Propping up the wall (soooo frickin’ cold)

I always suspected that Berlin would evoke an emotional response given the part Germany played in the World Wars, but what I didn’t expect was the intellectual response it would engender instead. If you’ve been keeping up with my blog you might think that all I’ve been doing is drinking my way through Europe – but it’s my inalienable right to do that! I can scarcely give it credence that a world could exist where I didn’t have the freedom that I have. Of course this led to a discussion on the sort of person we would have been if we were born post WW II Berlin. I was certain I couldn’t have kept my mouth shut and would have been locked up if I hadn’t already thrown myself over the wall, while Chris reckons he would have taken the passive resistance route. I’m thankful we will never know the answer to that, but it’s a sobering thought.

Lumineers in Berlin

Of course this trip didn’t start out with so much introspection (predominantly fueled by alcohol it has to be admitted) – we were only in Berlin to see The Lumineers in concert and everything else was just an added bonus. However if the only thing we saw was The Lumineers then the trip would still have been worthwhile. They were fantastic and everything a live act should be. On our way back from the concert a busker just happened to be singing a Lumineers song in the subway which resulted in an impromptu chorus from passersby. All we needed to complete the experience was a flash mob.

The food highlight was the German tapas we had at Leibhaftig which was unexpectedly delicious. It was surprising the number of ways they could cook sausage. Obviously the lowest common denominator was in full effect when I tried to persuade the cook to trade his t-shirt for my hat simply because his shirt said “wanke beer”. I’m a little ashamed (and quite obviously Australian), but a couple of cocktails prior to this made me think it would be an awesome present for my nephew, Hamish. On second thought, Hamish may not have been so appreciative of a second hand t-shirt ripped from a stranger’s body after a night of drinking, but it’s the thought that counts *lol*.

Foodie haunts:

• Leibhaftig – awesome German tapas and some pretty nice beer 😉
• Café Hermann Eicke – delicious bagels and free wifi
• Joris – good coffee