Day 35 – Berlin

In Berlin train station, we quickly got the connecting train to our hostel. We had the option of using the underground, train or bus to get there but when you have interrail passes, it would be stupid not to use the train. It was 8am when we arrived at the closest station to the hostel, a 10 minute walk away, and the first thing we heard was loud dance and techno music.

Across from the station, there was obviously still a party going on and when we looked around, there were bottles everywhere and everyone that passed us had a beer in their hand. Aside from the alcohol, grafitti covered anything that had a surface. It was quite a dodgy area of Berlin. The hostel was very professional in contrast and it looked like a hotel – a massive open lobby with 6 clocks that had a different time zone on each one. We were also offered an all-you-can breakfast in the restaurant but couldn’t find it. There were actually two places (we went to the wrong one first) and had to ask reception again to show us the way.

There wasn’t a large selection but everything you would need. My girlfriend didn’t really like any of it and couldn’t eat it, but the plate was still full of food and she didn’t want to throw it out. I eventually managed to persuade her to take the plate up herself and throw it out without anyone seeing it. She waited until the chefs had all moved away but only left her plate there, you were supposed to at least scrape off the extra food. She had to go back and do it but got caught that time.

We were about to leave the hostel when there was a large group assembling for a free tour. My girlfriend was tempted by it but I assured her that I could tell her more, and we would be able to see everything. My private tours have been a success thus far (although we have now left my favourite country). Standing only a few yards from our hostel was a section of the Berlin Wall. My girlfriend was disappointed because she was expecting something like the Great Wall of China. I was also disappointed because it was all painted or drawn on.

Following my tour route, we would be able to see everything in Berlin if we kept a steady pace, and it was going prety well so far. The only problem was that the Cathedral was closed and I was really annoyed at that – it’s such a unique building. Neverthless, there were water fountains everywhere and pipelines above our heads. The pipes we found out were mapping the route of the new underground line – showing the public where they are, but also helping the construction workers avoid causing congestion all the time.

At lunch, we went to a typical German bar and my girlfriend had real German beer (and she liked it). We were also served by the sterotypical big-bosomed waitresses before visiting a heavily commercialised and busy Checkpoint Charlie. We found it ironic that behind ‘American side’ sign, sat McDonalds, Subway and the like. Most other tourists had picked up on this too.

The last few attractions led us passed the Brandenburg Gate, onto the Reichstag and through the park to the Victory Column. Although my tour was jam packed with facts and sights, in other words, fantastic and informative, my girlfriend hadn’t stopped complaining all day. She had a sore head, needed water all the time and go to the toilet, not hungry, sick, too warm and sore feet etc etc…

There were several discussions on what we should do, as in continuing the tour or going back to the hostel. After a bottle of water priced at €3.80, we finished my route and got the train back, after in my opinion, a successful day.

At the station, everyone was running to the train as it was about to leave and as your instincts tell you, we followed suit and boarded it too, only that it went the wrong way. Getting off at the next stop, and catching the right train this time, we arrived at the stop before ours, before the train started going back the way we just came. It had stopped too early and so we had to yet again get off and go back.

Finally we arrived and checked in – we were too early to check in this morning. Our roomate was a boy from Taiwan who was coming to Germany to learn the language for 2 weeks. As there was a swimming pool in our hostel, we had to make use of it and so he went for dinner and we went for a swim.

The pool was was practically a youth hostel for young and annoying teens, all splashing and having races to impress the girls they were with. I just felt too old and wanted to relax in the water. An old couple wanted the same as me but after 10 minutes, they knew that wasn’t going to happen and they left. We didn’t stay much longer either as the pool was too cold and the sauna too warm.

In the room, I read my book as my girlfriend slept off her sore head until it was time for dinner. We could only be bothered to dine in the hostel restaurant downstairs and I ordered curry sausages and chips, thinking that the sausages would actually be made out of curry. They were not and were just covered with sauce, just as if you were on a night out and felt peckish at 3am.

After dinner, it was me this time that had a sore head and so I slept whilst my girlfriend watched television. During my nap, the Taiwan boy came back and chatted to Anna all about his plans and his excitment etc before talking to me when I woke up. He was really nice.

During the night, another boy came in to occupy the last remaining bed but nobody talked and I don’t even know what time he came in (was about 4am or something anyway). We had fallen asleep so easily but due to our naps, we hadn’t planned anything for tomorrow and I had no clue what we were going to do either. Hate that!