Following The Rivera is one of our favourite travel blogs so sit back and relax! If you are looking for a short break to Berlin you need to read on:
I stretched my legs out to the coffee table directly in front of me, attempting to manoeuvre my body into a sleep-like position on the sofa I had frequented for the last hour. Aside from the bartender and my friend, who was sinking deeper into the gut of the leather sofa beside me, I counted two other people – both solo – sombre and quietly enjoying their bottled beers.
Behind me, the rustling of something heavy being moved drew my attention. As I watched the bartender position a large coffee machine on the counter, the reality hastily dawned upon me. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of the bar, daylight had well and truly descended upon Berlin. Reluctant to know the actual time, the many signs of life and the traffic slowly building up answered my question for me. It was clear that the buzz and euphoria that had begun the night before had come to a grey and listless end.
For someone that considers themselves to be an avid traveler, ironically I hardly scan the travel guides before going anywhere. Descending into the unknown and being pleasantly surprised by a new place is something no travel book/article can substitute. It’s a theory I also adhere to with people, but I digress.
Despite everything I’d ever heard or read about Berlin, the reality exceeded my expectations beyond immeasurable doubt. The five days I spent in the German capital made me feel more alive than I had felt in a long time, and suffice it to say, I am yearning to return. Visiting in early March, there were no nasty weather surprises, given that the climate pretty much matches London. It was only during the evenings, with the biting wind that the gloves would come out and the scarf would be tightened a little more snugly.
What I stumbled upon during my Berlin exploit was a city that was an equal if not a worthier contender for the title of the ‘city that never sleeps’. While some would argue that New York City offers an un-parallel abundance of nightlife/social activities, Berlin for me offers something better. It is a city that caters first and foremost to its residents, the ‘Berliners’, and anyone else falls into second place. It was an aspect that became more apparent over the duration of my trip, and I finally understood what my God-brother – who lives there – meant when he told me ‘Berlin isn’t a city for travelers.’
Having a go-to person naturally places you at a slight advantage. Along with managing to see the usual sights like the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, I was advised to try the vegetarian cupcakes at Café Grün-Ohr (Rosenthaler Strasse 32) near Hackescher Markt, and indulge in some independent label window shopping along the Alte Schönhauser Straße.
It was when night descended however, that my eyes were open to the side to the city that never sleeps. Granted the following places were easier to gain access to given my Berliner friends, so top tip: befriend a local.
Fortunately for me, my friend happened to work at one of the bars at private members’ club/hotel Soho House (Torstraße 1), marking an elegant start to the long night/morning ahead. The expertly made cocktails tasted even better in the decadent setting, complete with velvet chaise lounges and a rooftop view overlooking the night skies of Mitte.
The main event however didn’t kick off until after 4am. Already bleary-eyed and ready to raise the white flag, my friends were adamant on showing me the places that only Berliners knew about. Any attempts I made to argue in the case of sleep were all dismissed. After the first bar we were dropped off at announced it was closing, the next 20 minutes or so were spent riding around looking for the next haunt. Rather than worrying whether anything was still open, my friends were more concerned about whether the good places were now closed.
First on the pitstop was Crack Bellmer (Revalerstr.99, 10247). A seemingly abandoned building with painted murals across the brick exterior, it looked deceivingly closed and empty, as the taxi pulled up outside. Despite it being after 5am on a Thursday morning, I was proven wrong as we entered the bar. Any feelings of sleep I felt quickly dissipated upon hearing the soulful beats being played by the DJ. Crack Bellmer most certainly personified Berlin cool. It was edgy and retro without running the risk of being labelled as hipster. An upstairs attic-like area was filled with what I could only describe as junk; old furniture, discarded objects perfect for the car boot sale. Yet this only added to the understated charm of the place. The feeling that everyone – even non-Berliners – was welcome permeated the air. It was the kind of hangout I’d always enjoyed but had never come across.
At this point, I feel it’s my obligation as a writer to inform you about one aspect of Berlin that left a huge dent in my night/morning exploits. Smoking is still permitted in many bars and clubs in the capital, leaving non-smokers like myself, royally pissed off. While some establishments have separate smoking rooms for its patrons, the majority I frequented did not. Taking for granted the smoke-free policy in the UK, and those undertaken by neighbouring European countries, to say I was slightly surprised would be an understatement. So, non-smokers take heed: come armed with extra clothing, or better yet, purchase a bottle of Febreze to extinguish the nicotine stenches.
Having been kicked out of Crack Bellmer at around 5.45am, the protest in me had long gone when my friends suggested another place, this time a popular club called Watergate (Falckensteinstraße 49). Fifteen minutes later and the taxi had pulled up outside another non-descript looking building. Informed by my friends that Watergate was known for being notoriously selective, I was ushered in front – me being the only female in the group. There was only thing that went wrong with the plan: one of the guys didn’t pay attention, and led the group to the entrance. In spite of some first-rate blagging skills from my friend, we were given an outright ‘no’ from the obnoxious lady with the clipboard (you know the one). Turned away but not defeated, another taxi ride later, and we stumbled into a regular haunt of my friends, the Mein Haus am See.
I smiled on seeing the bar filled with old sofas and elevated seating areas. It screamed charm, warmth and individuality. At past 6am in the morning, it was beautifully empty, albeit a few patrons scattered at the top, seemingly none the wiser that daylight was just around the corner. And so here is where we stayed for the next few hours. Mein Haus am See (Brunnenstraße 197-198), with the retro sofas, the separate (thankfully) smoking room, the disco lights in the ladies toilets, and above all, the 24-hour bar.
So I salute and thank you Berlin for giving me a taste of your wonderfully eclectic range of night/morning offerings. While the bags under my eyes the following afternoon resembled that of a bruised boxer, and every body part and hair follicle reeked of cigarettes, it is an experience I will never forget. And that for me is what travel is all about.
We all know that the ideal travel partner can make the world of difference between having a mediocre trip and an unbelievably fabulous one so check out EscapeMates: Running biweekly events in central London locations, EscapeMates is a novel yet enjoyable way to meet like-minded people and potentially cross the path of your next travel mate.
Don’t miss….
Butchers cocktail bar and speakeasy: An underground converted slaughterhouse with an entrance through an English telephone box at the back of a Currywurst shop! (Torstraße 116 (Rosenthaler Strasse)
Neue Odessa Bar: Painfully hip, happening hang-out for after-hours Berlin (Torstraße 89)
– See more at: http://www.followingtherivera.com/#!/2014/03/27/berlin-night/
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