Berlin Burger International

As a (not very good) vegetarian one thing I have missed is burgers. The trouble with vege-burgers is they lack substance. Too often eating a vege-burger is like eating a porridge sandwich: too soft, too bland, too messy. That's why I was very happy to discover Berlin Burger International.

These burgers are sky-scrapers, piled high with salad and sauce, kept standing with a skewer, and full of flavour. Although nothing will quite match the chewy, meaty goodness of good beef my vegetarian order was by far the best I've ever had. I heard positive noises in regards to the meat options too.

Stacked!

Located at Pannierstr. 5, just round the corner from Hermannplatz. 

Berlin Tempelhof

Once one of Berlin's busiest airports, Tempelhof airfield now serves as a public park, offering fantastic spaces for cycling, roller skating, kiting and walking.

Overlooked by the vast Nazi-built terminal building you can make your way around the park, walking down its two runways or following the circular taxiing tracks. And if you visit on a windy day you'll be treated to a sky full of kites.

The design of the park facilities is also notable it's functionality and unobtrusive implementation. The runways are marked out with cycling and running routes which let you know how far you've come. Maps are displayed on flat blocks that make them easy to understand in a park that has few landmarks to navigate by. There are also three info kiosks that also serve as viewing platforms; they may not look particularly high, but in such a flat, open space they give great views.

To really appreciate the vast scale of the airfield you have to go there. Now that I live round the corner I am lucky enough to make frequent visits, though the daily bike rides I envisioned have yet to materialise...

The park can be accessed by various entrances marked on this map, and the best U-Bahn stops to go to are Tempelhof, Paradestr. (U6), Lienenstr. or Boddinstr. (U8).

N.B. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, so in December and January it closes at 5pm.

Flughafenstraße

Berlin is full of junk/antique stores that are as much museums as they are shops. Flughafenstraße has a fair few of these on it and some of the owners seem to put as much care into the display of their wares as curators in galleries.

Apparently the price you are told when you first ask about anything is twice that which you should pay, so don't be afraid to bargain. Having said that they're still pretty cheap so if you don't feel like your German is quite up to a Life of Brian-style stand-off then you'll still be able to find some bargains.

U-Bahn: it's got Boddinstr. (U8) at the top, and Rathaus Neukölln (U7) at the bottom.

Multilayerladen

There are lots of expensive, big name clubs in Berlin that play host to big name DJs who I know nothing about. I feel reticent about laying down up to 14€ to gain entry to these venerated techno temples.

Multilayerladen has the look of an office, with disco balls hang from the false ceiling. It's shabby and, on the night we went, packed full of people. Entry was free and the music kept everyone dancing till the not-so-small hours.

Office Chic

The night we went was the 'Miniclub', and it really did have a relaxed, house-party feel to it. You can see their upcoming events on the slightly confusing (and German) website.

U-Bahn: Kottbusser Tor (U8, U1/2). Head towards Oranienstr. from the station, and before you go under that housing estate turn right. The club is opposite a large climbing frame (perfect spot for a between-dance breath of fresh air).

Arkonaplatz Flohmarkt (Flea Market)

Berlin is quite famous, I think, for its flohmarkt. Every Sunday the city's crafts people, traders, house-movers and entrepreneurs set up their stalls across the city.

Since arriving the only market that has been mentioned to me is Mauerpark which, on a sunny September afternoon, is a heaving place, full of all sorts (old and new). There are plenty of food stalls to keep you going as you wander its apparently infinite passages, and lots of interesting things and people to entertain you for a whole day. From 3 o'clock (weather permitting) you can also venture across the adjoining field to witness the Bearpit Karaoke, which is certainly a sight to behold.

However, if you want to escape from the crowds and browse with more ease, venture a little south from Mauerpark, to the Arkonaplatz Flohmarkt. The market is much smaller than it's rowdy neighbour and is all antique/2nd hand goods.

