Happy 21 years to us :)
Ian and I hopped up to Berlin for a couple days. While it's driveable in 5 hours, when you only have a couple days it is easier to fly. Thursday evening we wandered around to Checkpoint Charlie and had dinner at the Seaside. We recommend the Seaside as you choose your fish from the ice counter and pick your sides (my spargal risotto was beyond tasty), and it was all fantastic. We had great weather on Thursday, so while we were indoors all the glass doors were open to the street.
Friday morning we made our way across the street to the Einstein Kaffee for breakfast. Ian and the gentleman behind the counter struck up a conversation in Arabic - way cool. We went there for breakfast the next morning too.
The day was stunning, warm with clear blue skies.
We had a plan for Friday. First, the DDR Museum, an interactive look into life in East Berlin. I'm used to my museums American-sized... huge and too much to do in a trip. European museum are like their fast food... small portions in small packaging. But the DDR is a hands-on museum, so to read and do all it offers still takes 2-3 hours. The only drawback, and I don't think it's avoidable, is it's the perfect place for a school group. You're not going to lose your students in a German museum, but they do take up ALL the physical space, and the noise they make takes up all the audio space. Since they also had a scavenger hunt sheet to fill in, they also took up all the moving around space. Ian and I just sighed. The museum is well done and well worth a visit. Try to time it without the school group. Good luck.
After an early afternoon break at the hotel we found our way to the Liquidrom. We don't usually pack swimsuits but with the potential of the Liquidrom, we tossed them in. After living near the Dead Sea (a decidedly interesting but gross place to hang out), we looked forward to floating again in salt water. We spent 2 hours and the first 30 minutes we had the salt pool all to ourselves, floating in bathwater, watching the colored lights, and listening to the classical music under water. Swimsuits required in the salt pool, but optional in the rest of the facility. We had a quick snack and sat by the outdoor pool for a bit before enjoying one of the saunas and the steam room. Germans are very free at their spas, saunas, steam rooms, parks, swimming pools... The saunas were towels only. The steam room was no fabrics. NO fabrics. Farewell towel. Farewell swimsuit. It's the most German thing we've done. For 5 minutes. Steam rooms are really hot and uncomfortable. Back to the salt pool for more total relaxation. It was a delightful time, so glad we went.
Back for a little break and it was dinner time. On the next block was the Rausch Schokoladenhaus - Cafe & Restaurant - everything is touched with chocolate. The bread was infused with cocoa nibs. The pasta had chocolate shavings. The meat was sprinkled with cocoa and chili. The cafe is over the chocolate shop, and the dessert options looked beyond delicious. The molten chocolate cake definitely was. Of course we recommend it. Go early, it closes at 7.
Saturday we weren't heading home until the later afternoon, so over dinner we checked Trip Advisor for its recommendations. We knew we'd walk down to the Brandenburg Gate at some point, but before that we figured.. what about an Escape Rooms. I figure I'll write a separate blog post about Escape Rooms (it's such a surprise still when people don't know what they are). There are a number of options in Berlin, but one a few blocks away won due to proximity. On Trip Advisor it's called Team Escapes and said it was open until 9:30. We stopped in to ask about a reservation. They've changed their name to House of Tales, and have 4 rooms. Check out their website to see their offerings, but we were encouraged to take on Kowloon - Walled City. We weren't fully aware, but as it turns out, Kowloon was their hardest room and claimed to handle 6 people (up to 12 if you have enough for 2 teams). We needed one more person to get out in time, someone to double- and triple-check puzzles and catch on to things a little quicker, but 6 people would have been tripping over each other so don't do that. But fair warning, Kowloon is for 18yo and up. Seriously. It is extremely mature. Adults only. No, srsly.
We had a ton of fun but didn't make it out in time, so that was disappointing. They did let us finish. The only recommendation I'd have is to have a visible timer, or a reminder that the phone they hand you can be used as a clock. The first time we had a warning was with 10 minutes left.
Across the street from the escape room was the Trabant Car Museum. We were a little confused why there was a museum dedicated to the crappy Easter German car produced that was made of largely recycled plastic waste. I guess I answered my own question right there.
We made our way to the Bradenburg Gate and planned to walk through the Tiergarten but the entire area was closed off for a race. It was then we realized the true attraction of the Trabant... the Trabi-Safari. Trabants were making there way through the streets of Berlin, mixed in with the Segway tours, the Hop On Hop Off buses, the bicycles, the Hot Rods... It looks like it'd be a great way to see Berlin. Who wouldn't want to ride around in a cardboard and plastic deathtrap?
So happy 21st Anniversary to my sweetie. Thank you for the trip to Berlin. Time with you is always fun and I love to laugh with you and see the world with you. This journey is amazing and I'm so glad I get to do it with you walking next to me.
