Weekend in the city

Last weekend was filled with some of my favourite things; Berlin (a nice change to be in a busier place now I'm living in such a small town), friends, sunshine, old East German bars, second hand shops, breakfast at my favourite Cafe Fleury, a lazy Sunday at Mauerpark flea market. Definitely worth the 12+ hour bus trip.

Comfort zone

Photos from my time in Berlin. I had a long train trip south today to think about how nice the last two weeks were and how at home I felt there. Tonight I'm in a new apartment in a strange town where they speak a funny dialect and haven't met anyone... I'm sure I will soon enough, but for now I'm longing for the comfort of good friends, a beer and a burger (really, is there anything more comfortable than that?).


PS. If ever in Berlin, TRY the goat's cheese and onion marmalade burger at White Trash Fast Food - Schönhauser Allee 6-7, Berlin

Brunch

I don't know whether it's because Saturday nights here run well into the next morning and involve a lot of beer, or because all shops come to a stand-still on Sundays and they have nothing better to do, but Germans do breakfast exceptionally well. Thanks to my Instagram feed consisting 80% of Germans living in Berlin and Sandra Juto's excellent Berlin Guide, I knew that on this visit I had to go for breakfast at Cafe Fleury. Colourful plates presented with just the right amount of kitsch, hearty, fresh (bread still warm from the oven!),  varied - this was a real brunch, one that you knew would definitely last you till dinner and provides you with enough energy to brave a -7 degree day at Mauerpark flea market.

Cafe Fleury
20 Weinbergsweg
Berlin Mitte

Potsdam

Potsdam. I love this place so much, I almost get emotional writing about it. I spent one of my happiest years here, and it really felt like coming home when I arrived at the station. I can't decide whether I'd rather live in Berlin or 25 minutes away in Potsdam. Berlin has all that nitty-gritty, raw culture. Potsdam is romantic, rich,  aesthetically pleasing.  Luckily (or unluckily?) I don't have to decide...

Since I took these photos a thick blanket of snow has covered Potsdam. I signed up for my first half-marathon in Salzburg in May (eeek) and have been going for morning jogs (in the snow) through beautiful Park Sanssouci, passing no less than three castles. Man I'm privileged. 
It's been ages since I posted anything - apart from being busy, internet has been really hard to come by. I've got so much to share and will do so as soon as I get to more reliable internet in a week or so.


Aside: I bought the High Highs' new album, Open Season, just before I left and it's been my soundtrack to walking in Potsdam's parks, train trips to Berlin and ride shares to Hamburg . It's beautiful and can really  recommend it. It's one of those albums you just have to listen to from start to finish - the tracks flow so seamlessly.

Europe calling

The lead-up to this trip has felt like so long. I've been on holidays (well, no uni anyway) for three months and I am so ready to go. First up is Berlin/ Potsdam, one of my favourite places in the world. While I'm there I'll be visiting Hamburg for a couple of days and hopefully Warsaw for a weekend. Then Austria for a semester - a little town in the alps, and lots of weekend trips to Zurich, Lake Constance, Interlaken, Salzburg, Munich, Milan... For Summer we're planning a cycling tour from Berlin to Copenhagen, then heading east to Istanbul, Greek islands, Albania and Romania.
What I really want from all this name-dropping are suggestions. What should I see, where should I eat, shop, jog? What are the must-sees off the beaten track and the must-avoids? (still trying to figure out which Greek islands to visit, deciding between Albania or Romania, deciding if Innsbruck is worth a visit....).
I'm excited for 2013.

DER OSTEN

Mustafas Gemüsekebap 
Mehringdamm 32 
Kreuzberg 

Berlin... it's a close 2nd as my favourite city. I'd well and truly caught Berlin fever after having lived very close to it in 2010 and I loved visiting it again last month. For the 8 days I was there the weather wasn't quite the 'Berlin summer' temperatures I had hoped for - swimming in lakes and eating endless cones of 80 cent gelato - but it was nonetheless amazing, and it feels bittersweet looking through these pictures again. Did I mention the super cheap, hearty food?

St. Gaudy Café 
Gaudystraße 1 
Prenzlauer Berg 
(Delicious, hearty vegetarian & vegan food - came back here a few times. Extra points for the cute American barista.)

Mauerpark Flohmarkt 
Sundays 
Bernauer Straße 
Mitte

Hackescher Markt Markets 
Thursdays & Saturdays 
Mitte