As I am currently living 'between homes' I resisted the urge to buy any of the large, 3D plastic shop-front letters available and tried to avoid eye-contact with any of the lovely but reasonably priced 60s furniture. Also available were antique lithographs, vintage toys, retro glasses, furry hats and plenty more besides.

I hope to make a full investigation into all the city's flohmarkts and trödelmarktes over the coming weeks and will report back with my findings (both ethereal and material).

Closest U-Bahn stop for Arkonaplatz: Bernauer Straße (U8), or Eberswalder Straße (U2).

La Focacceria

After visiting the Arkonplatz Flohmarkt we were keen to find something nice to eat, and were very happy to stumble across La Focacceria.

The food is simple but delicious, and pretty reasonably priced too. The primary offering is slices of deliciously topped focaccia bread which, once chosen by you, are baked in pizza ovens and served straight to you on a chopping board (very rustic).

The pricing strategy was straight forward, you pay for the number of stücke (pieces) you want. Bulk buys give you cheaper stück. We ordered 5 for €7, and were pleasantly full. For €18 you could get 14 stücke, which we figured would happily satisfy four people for just €4.50 each.

We also saw some very nice looking lasagne and cannelloni being served up for just €3.90 per generous portion.

From some reviews online it sounds like the place can get very busy, though when we were there it was quite calm and we had a nice seat outside. However, if its bursting you can always get take-away.

Closest U-Bahn stop: Rosenthaler Platz (U8) or Bernauer Straße (U8).

Teufelsberg, Grunewald

Teufelsburg is the name of a man-made hill upon which the American National Security Agency built a large listening station during the Cold War. The listening station has fallen into disrepair since it was abandoned after German reunification and is now easily accessible to curious explorers.

To reach Teufelsberg from Berlin take the S-Bahn (S7) to Heerstrasse. From the station you want to head into the forest via Teufelsseestrasse (grab a wurst from the small kiosk next to the station, you've got plenty of walking ahead).

Soon the houses will end and you'll be surrounded by beautiful forest. After about 10 minutes on Teufelsseestrasse you'll come across a large car park on the right-hand-side (car park is 'B' on this map). You want to walk through the car park and follow the path that curves south up the hill. Stay on that same path and you will reach Teufelsberg's chainlink fence. Climb through the hole directly ahead of you.

Upon entering the site I felt as if I had stepped into a 1970s science fiction novel. A metal staircase cuts through a canopy of vines that conceals the crumbling monoliths of the listening station. Once you emerge, the evidence of invasion is painted across the walls of the complex; nearly every surface is decorated with graffiti. During our visit there were also people living in a smaller tower (despite their unusual choice of residence they were not interested in being tourist attractions. Signs declaring 'NO PHOTOS' stood in front of their make-shift home).

There is plenty to see within the site, but you will inevitably be lured towards the tallest part of the station. As the highest point for many miles around the views from the top are uninterrupted and unforgettable. Looking north you can see aeroplanes gliding into Tegel Airport behind puffs of smoke which tumble from power station chimneys. To the west and south the velvet-green expanse of Grunewald gives way to the sparkling waters of the Wannsee lake. Eastward lies Berlin itself. During our visit the sky was clear and we could see many of the city's landmarks.

There are some wonderful things to be found in the station itself, including a huge swing, rooms filled with thousands of fragments of glass and, most bewitching of all, the top-most sphere. To know what you'll find within it you'll have to visit yourself...

We were there for nearly three hours, including a stop for a picnic. Give yourself plenty of time to look around, and make sure you don't get stuck there when night falls. Visiting Teufelsberg was the highlight of my first trip to Berlin. I can't wait to go back.

(N.B. There are lots of sheer drops, big holes gapping in the floors and generally dangerous things lying around. If you decide to visit go with friends and stay safe.)

All photos are mine. Do not use them without permission.

First Post..

I am just about to move to Berlin. I enjoy exploring cities so this blog will act as a repository for the things that I discover in this new city.

I am also going to try to learn the langauge, aber ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch derzeit.

Primary inspiration: http://www.nothingtoseehere.net/ (too good).