Ian and I hopped up to Berlin for a couple days. While it's driveable in 5 hours, when you only have a couple days it is easier to fly. Thursday evening we wandered around to Checkpoint Charlie and had dinner at the Seaside. We recommend the Seaside as you choose your fish from the ice counter and pick your sides (my spargal risotto was beyond tasty), and it was all fantastic. We had great weather on Thursday, so while we were indoors all the glass doors were open to the street.
Friday morning we made our way across the street to the Einstein Kaffee for breakfast. Ian and the gentleman behind the counter struck up a conversation in Arabic - way cool. We went there for breakfast the next morning too.
The day was stunning, warm with clear blue skies.
 |
| Checkpoint Charlie |
We had a plan for Friday. First, the DDR Museum, an interactive look into life in East Berlin. I'm used to my museums American-sized... huge and too much to do in a trip. European museum are like their fast food... small portions in small packaging. But the DDR is a hands-on museum, so to read and do all it offers still takes 2-3 hours. The only drawback, and I don't think it's avoidable, is it's the perfect place for a school group. You're not going to lose your students in a German museum, but they do take up ALL the physical space, and the noise they make takes up all the audio space. Since they also had a scavenger hunt sheet to fill in, they also took up all the moving around space. Ian and I just sighed. The museum is well done and well worth a visit. Try to time it without the school group. Good luck.
After an early afternoon break at the hotel we found our way to the Liquidrom. We don't usually pack swimsuits but with the potential of the Liquidrom, we tossed them in. After living near the Dead Sea (a decidedly interesting but gross place to hang out), we looked forward to floating again in salt water. We spent 2 hours and the first 30 minutes we had the salt pool all to ourselves, floating in bathwater, watching the colored lights, and listening to the classical music under water. Swimsuits required in the salt pool, but optional in the rest of the facility. We had a quick snack and sat by the outdoor pool for a bit before enjoying one of the saunas and the steam room. Germans are very free at their spas, saunas, steam rooms, parks, swimming pools... The saunas were towels only. The steam room was no fabrics. NO fabrics. Farewell towel. Farewell swimsuit. It's the most German thing we've done. For 5 minutes. Steam rooms are really hot and uncomfortable. Back to the salt pool for more total relaxation. It was a delightful time, so glad we went.
Back for a little break and it was dinner time. On the next block was the Rausch Schokoladenhaus - Cafe & Restaurant - everything is touched with chocolate. The bread was infused with cocoa nibs. The pasta had chocolate shavings. The meat was sprinkled with cocoa and chili. The cafe is over the chocolate shop, and the dessert options looked beyond delicious. The molten chocolate cake definitely was. Of course we recommend it. Go early, it closes at 7.
Saturday we weren't heading home until the later afternoon, so over dinner we checked Trip Advisor for its recommendations. We knew we'd walk down to the Brandenburg Gate at some point, but before that we figured.. what about an Escape Rooms. I figure I'll write a separate blog post about Escape Rooms (it's such a surprise still when people don't know what they are). There are a number of options in Berlin, but one a few blocks away won due to proximity. On Trip Advisor it's called Team Escapes and said it was open until 9:30. We stopped in to ask about a reservation. They've changed their name to House of Tales, and have 4 rooms. Check out their website to see their offerings, but we were encouraged to take on Kowloon - Walled City. We weren't fully aware, but as it turns out, Kowloon was their hardest room and claimed to handle 6 people (up to 12 if you have enough for 2 teams). We needed one more person to get out in time, someone to double- and triple-check puzzles and catch on to things a little quicker, but 6 people would have been tripping over each other so don't do that. But fair warning, Kowloon is for 18yo and up. Seriously. It is extremely mature. Adults only. No, srsly.
We had a ton of fun but didn't make it out in time, so that was disappointing. They did let us finish. The only recommendation I'd have is to have a visible timer, or a reminder that the phone they hand you can be used as a clock. The first time we had a warning was with 10 minutes left.
Across the street from the escape room was the Trabant Car Museum. We were a little confused why there was a museum dedicated to the crappy Easter German car produced that was made of largely recycled plastic waste. I guess I answered my own question right there.
We made our way to the Bradenburg Gate and planned to walk through the Tiergarten but the entire area was closed off for a race. It was then we realized the true attraction of the Trabant... the Trabi-Safari. Trabants were making there way through the streets of Berlin, mixed in with the Segway tours, the Hop On Hop Off buses, the bicycles, the Hot Rods... It looks like it'd be a great way to see Berlin. Who wouldn't want to ride around in a cardboard and plastic deathtrap?
So happy 21st Anniversary to my sweetie. Thank you for the trip to Berlin. Time with you is always fun and I love to laugh with you and see the world with you. This journey is amazing and I'm so glad I get to do it with you walking next to me.
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