Wednesday 22 May 2013

Brr Brr Berlin

Did I mention how f*cking cold it is here in Berlin? I know I live at the equatorial line but for some reason 7 degrees here in Berlin feel so damn cold I couldn’t stay outside more than an hour.  I had to keep ducking into building to warm up and where the hell is that German Beer I hear so much about. (I now know Bavaria is where the beer is !!!) Being well near Christmas did not help as well.

Sadly the cold was one of the reason why I left Berlin under explored. The brief time I was there however was spent walking around in circles outside just visiting and marveling on a good job on how they manage to match the old and the new totally together. On one side you see a old building full with ornaments and on the other a totally modern crazy futuristic building. 

I somehow know this post wont do Berlin Justice and would have to in future re visit this place to soak in  the moment. Ironic thou the hostels was cheaper than the one in Prague; must be the winter season.

Berlin Cathedral
Fast Pace Sightseeing ( Due to COLD )
Holocaust Memorial

The history of Germany with the WWII and the internal cold war and divisions is hard to miss. The Holocaust memorial was like a solemn place but a wonderful playground for children playing hide and seek. They don’t explain the history to it other than state it was a memorial. A gruesome one which in my opinion information best left to those who seek it. In a way it was peaceful with many tourist visitors and most locals dun pay any mind to it other than a side glance once a while. 

My stubborn refusal to pay to enter a museum kicked in and ended up just wondering around the beautiful old compound of the building. Due to my lack of German history I could not tell if these building were indeed survivor of the old times or reconstructed as it was. Still it was a pretty sight just walking around Berlin


DO NOT GET LOST IN THE PARK …..

Roundabout In The Middle
There is a huge park east of the Berlin Wall which is enormous with four main road leading to the center roundabout and one of em to the famous Brandenburg Gate. The main gate where people could go from east to west Berlin during the Cold War if you have the proper documentations. The park … which I got lost in … was so huge I thought I was in the jungle for a moment. Good thing the map shows it was surrounded by civilization.


To the north of the Brandenburg Gate lies the Berliner Dom which I will need to visit again. Apparently you could go in …. for free …. But will require a online booking in advance of at lease a week. Still looks damn amazing from outside in my opinion. Still the cold was getting to me so everything was not as interesting as they should be.




Brandenburg Gate

My Casino Venture in Berlin

So far the luck I had in casino in cashing out money was good. So when I stumble across a casino somewhere on the east side of Berlin amid all the shopping area I gave up trying to be a goody good boy.

Casino is my friend.
Whenever I am bored you are there for me
Whenever I am cold you are there for me
Whenever I need money you give me hope
When I need a free toilet you provide with no doubt
Sometimes you even treat me to drinks and meals
I don’t know what I do without you

This round in the casino was a wake up call for me. I went in and less then half an hour I had lost 300 euro. Maybe it was the cold wet weather that was getting to me for I could not focus and was gambling purely on luck. No calculated risk, no studying of pattern, NO PATIENCE.

So I did something stupid when I was down 300 euro and threw balance of my money down onto a 33% chance of winning dozen bet in roulette. I manage to recover portion but was still down 200 euro. My stupidity continue and 200 euro was again placed in the dozen bet and by some crazy luck I won and now had a 300 euro earnings. Good thing was I suddenly realized how dangerously I was gambling without control and called it quits while I had some winnings.

At lease I had learn my lesson from Prague … I walk out with the money this time

Saturday 4 May 2013

Graffiti Galore at Berlin

I had heard about the Berlin Walls and the section they kept for memorial. Fellow traveling friends along the way told me it was beautiful as it was painted in graffiti but what I did not knew was Berlin was already filled with art not just the walls. Weird art with hidden meaning. Kinda suited my dark humor type of leisure.




It's said that they change the graffiti every few years ....

The east facing side is painted with deep symbolic meaning while he west facing side was left to be ugly with dirt graffiti and chewing gums.

Picture tells a thousand words rite ….. enjoy :)









Graffiti On the Side of a Building

West side of the Berlin Wall


Chewing Gums on the West Side of The Berlin Wall