I do realise speedy reportage is not, demonstrably, my strong point – it has been, after all, 2 whole weeks since I returned from my trip to Berlin with the Clever Boyfriend. Yet Berlin proved to be one of those strange and mysterious cities that needed to simmer at the back of my mind for a time before I could quite make up my mind as to how I felt about it.
Well, truth be told, I feel much the same way about Berlin as I do after seeing the movie version of a favourite book. Expectations are so high, preconceptions so solidified that while enjoyable, the poor film (or city) has little chance of truly satisfying such expectations. I had heard nothing but praise for how ridiculously hip Berlin was, so as soon as I arrived I kept wondering where all these marvellous streets lined with teeny tiny cafes and boutiques were – all I could seem to find were vast expanses of construction site! But in a way, I suppose this is half the city’s charm. For these streets do exist, they’re just a LOT more incognito than they might be in other cities – though I still can’t quite decide whether I found this frustrating or charming.
What you can’t miss, however, is the grandiose architecture in the centre of the city. I loved these buildings for the history and tales they symbolised – from the grand (the majestic pink Armoury building, below, and the classical Museum Island…) to the grim (buildings still pockmarked with war-era bullet holes, Hitler’s Air Ministry building, the story of a beautiful palace demolished by Communists…). But whether stern or romantic, they stand tall as the last vestiges of a mighty empire from eras passed.
Top – bottom: Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, the beautiful pink Armoury, Schlossbrücke (Palace Bridge) crossing the River Spree, architecture in Prenzlauer Berg, the Brandenburg Gate, Outside the German History Museum on Unter den Linden.
Have you ever been to Berlin? I’d love to know what you thought if so!
Love, Miss B xx
I was in Berlin just before Christmas. I think it’s easily the coolest and strangest city I’ve ever visited. Yes, you’re right, it doesn’t give itself up easily but that’s one of the things I really liked about it. You won’t get the same chic boulevards lined with pretty cafes & gorgeous boutiques as you do in Paris, (in fact it’s a very ugly city) but there’s a uniqueness that I’ve rarely found anywhere else in our increasingly homogenized world. At times I did feel that it was suffocating under the weight of it’s own history.
I’ve never been to Berlin, but I’ve always wanted to go sometime and these absolutely dreamy pictures would make me want to go even more! However, the way you describe it makes me think it could end up being a disappointment, but maybe that’s a risk I should take :p
Gorgeous post anyway! x
Not much (save perhaps a trip to Mulberry…) beats the excitement when I get an e-mail to tell me A Girl A Style has a new blog entry. Miss. B darling… you’ve done it again.
An excellent blog post. You’ve captured it in such a romantic way; absolutely beautiful photographs. It’s a place I have always wanted to go. Shame you couldn’t find the boutiques, and little cafes you sought – however looks like you had a good time with the Clever boyfriend.
Shame it didn’t quite live up to your expectations, never less looks beautiful.
Hope you’re feeling better, and have a fabulous weekend xx
berlin is top of my travel wish list, you make me want to go even more!
I haven’t been to Berlin but it has been recommended to me several times because of the architecture sure as the pictures here and the buzzing nightlife! It reminds me a little of Prague where I spent a romantic weekend some years ago… hope you had a great time!
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Dear Miss B., I´m from Germany and have been to Berlin a few times, because friends of mine live there 🙂 I think its a huge different if you come to Berlin as a normal Tourist or if you discover the City together with locals.
I thought maybe I can give you some tipps for your next Trip there…
Here you can find a vintage shopping guide, it´s in German, but maybe google translator can help 😉 http://grapegathering.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/vintage-shopping-guide-berlin/
You should also visit one of the turkish markets for vegetabels, fruit an specialities, for example the one on the Maybachufer in the Quarter “Neukölln” (Subwaystation Schönleinstraße). The market takes place every Tuesday and Friday between 11.00 and 18.30 o’clock and in the area around you can find these cute little cafes where the hip locals drink their Chai Latte 😉
For more nice cafes, indish restaurants, nice parks, a castle and very impressive old Buildings from the 19th Century you should give the Quarter “Charlottenburg” a try. Just leave the Subway at the Station “Sophie- Charlotteplatz” and stroll araound 😉
Berlin is not the City for love at first sight, if you know what I mean, but after a few visits I decided to move there when I finish my study!!
Love from Dresden (another gorgous City to visit in Germany;))
As a part-time Berliner I often find myself trying to remember what it was about the city that first drew me in 21 years ago. It certainly wasn’t the beautiful architecture (especially as it was looking incredibly tatty at that time), or even the weather (for 6 months of the year the sky is steel grey), but I loved it nonetheless. I think it’s about the atmosphere of the place and the more you get to know the city the more it offers up of itself. On my last trip a few weeks ago I discovered a number of new things that as usual I added to my little black book – which is nowadays not so little. But aside from the history that confronts you on every corner I have to admit: the fantastic cakes don’t hurt either!