Ok. First I am just going to come out and say that I speak no German ( in fact I actually know about 3 words- exit, entrance, and bathroom) and went on to my old friend Google Translate in order to get the title of this post, so if I have severely butchered the German language, I apologize.
Despite my inability to speak German, the weekend in Berlin was AMAZING. On some level I think that this is due to the fact that I am currently obsessed with Germany which is a little strange considering that my previous trip to Munich left me terrified of Germans and Germany. Prior to my most recent trip, my reasons for loving Germany were quite nerdy and had very little to do with the culture of the country. Reasons include: 1) Angela Merkel- Germany has a tough Chancellor who just so happens to be a woman. This means that basically a woman in controlling all of Europe (although I know that British friends would not like to admit this). 2) The German Economy- as I am taking a European Economics class, I have grown to appreciate the strength of the German economy. I find it incredibly interesting that Germany values low interests rates about all else because of the hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic. 3) Kant, Marx, and Nietzche- three of my favorite philosophers were from Germany. Only a German would say, “Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.” Yes, I realize that there are other less desirable German exports but I try not to associate those evils with modern Germany.
I do not feel the need to recount every detail of my weekend but will instead focus on a few special activities.
Aroma– OK so drinking coffee is probably not a special activity but I think that this coffee shop in particular is worth noting. Aroma Espresso Bar is an Israeli coffee chain, similar to Starbucks in the US. Having spent the previous summer in Israel, I basically lived off of Aroma Iced Cafe. Although there are a few branches in New York, I thought that it sent an incredibly powerful message that there is an Aroma branch in Berlin across the street from Checkpoint Charlie. If Hitler could only see that regular Germans are consuming coffee from an Israeli ccompany in his capital city.
Potsdam– Early Saturday morning, we took a 45 minute trip on the S-Bahn out to Potsdam. I was excited because the palaces are supposed to be beautiful and because I was anxious to see where the Potsdam Conference was held. Unlike Versailles which is only one palace, Potsdam is an entire island. I surmise that were it the spring or summer, the area would have been breathtaking. Despite the bleak weather, the grounds were still nice. If I had to pick a favorite part, it would be the grave of Frederick II. Our tourguide told us that because he had no children or wife, his dogs were his only real family. As a result, about ten or so of his dogs are buried next to him in also identical graves.
Weinrei– I am not sure if this concept exists in the United States but I do not see how it could. When you enter the bar you pay 2 euros and are given a wine glass. For the rest of the night, you are free to relax on the couches and engage in conversation and pour wine into your glass at your leisure. There is even food that you are free to take from. At the end of the night, the management encourages you to contribute the amount of money you think you should pay into a jar. Not only was the night cheap, but the place had a really great vibe. New York Times Review :http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/germany/berlin/35332/weinerei/nightlife-detail.html?inline=nyt-classifier
