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The city has a lot to offer to travellers,from reminders of the Cold War to doner kebabs and lots of beer AS MY plane pierced the clouds floating below like a frozen Siberian lake, a city dotted with red- brick buildings and surrounded by blue lakes zoomed into view. That was my first glimpse of Berlin and I fell in love with it. As the plane touched down at Tegel airport my first reaction was how easy it was to get out of the place with just a couple of policeman taking a cursory look at my passport. And that was all. I had arrived in Berlin. Thankfully, there was somebody waiting to receive me, so I didn’t have to worry about reaching my destination. The thought of being stranded alone, I must confess, did cross my mind till I spotted my German friend at the arrival gate. I was happy to see him, to say the least, because my knowledge of their language was limited to “ Guten Morgen!”. LOOK TO THE RIGHT My first brush with Berlin roads an hour later could have been my last. The Germans drive to the left and oblivious to that I was merrily crossing a road looking to my left for traffic when a car zipped past from the “ wrong” direction, nearly scraping my nose. I had to make a mental note — keep to your right is the traffic mantra here. So here I was in Berlin, not really a regular tourist who comes for a few days, goes a whirlwind tour and then returns home. I was to stay in that city for two months, so I decided to be a Berliner even if only for two short months. We were a bunch of 15 hacks from a dozen different countries who had come there for a fellowship programme hosted by the International Institute of Journalism, funded by the German ministry of development and cooperation. That gave us the status of a near- state guest, and we were treated as such. We experienced German hospitality at its very best. I arrived in the city on a weekend, so the nearly empty streets came as no surprise. But even on a Monday, Berlin looked like Delhi on Sunday. I was not complaining, for the pleasure of walking on neat tree- lined pavements without having to jostle with others even in busy touristy areas was an experience that didn’t come easily. Summer had arrived in Berlin and nothing cheers up a Berliner more than a bright sunny day that stretches till nearly 10.30 in the night — which was another thing I had to get used to. It’s funny having dinner when it’s bright and sunny outside. So the days passed, attending classes at the institute till 5.30 in the evening on weekdays and making the most of the weekends trawling through the city and soaking in its umpteen sights. SENSE OF HISTORY Berlin is crowded with history that is intricately linked to the medieval period in Europe, the Second World War, the Cold War right up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 when the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, united with its socialist neighbours from the East. A walk along the portion of the Berlin Wall preserved near the parliament building of the state of Berlin and the place where Hitler’s Third Reich ministerial buildings once stood, is like experiencing history itself. The walk leads you to the famous border checkpoint between the former East and West Berlin — Checkpoint Charlie, the entrance to the American Quarter. The sandbagged checkpost with the photograph of an American soldier looking down at you from its high perch, stands as a reminder of an era when the world was staring at yet another world war as American and Soviet tanks stood face to face at this border checkpost. The words – “ You are leaving the American sector” – has become an iconic phrase. Tourists from across the world take back with them memorabilia that is engraved with this phrase along with broken bits of the erstwhile Berlin Wall that are sold at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. It’s a must- visit for those interested in Cold War history and in how people on both sides of the divided city struggled to be united again. Berlin is also known as the city of museums. Most of the famous museums, like the Bode, Pergamon and the German Historic Museum, are concentrated on an island formed by a tributary of the river Spree ( don’t forget to take a boat ride, you’ll really miss out on an experience) that flows through the city. The Museuminsel or the Museum Island has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. THE GATE TO UNITY Unter Den Linden is to Berlin what Champs- Elysees is to Paris. A walk down this treelined boulevard that’s dotted with sidewalk cafes and famous landmarks, like the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great, State Library, State Opera House, and the Humboldt University, takes you from the Museuminsel to the iconic Brandenburger Tor , the instantly recognisable monument known to us as Brandenburg Gate. Since the fall of the Wall, the gate has become the symbol of German unification. The ornate gate with four horses in a gallop is perhaps one of the most photographed landmarks of Berlin. Brandenburg Gate at night is another sight no tourist should miss. When you are there, don’t miss the famous Adlon Hotel made more famous by pop icon Michael Jackson. This was the place where he held his baby out of the balcony of his hotel suite. Beyond the gate is another landmark of Berlin — the Victory Column. It was recently in news when US President Barack Obama chose the spot to address thousands of Berliners who had gathered to hear him. The adjacent grounds are where the famous Christopher Day Parade gets thousands of gays and lesbians from across the world gather to toast the dream of a discrimination- free world. One cannot end an article on Berlin without talking about the beers, sausages, cheese and of course, the Doner Kebaps. If you don’t want to cook or don’t want to go to a restaurant ( living in Berlin is expensive if you don’t earn in euros), a Doner paired up with a couple of Becks or Berliner Pilsner will take care of your hunger. And don’t forget to check out the German wines, especially the Reislings. The Germans are better known for beers but their wines, which are produced mainly in the south, can be quite a treat. PALACE OF FANTASIES The word ‘ cabaret’ in India invokes sleazy images of scantily clad women gyrating on a dimly lit stage. So, if you’re in Berlin and you are told about a cabaret show that is the talk of the town, your mind conjures up some stereotypical images. But nothing prepares you for the show that is called Qi – Eine Palast- Phantasie . Yes, you got it right. It means “ a palace fantasy”. A snazzy three- hour show full of colour, scintillating dance sequences, mind- blowing stagecraft and laser lighting; in short, this cabaret show leaves you breathless. The Friederichstadtpalast, the setting for this musical, is the largest theatre stage in the world with seating for nearly 2,000 people. Its stage area is 2,200 square metres complete with an ice rink and a water basin that can transform the stage into a water ballet pool. The three- hour long show is a blend of various performing arts – ballet, figure skating, acrobatics, on- stage singing and magic shows, along with a few comedy sequences thrown in for relief. Nearly 80 per cent of the show is in English for the benefit of the largely international audience. The Friederichstadtpalast with its ballet company of 60 gorgeous men and women and a phenomenal orchestra gets nearly 600,000 visitors each year. This palace show is a grand attraction for Berliners and a must- see for all visitors to this beautiful city. The fabulously choreographed dance and ballet sequences performed by gorgeous dancers will keep you hooked till the end, leaving you asking for more. You can’t be in Berlin and miss the Qi show! |