My Berlin... George

My Berlin

After visiting Berlin, you wouldn’t think it’s located in the same country as Munich and Frankfurt. It seems the Germans’ fondness for rules and structure is slightly broken and modified here in Berlin and that, among other things is what makes Berlin a unique German metropolis. To give a trivial example, the average Münchener pedestrian who crosses the road only on green will be surprised to find that the average Berliner will cross on green or red. My point is that Berlin is a very liberal and diverse city. More Turkish people live in Berlin than any city outside of Turkey. The gay (male and female) population, which includes the mayor himself is also prominent here in Berlin. These examples, while they do not account for Berlin’s full spectrum of cultural diversity, do show that Berlin is accepting of people from different walks of life.

Berlin is also a fun city. The nightlife here is very good and seems sometimes to last 24 hours a day. There are many bars, clubs, discos, restaurants and cafes scattered all over the city. The guy one might see outside a bar drinking Becks beer at 8 o’clock in the morning may very well be there the next day still drinking. It is ironic to think that only 60 years ago, such diversity and openness would have been squashed under Hitler’s terrible regime. In a sense, Berlin is rebelling against its dark and oppressive past. Inantiodrohmea, the tendency for something to become its opposite is a good term to describe Berlin’s present state. The city’s openness and cultural diversity along with its nightlife are what makes Berlin a great place to be a young adult/ student. Needless to say, Berlin has played a crucial role in modern history. It has been through one World War and nearly a third, with the advent of the Cold War. Young adults/students travelling in Berlin can also explore and learn about the city’s rich history as well enjoying its nightlife. There are many tours, monuments, museums, memorials and other structures to be seen and certainly not to be missed while here in Berlin. Having said, being a young adult in Berlin is both a fun and educational experience. On a final note, Berlin is a rebuilding and dynamic metropolis. With the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the city has been burdened with a heavy debt. So while it may not be the wealthiest city in Germany, it is showing signs that it is looking forward towards the future. You can see this with the new age Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz and the recently finished, state-of-the-art Hauptbahnhof or Central Train Station. With its multicultural and liberal nature, Berlin has a bright and promising future ahead of it so it will be an exciting time to be here to see this change take place.


My Top 10 Berlin
1. Druide Absinth Bar
2. Potsdam Palace tour
3. River Bank restaurant/bar
4. Free trade restaurant
5. Mercedes Showroom
6. 3rd Reich tour
7. Tiergarten
8. Charlottenburg Castle
9. Badeschiff
10. Alexanderplatz