Arrived in Berlin!
Berlin, Germany’s capital city, is located in northeastern Germany and is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg with the Spree River flowing through the centre. The city dates back to the 13th century and has many reminders of the Holocaust where the Holocaust Memorial and remains of the Berlin Wall can be viewed. It has a population of over 3.7 million and is a global city of politics, science, media, and culture and creative industries. If you are a ‘foodie’ then Berlin has lots of culinary delights to sample like currywurst, kebabs, doughnuts, falafel and shawarma.
My arrival in Berlin was quite a late one due to my flight being delayed. It was then a case of trying to fathom out the train situation to get me to my hotel, as I had been told that this was the best and cheapest way to travel. A single fare costs around 4 Euros per person. I knew it was going to take about an hour from the airport and, fortunately, with some help from a couple of people from the flight I was on and a helpful steward, I managed to get across to the train station and buy tickets from the machine to get to my location. I used the S9 from the airport, but I could also have used the R8 which is a faster train. The fare zones are either AB, which is for travel within Berlin, or ABC, which is for travel out of the city. The ABC zone is the zone you will need to select for the airport. Once you have purchased your ticket, you will also need the slim ticket validating machines to pop your ticket into so that it is validated. These machines are generally placed next to the red and yellow ticket machines.
So, on arrival at the Zoologischer Garten train station, I thought I had then done the hardest part of my trip but I couldn’t have been more wrong! I followed Google maps which decided to take me on a backstreet tour of Berlin late at night on Museum night, which I wasn’t aware of at the time, when everyone was partying and drunk, so unable to help me. I laugh about this now, but not at the time when it took me about an hour and a half to find a hotel that was only about a 15-minute walk from the train station – a good job it wasn’t raining! I was so relieved when I finally saw my hotel name lit up ahead of me. I subsequently got myself checked in and went to check out my room so that I could get settled in before my first day of finding out what Berlin has to offer in daylight, as everything looks so much better in the light of day, doesn’t it?!
It is worth noting that, although Berlin was quieter than some other places I have visited in August, it can get quite congested in certain areas at this time of the year due to all the events going on during the last week of August. Museum Night was on Saturday 30th August this year and was on the theme of ‘Love in Berlin’. The night is a cultural event that is designed to introduce people to a wide range of museums, along with special exhibitions, workshops, culinary and music events. There are also a number of activities for children and families. A single ticket will give you access to over 750 events with complimentary public transport around the city. The events run from 6pm up until 2 am.
Other active events in Berlin during August, include dance festivals, beer events, and several LGBTQ events – so something for everyone! If you prefer things a little quieter, then wait until the beginning of September when things have calmed down a little. I went on the changeover period, so one day it was really busy and the next it wasn’t!
