I Hate Goodbyes

As I sit here listening to Billie Holiday, procrastinating about packing my suitcase I realize how sad I am to say goodbye to Berlin.  I never dreamed I would feel so comfortable in a foreign country, but as usual life throws that curveball opening the door for more experiences.  I am delighted that I was able to spend time with Berliners living how they live.  Those are experiences I will cherish the most.

The historical aspect alone was amazing.  Berlin is a country that has been through many rough times and experienced a plethora of negativity.  Berliners do not seem to focus on the petty issues that truly don't affect them as a society.  They are very accepting of everyone and seem to let each person lead his or her own life.  It was refreshing to see how people treated each other.  Those living here seem to live life by getting out to enjoy life.  They live to live.

I will never forget my first time in this country and I look forward to many more travels here.  

Dinner In The Sky

360 Degree Dinner

I truly enjoy getting dressed up for a wonderful night on the town and last night was my chance to wear my best.  The group enjoyed a great dinner at the TV Tower in Alexander Platz.  As we dined on good food the room rotated giving full views of Berlin.  Hearty laughs were exchanged as the sun fell before us and the cool night rolled in.  It was a treat to look over the entire city noticing places we had been over the past two weeks.  Dinner lasted for about 3 hours, but up in the air time didn't seem to exist.  As we were some of the last to leave it was sad to know that moment would be one of my last in Berlin for this trip.  Luckily the night did not end there for me.  I caught the U Bahn to meet up with René, a Berlin local.  He showed me how real Berliners spend their time.  We went to his friends' "flat", as he would say, to enjoy some wine and cigarettes.  He made me feel right at home as we sat in the kitchen laughing and watching German music videos.  He was kind enough to explain what was being said if they spoke in German, as well as anything I did not understand culturally.  I felt overdressed, but he and his friends hardly noticed.  As the night was beginning to wind down he walked me to the M10 tram making sure I would get home safely.  Strolling down the street talking, René told me that was how he and his friends spend their time together.  It was nice to see a young group of people that still wanted to have intimate conversations and spend quality time together without all of the hype many cultures have become accustomed to.  It was a real honor to experience a typical night of a young Berliner.  On my next trip I will plan on spending more of my time in that manner. 

Relaxing In The Park

Basketball in Mauerpark, Berlin

Friday Night With Yma

Friday night was spent at the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin.  The theatre known as Europe's Show Palace held a production of Yma and it was spectacular.  Yma, played by Jorn -Felix Alt, takes us through stages in her life in the most unusual, but interesting way.  Jorn-Felix plays his character to perfection.  Watching the show gives the viewer bits of Cirque du Soleil, cabaret, live vocals and just the right amount of sex.  Some found it to be a bit jarring, but I felt I was getting everything out of a theater performance I have always wanted to see.  The men were of course in the best of physical shape.  During one performance Yma told us to enjoy her men and did we ever.  For the men's first solo performance they ended up behind individual glass enclosures as water fell upon them.  Soon after the water fell they were stripping off their clothes wearing nothing except jockstraps.  After a performance such as that how could I not give a standing ovation!  I may have been the only in the theater doing so, but it was well deserved.  My pals in the group got a kick out of it making my lone enthusiasm worth it.  Yma is a show I could see multiple times and I hope to do so in the future.

The night ended with my roommate and me going to a club called The Weekend where we took an elevator to the top floor of a building that overlooked Berlin.  The people were beautiful to look at, the energy was high, and the music was what club music should be.  With a live deejay playing music that no one could resist dancing to we hit the dance floor having a great time.  We left about 3 a.m. and people were still lining up at the door just entering for the night to begin.  According to the elevator attendant the party did not stop until about 7 a.m.  By that time the sun has already been up for about three hours, but that is how Berliners do it.  Prost to Berlin for going all the way!

Whitney Houston Five Thousand Miles From Home

Birthday In Berlin

I was able to spend my birthday eve with my whole group of fellow travelers and we had a wonderful night.  The night started with dinner Ming Quah, a Thai restaurant with fantastic food that was very reasonably priced.  After a couple of beers and some food we headed to Dr. Pongs, a local dive bar with a single ping pong table.  It was nice to experience a place where the locals hang out and enjoy entertainment.  Of course before we went in I noticed a small vintage shop and found a wonderful leather messenger bag.  I was happy to converse with the locals.  They are some of the nicest people I have met.  The men just say thank you if you tell them they are attractive and seem perfectly fine with the fact that another man is telling them so.  The evening concluded with a small group of us finding a late night eatery and munching on great food.

The next morning on my actual birthday I got to go shopping with a couple of friends I made on the trip.  It was a hot day and we spent plenty of time walking, but it was worth it to see the store of one of my favorite designers, Hugo Boss.  The store was the créme de la créme of any store I have ever been in, and the sales associates could have been models for the brand, which added to the luxury of being in the store.  I felt privileged to just walk through the store and be able to touch and feel the quality of clothing made by such an amazing fashion house, especially a brand that was German born.  

Berlin At Night

As I arrived in Berlin yesterday I was afraid I might not feel at home, but surprisingly I do.  The people are extremely open minded and do not seem to judge anyone for anything.  It is an amazing feeling to be thousands of miles away from home and still feel the sense that you just belong.  Customs are different in Berlin, but that is part of the charm.  It is common to see prostitutes at night lined along the streets and no one makes a deal about it.  I hailed a cab last night to venture out on my own for a bit and my driver asked if I was "working".  I have never been asked a question such as that, but you take it with stride and just laugh it off.  I found it entertaining that a question like that is asked as though someone is simply asking what your name or favorite color is.  If this was my first night to go out I am curious to see what else Berlin has to show me.