Armed with O2’s £1.99 daily European travel tariff, and plenty of paracetamols, we travelled to Berlin to see just how globally social we could be in one weekend. Sick and tired of ridiculous roaming charges, we put our ‘social’ life in the network’s hands. Would we get lost in the deepest depths of Kreuzberg’s under-belly? Would the O2 Travel app‘s Trip Advisor city guides find us a club we could actually get into, and would we find Berlin’s best burgers? We were equipped and ready to find out.
The Michelberger Hotel would be our home for three days, and the Friedrichshain trailblazer never disappoints. Eclectic to a tee – its visitors range from style bloggers to young families and back again – I’m sure we even spotted someone’s mum getting down to a DJ grinding out ’90s R’n’B. The hotel retains the sense of irony that pervades the entire Michelberger brand, and it’s a handsome place – complete with a candlelit communal sitting room, its world-renowned magazine lamps and makeshift metal mesh bookshelves. Old suitcases, hot air balloons and cuckoo clocks vie for your attention amongst contemporary art and other curios. On arrival we were showered with the hotel’s own smartly branded coconut water – Fountain of Youth. Good start.
The O2 Travel App was fairly adept at pointing us to a plethora of eateries in the area. We fancied burgers. By foot we stroll across the infamous Oberbaum Bridge, a monumental landmark that once divided the boroughs of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg in the days of the Wall. Now an annual meeting point for Gemueseschlacht – a rotten fruit and vegetable fight that amusingly commemorates the reunification of the city – we luckily miss out on watching Westerners and Easterners pelting one another with soggy perishables.
Burgermeister is an easy find, one of the city’s many local institutions. Queuing at the century-old former public toilet for a €4 burger may not sound too glamorous, but the lively line underneath the elevated U-Bahn tracks goes down quickly and we can’t argue with its fresh and tasty patties. Mooching around the streets of Kreuzberg with a beer in hand is the done thing, so we do – until we realise that it’s almost 2am, and we have dancing to do. Back on our trusty O2 Travel App, we effortlessly find club Chalet. Like many of its kind, it comes complete with notorious door policy, but after a charming discussion about flip-flops we find ourselves in a magical garden adorned with hanging LED installations. Several hours later and a phone full of dreadful selfies we trudge back to the hotel in daylight.
After a few hours sleep, maybe two at the most, we were due at the Mother Drucker screen-printing studio located in the Urban Spree arts centre in Friedrichshain. Jaded and fragile we arrive at the site to techno zombies still partying from the night before. Luckily, Dolly Demoratti – screen-printer extraordinaire – was on hand to feed us pastries and show us how to get our hands dirty. The ex-Pictures on Walls printer really knows her stuff, even if our efforts were somewhat disappointing.
Back to the app, we find ourselves on the S-Bahn heading towards Mitte. Quick and efficient but stiflingly hot, we were soon at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art. As part of Berlin’s 8th Biennale, the beautiful building with original 1870s façade holds a series of mixed-media works exploring historical narratives and individual artist’s lives – all curated by Juan A. Gaitán. Featuring works by David Zink Yi, Tonel and Zachary Cahill, amongst others; the selection of works were almost anthropological with a lean towards found natural materials.
As a Ramones fan it would have been criminal not to visit the Ramones Museum and Bar. Back on our smart phone for more directions, and as luck would have it – we’re just around the block and so head forth. The museum dedicated to the Queens icons is small yet fully-loaded with all the memorabilia that Joey, Johnny, Tommy and Dee Dee disciples can ask for – posters, ticket stubs, documentaries, clothing… The café/bar itself is kitsch and comfortable, with eclectic art and photos of international bands snapped outside the museum itself.
Back East rather late, we indulge in a handful of espresso martinis at the Michelberger before its fantastically adorned courtyard closed. Trip Advisor city guides recommend finding a Photoautomat – the Berlin institutions in which you can exchange €2 for four black and white photos of you and your pals crammed into a crumbling booth. Mission accomplished we go in search of buskers. Armed with more beers (when in Berlin), we stand around with a crowd of revellers underneath U-Bahn bridges listening to a series of incredibly talented musicians.
Our last day in Berlin is spent walking and gazing upwards. We take a private tour with Alternative Berlin and discover some of the best legal and illegal street art in Kreuzberg. Instagram at the ready we pass the East Berlin Gallery; find a large-scale mural by artist Blu entitled Backward; snap colourful portraits by artist Alice Pasquini aka AliCè; catch the tail end of the Neu West Berlin art happening, featuring work by Billy & Alex, Berlin Kidz and a whole host of international artists; and later sneak into a locked-up abandoned building. Lucas, our guide, says the views are some of the best in the city. After the breaking and entering, we sit for a few more beers at Yaam beach, one of Berlin’s longest established venues on sand.
Despite, and in spite of, developer’s best efforts – Berlin continues to retain its sense of freedom and frenzy. At every corner there is something to record, to photograph, and with O2’s European travel tariff I could post instantly and effectively without worrying or trying to find free WiFi. It gave us a freedom that echoed our beloved city.
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