Berlin behind the wall
28th August 2015
Perhaps the only traditional tourist activity we did on our trip was a visit to the East Side Gallery; a graffiti memorial depicting the fascinating history of this once divided city. The wall, and the dark past that it represents, is hard to miss but why would you want to?! Berlin has taken it’s troubled background and used it to evolve into a city that celebrates love, art and freedom more than anywhere I have been before. Old death strips have been transformed into parks, magnificent wild gardens, and places bursting with life. This vibrancy fills the streets which are lined with musicians, performers and some of the coolest shops, bars and cafes that you will ever see.
One thing that quickly became quite clear was the incredible community spirit of Berliners. Although as diverse and multicultural as most modern capital cities, there is a real sense of pride to be from Berlin. This was no more apparent than in the trendy Kreuzberg district. Possibly one of the only European capitals where you will not find a Mcdonalds or Starbucks on every corner. Locals are so devoted to maintaining the areas authenticity that they have managed to discourage global chains from opening that they are willing to go to great extents to prevent it. A recent attempt to open a Subway restaurant was met with so much opposition, including daily vandalisation of the shop, that after only a few days they were convinced to give up and leave, and other big businesses seem to have followed suit. Not that I’m condoning illegal activities, but it shows the love they have for their city, as well as their integral rebellious spirit… something that is also quite clear from the tattooed walls of the city.
Looking around it’s hard to believe that graffiti is in fact illegal in Berlin and, if caught, you are left with a minimum €500 fine. However, the risk has definitely not put artists off taking to the streets to display their work. In fact, it’s probably harder to find a clean wall in Berlin. The whole city has become a gallery and love it or hate it you have to admire the guts and passion put into this art form. One of my favourite pieces was by an artist called JR from his ‘winkles of the city’ project. The below image (left) was plastered onto a huge building directly opposite a police station in central Berlin. Working in the dead of night, JR managed to create this wonderful piece right under the nose of the authorities trying to stop him. The project, which can also be seen in several other cities, uses portraits of the older generation posted onto buildings in which they had some sort of connection. They tell the stories of the individual that are sometimes forgotten. I think it’s a beautiful way to remember that history is made up of people’s stories rather than facts, figures and historical accounts.
Walking around you get a real sense of the 70s hippy spirit that never seems to have left Berlin. This is also reflected in the Berliner’s ‘green’ eating habits. I have never seen somewhere with so many vegan restaurants, markets and shops in my life! Being a bit of a foodie, this was my idea of heaven. We soon discovered Veganz; a market, come deli, come restaurant, come vegan shoe store (yes, a classically eclectic Berlin mix). And what a find! Although expensive in comparison to other eateries in the area, this vegan haven was so lovely that we ended up going back several times in our short stay. At just €9.90 for a huge bowl of delicious goodness, this ‘clean eating’ restaurant is not too much of a stretch even for the budget backpacker. I opted for the ‘Budha bowl’; a mix of wild rice, fresh greens and a ‘clean’ curry. It was unbelievable! The breakfasts, smoothies and cakes are equally as tasty and soon banish all those ‘eating grass’ health food stereotypes.
There is just so much discover! I haven’t even skimmed the surface of all our adventures, but I will resist sharing everything as this is a city that is made even better by stumbling across hidden gems and unbelievably cool parties and events. It’s not hard…believe me. So grab your passport, camera and a ‘why not’ attitude and uncover a city laced with a brilliant rebellious spirit.
Includes images sourced from www.ibtimes.co.uk and www.jr-art.net
