note it is a great way of keeping locals as well as tourists fit and active - €10 for a whole day isn't at all bad, I say!
On my second day I went to see the Holocaust Memorial, a huge area of rectangular blocks in various sizes. As you walk further into the maze - like architecture, you get a slight feel of 'darkness' and claustrophobia which is the initial reason why it was designed... So as you walk down and try to find your way out, or chase friends as most were doing; you understand the oppression which the victims of the Holocaust felt - only they couldn't get out of this 'maze'.
I could potentially go on and on about this wonderful, quirky and dynamic city of life but there are so many things to feel and express that I'm afraid words just may not be enough. Overall, I would say that the best part of it all is the large number of Shisha bars, of course if Shisha is your thing; around Kreuzberg - also known as "Little Istanbul." Yes, this part of the trip most definitely amazed me as I had always heard of this area to have a Turkish majority but never thought it to be true! Being raised in a Turkish family and having parts of the wonderful culture bedded into my heart, I loved seeing my fellow Turks in a Western (without a wall separating it from the East, too!) city, with so much of the culture itself brought into it. Hay Hay was a personal favourite where there was live music, a warm and cosy ambience and overall a great crowd of youngsters!
I arrived in Berlin on a cold but sunny Sunday Afternoon and the first thing which caught my attention was the long streets - covered in art. I don't think I had appreciated the fun and colourful walls which are covered in graffiti as much as I thought I did the last time I was there. When I arrived at the Park Plaza on Wall Street, I noticed a lot of bikes on the street corner which were to rent. Of course immediately I tried to get on one to see if my legs would actually reach and found that the bikes were too high for me however on another note it is a great way of keeping locals as well as tourists fit and active - €10 for a whole day isn't at all bad, I say!
On my second day I went to see the Holocaust Memorial, a huge area of rectangular blocks in various sizes. As you walk further into the maze - like architecture, you get a slight feel of 'darkness' and claustrophobia which is the initial reason why it was designed... So as you walk down and try to find your way out, or chase friends as most were doing; you understand the oppression which the victims of the Holocaust felt - only they couldn't get out of this 'maze'.
I could potentially go on and on about this wonderful, quirky and dynamic city of life but there are so many things to feel and express that I'm afraid words just may not be enough. Overall, I would say that the best part of it all is the large number of Shisha bars, of course if Shisha is your thing; around Kreuzberg - also known as "Little Istanbul." Yes, this part of the trip most definitely amazed me as I had always heard of this area to have a Turkish majority but never thought it to be true! Being raised in a Turkish family and having parts of the wonderful culture bedded into my heart, I loved seeing my fellow Turks in a Western (without a wall separating it from the East, too!) city, with so much of the culture itself brought into it. Hay Hay was a personal favourite where there was live music, a warm and cosy ambience and overall a great crowd of youngsters!
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