đ©đȘ Berlin: A City That Needs Slow Exploration
I squeezed in a trip to Germany recently, and realizedâI still vibe more with Paris đ. Paris feels crowded with tight streets, but its social interactions are free and casual; it gives off a vibe of vibrant energy, even if a little unordered. Germany, though, feels like itâs holding back a "crazy" energy that could burst anytimeâso many post-WWII echoes. Itâs probably better suited for travelers who love history đ. Aging Population & Serious Vibe The aging issue is way more obvious than I expectedâseniors are everywhere on the streets! It also feels like refugees and locals are almost 1:1. The overall atmosphere is super solemn đ. Not Clean at All!! A friend warned me Berlin would be "rural and dirty," but I didnât expect it to be this rural. The rivers are murky, streets are grimy, and there are so many half-abandoned, run-down corners. Even downtown, youâll find construction sites đïž, empty lots, and clouds of dustâitâs big, new-ish, but messy. The wide, long roads even remind me of Beijing đ. One-Note Attractions If you donât like history or know nothing about WWII, youâll be bored! I visited all the spotsâReichstag, guard postsâbut photos wouldâve been enough. The Berlin Biennale didnât wow me either; the curatorial concept was totally average. It even felt like a space to create jobs for seniorsâall staff were gray-haired grandparents. They were nice, but the whole thing lacked energy đ„±. Limited Food Options German cuisine mostly relies on grilling and frying, with way less spice use than other European countries. Dishes usually lean on the ingredientsâ original flavor, plus a squeeze of lemon đ. Surprisingly, the best meal I had these days was Japanese foodâtheir curry udon was authentic! I donât care for beer, so no comments there đ. Terrible Transportation Everyone knows German trains (DB) are unreliable, but the S-Bahn is just as badâsudden stops, random cancellations. On my last day rushing to the airport, I took the S9: Google said 45 mins, but it took nearly 1.5 hours! Pro tip: Leave way earlier if you need to catch a ride âïž. #LookUpForArt #BerlinTravel #WWIIHistory #BerlinWall #WanderRandomly #BerlinFarewell #WeekendGetaway #IndustrialKitsch