11.04.2011 Brussels > Berlin, Germany

Berlin from above

I have landed!

My flight to Berlin was on a tiny plane like the ones that fly from Toronto to Montreal. I sat next to a quirky man with a short dual coloured sweater that partially matched his grey plaid hat and his kelly green socks which went up to his shins. I think he was French, but he had an air about him that made me think of my first year prof. Maybe it was the black glasses, or the semi baldness, who knows. When we arrived, we got to step out from the side of the plane (instead of into an accordion sleeve) and down the stairs like they do in the movies, except this was less classy and it wasn’t in black and white. Oh, and you know what else was spectacular? There are trees around the runway. It’s kind of eerily weird because it coincides with my dream of landing in felt-land Netherlands, but it was an interesting surprise; probably mostly because the Toronto Pearson Airport is built amongst an urban sprawl where no trees can grow.

The airport was tiny. Berlin has two airports –maybe the other one is larger. I’m just glad I didn’t end up in New Delhi. Once you get off the plane, you enter baggage claim, which has only  four U shaped carousels. (That’s how small it is!) And then you walk right out with nothing to declare and you are in Germany! Isn’t that weird? I didn’t go through customs or anything!

Anyway, I got to the hostel, whose mascot is a cat (automatic points there), and settled my stuff in. Bike locked it all to the post of the bunk bed and hid my backpack under the bed. (they’ll probably see it anyway) The room should be full, but I haven’t seen anyone yet.

 

1. room for six                                                                  2. bed.

3. wifi lounge

The rest of the day was spent looking for a SIM card for my phone and locating the place I’m going for work, and orienting myself. I got lost, obviously, but also because I didn’t plan my way through the city. The guy at the front desk only said, “Oh, just go to Alexanderplatz, straight ahead” And it wasn’t EXACTLY straight ahead. The roads here are highly confusing. It will start off with one name, and end with another, and at the same time, they are not straight, yet not entirely radial, and sometimes they split into three, or go around things.

So, I left at around 1, and finally got myself to Alexanderplatz at around 330pm, lunch and window shopping included ofcourse. The shopping here is nice, they have really nice things everywhere...! I almost wish I brought less stuff so I can have a legit excuse to buy stuff like a new winter jacket at superdry haha.

 

1. some store                                                                 2. Some sort of building

1,2. another some sort of building

 

                1. These guys are all over alexanderplatz. It's like street meat vendors.                 2. The sun practically sets at 3:30pm

1. my sim card has wings! (and how-to set up instructions in German)

It’s only 7pm and I am falling asleep! Berlin today was a gray looking city. It reminds me of those movies with the fog in the streets and tall narrow houses. Surprisingly, (or not surprisingly, since everyone told me to learn German before leaving) nobody speaks English or if they do, it is broken English. It is actually quite difficult to get around on your own and I feel really weird (and rude) not being able to say please or thank you. There are also plenty of cars. For some reason I was expecting something Italy-like. I suppose Italy has idealized my idea of Europe in such a way that I’m expecting churches and landmarks of old broken architecture to be sprinkled throughout the city, and a place like Alexanderplatz should have a statue called Alexander in it, or a church named after some saint called Alexander instead of shopping malls. Oh well, it seems there is quite a bit of adjusting to do..

p.s. blogger won't load my pictures!! I will reimburse the posts with pictures when I can upload them.. This might be a while. Use your imagination. updated!