Berlin is a probably one of the best places to start off our blog with, as it is unlike any other city we have been to before. The way people live differs from place to place, the feel of each and every city is different to every other city. From the way people treat each other, the architecture of the buildings and to more mundane things like how streets are laid out and how people get around. Berlin is different again. It seems somehow more unique than any other European city.
Our first encounter this notion, the idea that some things happen “only in Berlin” was when leaving the airport to catch the train into the city center. Seeing the long queues for tickets at the machines in the underpass we ventured up onto the platform where we found another machine with a shorter queue. “Are there no ticket booths?” I asked, expecting Dani know the answer: “I guess not”. We joined the queue and observed other passengers buying tickets and then taking them straight another smaller machine with just a single slot in it for tickets. The display above our platform said the next train was due in 4 minutes. “Do think you check your own ticket?” I asked, worrying we’d somehow catch a train incorrectly. “What do you mean?” She replied. I explained my observation, and she agreed that you must indeed stamp your own talk, calming my nerves. “We’re going to miss the next train” I said, the queue growing behind us. “Yeah, but we’re in no rush, we’re on holiday!” replied Dani.
The metro, the city trains, and trams all run on an honour system. That is, it’s up to you to buy the ticket, stamp it yourself and get on the train, there are no routine ticket checks at any point during your journey.
As the train traveled from the outskirts of Berlin towards the centre we passed through miles of allotments and German style housing.
Arriving at very much under construction Berlin Warschauer Straße Station in the rain we’d hoped to leave behind in England, we sought out the route to our hotel, following the tram lines down towards the Spree river we quickly got distracted by the Oberbaum bridge and the south-east end of the East Side Gallery. Water-proof clad tourists swarmed around the wall and nearby currywurst stall, we stopped briefly to have a look around and see the wall stretch off towards the centre of Berlin before heading to our hotel.
A sculpture overlooking the Spree next to the Universal Music building.
A convoy of Trabant cars.