A new take on an old city
The first time I visited Berlin it took just 3 days to
convince me that I must return. That was a year ago and I was an exploring
tourist. This time, I was on a mission to describe this unique city. Berlin
attracts people from all over the world. It has a vivid artistic culture, a
relaxed vibe and delicious street food. I have never felt so relaxed and
carefree in a big city before.
My journey started by looking for opportunities on the Gumtree
website. City Travel Review had been recruiting keen individuals from early
spring onwards for their summer placements in Germany. Their requirements were
reasonable: as long you have a passion for writing, photography or the German
language you passed the first round.
I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that I was one of the
last people to get the chance to spend a month in Berlin to practise my
journalistic skills. The aim was to produce a guide to Berlin for young adults.
Spending a month in a city is one of the best ways to write
a guidebook. I had the chance to explore and invest time in a particular area:
food, drink, nightlife, art, culture, entertainment and not to forget history.
By joining the local tours you can totally immerse yourself into the place and
time.
Most places in Berlin are one of a kind. Whilst discovering
the scene I came across many free historical and cultural sites, including the
wellknown East Side Gallery (part of the Berlin Wall), German Parliament’s
Reichstag and Topography of Terror museum, an insight to world of Gestapo. Even
though traditional history museums were not everyone’s cup of tea, a trip to
Badeschiff, a swimming pool in the Spree River, was irresistible.
Native German cuisine is strong on meat and pastries but is
also strongly influenced by Turkish culture. Imagine a spicy Currywurst served
over rich ketchup, often with Pommes frites (French fries). Another must try
for exploring travellers is Berliner Weisse, a wheat beer served either ‘gryn’
(green), with a dash of woodruff syrup or rot (red) with a dash of raspberry.
The delicious selection of food is just one highlight of
extended afternoon. The best way to discover the secret places of the city is
to ask the locals. Our waiter suggested grabbing a beer and heading for a stroll
at the one of the many flea markets. Boxhagenerstrasse Platz market in lively
Friedrichshain offers unusual and relatively cheap finds; quality vintage bags,
books and even furniture.
Most of my free time was spent exploring the contemporary artistic
scene. Street art has been a major feature of Berlin since the Berlin Wall was
built. In present-day Berlin, the Alternative Tour
guides have taken the opportunity to introduce the active and lively urban
artistic scene in Berlin for curious travelers.In recent years contemporary galleries have also opened doors
for commercial street art, where individuals can purchase a piece of
established underground fine art.
The most fun part of my experience was interviewing people
from cupcake shop owners to art collectors. Berliners are open-minded and warm
spirited. The month long program was fun, exciting and memorable. We all made new friends, learned skills
and improved old ones. The outcome
is unique guide to Berlin for free-spirited travellers like us!
http://www.citytravelreview.co.uk/
The travel guide is called Berlin Unlocked and a preview of the entire book is available below:
The travel guide is called Berlin Unlocked and a preview of the entire book is available below:
Published in Crow's Nest, University of Greenwich newspaper. March 2011
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