We are only human - Jason Mraz (Hamburg-Berlin)

---

Hey folks,

We just spent the last week in Northern Germany. Again, it has been a fantastic week and I am leaving the country with a lot of reason why to come back. Hopefully we will have time to spend a least two weeks here after the Oktoberfest.

Our first destination was Hamburg. The train rides from Copenhagen to Hambourg was amazing. After an hour or so of train, the train goes in a small ferry and you cross the border in a ferry. There is only five trains that <> on water in Europe. We spent our first day in Germany in a small cafe where you can sample great German beer and do your laundry at the same time. In the evening we want to the Japanesse garden to watch the 30 minutes long music, fountains and light symphony.

After a much needed good night of sleep in the best dorm bed I ever slept in, we decided to do a free walking tour. We visit the foundation of the new city they are constructing in the middle of the city. It is amazing to see fifteen streets get built at the same time. The street that was ready was very different that the rest of the city center. We also visit different section of the port and the guide explain how vital the port is and was important for Hamburg. She also told us a funny pirate story at the end.

Our last night in Hamburg was a great one. We went out on a pub crawl for Chloe birthday. It was the second in two years she was away on our birthday. This time was better only because we were not doing 15 hours of train the day after. We decided to go out on the 24th and try to meet as many people as we can and go to the restaurant and do something more special for our birthday in Berlin. Chloe really loves Berlin. We went on the New Europe pub crawl. They take you out in Hamburg red light district and every bar or club we experience were on the same street. The area is full of prostitute and table dancing bars. It is also known as the Beatles square. It was certainly different and worth a visit. We had fun, but it was not our best night out.

We spend our last four nights in Germany in Berlin. Berlin is amazing city that we both love. We had a great time here last year and this year was even better. There is so much to see that you would need years to see it all. We try to experience things differently this year. We did not visit any of the great Berlin museum and spent more time walking around. We arrive early in the morning and after check-in in our very nice hostel. We walk around the TV tower for four hours and did the Fat Tire Bike Tour like last year. We really enjoy the biking tour and our guide last year. He always had a story to tell us and is laid-back attitude really make us enjoy this great city. However, this time was completely different. I will not say anything bad about the company and the tour itself. I really like this company and most of the comments I read on Internet are really good. However, I just think that you really need to like your job to be a tour guide. You cannot do this job halfway. Being a tour guide is not only knowing shit loads of date, it is making people discover a city history having a good time that they will remember. I really felt like I was back in college. After the tour, we took the S-Bahn to our hostel and walk around the very alternative neighborhood. After only a couple blocks, we found a very impressive restaurant. It was the first time in two months we could enjoy a good meal out. It gave us time to talk to each other and plan the next couple days.

We spent our second day in the Tiergarden watching the wild animals and drinking German beer and wine. We also went back to the very nice bier garden we enjoy so much last year to make us forget the two hours queue we made at the Reichtag in the morning for nothing. We also met a very friendly couple from Vancouver in our hostel and went out for a beer at the restaurant we were in the day before.

Our last two days in Berlin were very rich in culture, history and fun. We first visit the closest concentration camp. We decided to visit it at our own pace this year. Not that we did not like the visit we made at Dachau last year, but this one was a bit more interesting. The KZ Sachsenhausen concentration camp is bigger and has a lot of history. I will not go into details because I am scare I will not represent it the right way, but I recommend everyone to learn more about what happened. Hopefully this will never happen again. Like my teachers used to tell me, you need to know what you are fighting against to be able to beat it. What I found interesting was the fact that the camp was used three times by different organisation and was consider as the model camp by the Nazis.

We then went back to the bier garden (I know again) to meet up with Jessica and Alex (the two Canadians we met the day before). We sample the great German beer a bit too much and took the train to a unique area of Berlin. The area was recommended by a friend of Jessica that study here in the past. It is a very alternative neighborhood full of impressive restaurant, bars and millions graffiti full old buildings. We went to a bar name the Zapata. From the outside look like it is in total ruins. I am sure this building will be demolish if it was in Canada. The building is full of graffiti and apparently it used to be the house of an underground artist community during the cold war. In the inside an Spanish band was playing music and the outside terrace is simply fantastic. You walk on sand and really feel like you are at the beach. It is about 50 meters long and there are old cars, dentist chairs, etc. (you get the image) all around the place to seat on. This place is for sure in the top five of the bar I have been to. We met an Italian and a German that are working for Nokia. They showed us the prototype phone they are working on. The IPhone is going down guys.

The last was a huge race against time. We walk around the Jewish memorial and visit the very impressive museum. We also visit the Topography of Terror and Checkpoint Charlie exposition. On our way back to the hostel we visit the East side gallery.

I then spent the evening doing something I really wanted to do lately. I went to the closest park and played basketball with some Germans in their mid-30s. I had a lot of fun and I still can play the game not too bad. It was nice to do a bit of sport.

Tomorrow Amsterdam and the very laid-back dutch culture. Chloe will write as soon as possible. Claire do not worry, she is still alive.

Prost,

Nick

The hostel:

Hamburg: Meininger Hotel-Hostel: A very modern hostel. Free lockers, best dorm we had yet. Everything is new and the showers are in the room. I really like the staff and the hostel is worth every penny. THere is a kitcheen, a bar, an internet cafe and even a phone center in the hostel. Will go back if I am around. The hostel location is not too good however. You need a S-Bahn pass to stay there.

Berlin: Backpackers Berlin: A bit far from city center, but in a very nice location. Very calm and cheap hostel. Staff is friendly and relax. The room are big and nice. Free Internet. You can rent a bike if you like.

---

« Previous Entry Next Entry »

Additional photos below

Photos: 15, Displayed: 15