From Friedrichshain to Alexanderplatz: My Berlin Wrap-Up

I'm writing this post in a coffee shop in Alexanderplatz, with the World Clock over my right shoulder and the famed Berlin TV Tower standing close by. It's Saturday afternoon here, so I'm surrounded by people in a packed plaza. Tourists? Berliners? It's hard to tell, but I'd venture to guess both.

Today wraps up my visit here, with a flight to London later tonight, followed by a long layover there. On my Rome trip, I spent the night at de Gaulle heading back to Texas. Tonight I spend the night at Heathrow.

My second day brought me to the East Side Gallery. Like my hotel walls, the former Berlin Wall has paintings on it. The East Side Gallery is the longest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall, transformed in 1990 into an open-air memorial covered in murals that celebrate the fall of the Cold War division and symbolize global hope for peace and freedom.

An outdoor art gallery stretching just under a mile long, featuring the paintings of 118 artists from 21 countries, it's a great afternoon walk particularly when the weather is as good as it has been here. I definitely picked the right time of year to visit in terms of climate and temperature.

Just over the river from the gallery is the quirky, incomparable Friedrichshain, a historically working-class district in former East Berlin that evolved from a hub of alternative counterculture into one of the city's most vibrant, creative, and dynamic urban centers. One of the "coolest" neighborhoods I've ever experienced, Friedrichshain is a must-visit for tourists. In my younger years, I probably would have spent day and night in the place, as my initial impression is that the neighborhood gets somewhat lively after dark. I walked the streets, enjoying the culture, wondering what it's like for people who live and work here.

In the States, the signs at 7-Eleven and Circle K read "Consumption of Alcohol on The Premises Is Strictly Forbidden." Here the convenience stores (called Spätis) set up picnic tables outside and let people sit there drinking beer and wine as long as they want. All along the cobblestone streets, residents and visitors alike sit outside and hang out, socialize, drink, eat, etc. Eateries featuring food from around the globe line the streets, including one that advertised TEX MEX. I was tempted to see what German Mexican food tastes like.

Last night, I attended Berlin's annual Pop-Kultur Festival, which this year brought together more than 50 artists and projects, featuring German acts alongside a wide variety of international artists from across Europe, North America, and elsewhere. The Kulturbrauerei complex is a sprawling 19th-century former brewery estate that has been transformed into a vibrant cultural hub housing theaters, clubs, cinemas, and music venues. I had a great time listening to live music and experiencing the surrounding neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg, a densely populated and historically rich area famed for its well-preserved Altbau architecture, tree-lined streets, and lively café culture. I sat with locals for an hour or more in an open-air eatery and watering hole along the street before the show, people-watching and enjoying German refreshments.

Berlin proved to be a city of incredibly friendly, welcoming, and easygoing people. A pleasure to be around. Danke.