I kept going back and forth; should I cancel Berlin or go for it! My original plan was to go to Budapest for the week after being in Austria, which made the most sense; because I could get there by train. I had already been to Budapest, and I knew I loved it. However, at the time, Budapest was not allowing American’s to enter very easily, there were some loopholes since I was already in the EU, but I did not want to find a loophole to go. So ultimately I decided to go to Berlin since I had never been before and generally would like to go.
After spending a week in Munich that I did not care for, and previously being in Hamburg, I also did not enjoy I thought Germany was a lost hope for me, and maybe I should count my losses and cancel Berlin and pick a new place. However, I felt I would regret not going, so I went. I am so glad I did; I enjoyed myself.
I did not do any planned tours or have a destination in mind. I just woke up each day and decided what to see and do as I wanted. I went in Fall (October) the weather was significantly fall-like; crisp. It drizzled a few times but no heavy rain; I was lucky with the weather.
Berlin is like an NYC meets Seattle. I stayed in the hip area of the city, with many vibes of the PNW (Pacific Northwest). It is large and has tons of different types of people, just like NYC. A few districts I visited felt like I had stepped back in SoHo, and I loved it! Berlin was a great city, one I probably would not need to return to as I live in a huge city just like it. I am happy I went; it restored my hope for Germany as in hoping I would like it.
One thing I noticed about being in Germany is how cheap everything truly is. Eating out is half the price as Austria and Croatia, similar prices to Italy. I could get an ice cream cone 2€ or a lunch pasta for 5€ at a nice sit-down restaurant in the city center. In addition, Berlin did not have rude, impatient people as I had experienced in Munich and Hamburg. This could be that the people I interacted with are not actually from Germany.
My Highlights:
They had the best sticky bun of my life! The walnut caramel one was superb, and it was soft gooey but still crunchy. However, it was their seasonal flavor, so they may not have that when you go, but it is a must if they do! I went there every day; I had the original still great but not as good I would recommend getting something other than original. I also had their cheesecake, so delicious, very similar to an American cheesecake but less sweet.
The East Side Gallery memorial in Berlin-Friedrichshain is a permanent open-air gallery on the most extended surviving section of the Berlin Wall in Mühlenstraße between the Berlin Ostbahnhof and the Oberbaumbrücke along the Spree. It was so cool to see all the murals.
There were several memorials around Berlin to remember different groups that died during the Second World War and the Russian occupation of Germany. I loved seeing this because I got a different vibe while in Munich.
The Life of Sarah 