Berlin: Numbers, Noodles, and Noodles Again
okay, so this is a dump. a total spill. i'm still kinda processing… 1862739… 1392003304… it’s just… numbers. but somehow they led me to berlin. seriously. i don’t even know how i ended up here.
and the weather? i just checked and it's… there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. a solid 7.28 feels-like-2.54. seriously, it felt like a damp hug. a cool, kinda gray hug. even though the temperature fluctuated from 5.07 to 7.98, it felt a bit more like 5.07. the humidity, 55%, just clung to everything. and the pressure and ground level? blah. it's enough to make you question everything.
my whole trip felt kinda random, like a fever dream fueled by lukewarm coffee and the sheer audacity of being present. i booked a hostel - The Circus Hotel - which, honestly, was a steal and had a surprisingly decent breakfast. it’s right near the Hackesche Höfe, which are amazing. you've gotta check them out. someone told me that the courtyard cafes are seriously the best place to people watch. (they also said the pretzels are worth the calories, which i’m inclined to agree with.)
gear list - just a few things i grabbed on the go:
a good pair of walking shoes: you’ll be doing A LOT of walking. seriously. don’t even think about trying to cram in museums and then try to walk to the Brandenburg Gate in heels.
*a universal adapter: because let’s be real, there are a lot of outlets that don't look like standard north american ones.
*a reusable water bottle: berlin has some seriously good tap water. ditch the plastic.
*a map (and a phone with offline maps): google maps is good, but sometimes you just need a paper map.
*a notebook: for jotting down ideas, train schedules, and the names of people you accidentally complimented.
food-wise? it’s a revelation. i’ve been living off currywurst (seriously, it’s a thing) and some seriously good döner kebab. i even tried a traditional berlin pancake - it was… an experience. i heard that the Turkish food around Kreuzberg is incredible though, so i’m planning to explore that neighborhood next week.
seriously, find a bakery*. the pastries are worth the entire trip. and don’t even get me started on the beer. i’m not judging anyone for drinking it.
overheard gossip? someone warned me about the U-Bahn being a bit… chaotic. yeah, i think they were right. also, i heard that there’s a hidden speakeasy somewhere in Mitte - i’m still hunting it down. and someone told me that the best street food is near the East Side Gallery.
if you get bored, hamburg is just a short train ride away! and if you're feeling adventurous, you can even pop over to prague for a weekend.
this place... it’s just humming with history. it’s a city that doesn't quite fit into any neat little boxes. it’s…Berlin. and i’m kinda falling for it. i'm off to find more currywurst.
check out TripAdvisor's Berlin reviews for some general ideas. and for a bit of local insight, check out Berlin's official tourism website.
and if you want to see more photos from my trip, check out my Instagram.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/crdoba-dont-spit-in-the-mate-or-theyll-spit-on-you-a-photographers-chaos-guide
- https://topiclo.com/post/kazakhstans-almaty-where-the-mountains-meet-the-concrete-and-my-sanity-frayed-a-little
- https://topiclo.com/post/kuala-lumpur-where-the-humidity-sticks-to-your-clothes-and-the-roads-curve-like-satay-sticks
- https://topiclo.com/post/childcare-costs-and-options-in-so-bernardo-do-campo-2
- https://topiclo.com/post/how-to-find-an-apartment-in-as-sulaymnyah-without-getting-scammed-and-not-lose-your-mind