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Old meets new in beautiful Berlin.
Where do I begin?
I have been alive for 7,151 days. I have spent exactly three of them outside of North America – the last three days. They have probably been the three of the most exceptional days of my entire life.
When we arrived in Berlin, I didn’t feel any different. The airport was nothing special. The taxi ride to the hotel was nothing special either – the scenery was certainly different but it seemed familiar in a way. As we ventured closer to the city and away from the outlying area where the airport was located I should have started to feel something. But I didn’t (possibly because I was too focused on the abundance of foreign cars I had never seen before). The feeling of being in some place special didn’t even hit me when we arrived in our hotel room.
Tempelhof -- Berlin's iconic Nazi-era airport, which ceased operations in 2008 -- is now home to thousands of Syrian refugees.
Instead, it hit me when my roommate Greg and I ventured out into the city shortly after our arrival. We had no idea where we were going or what we wanted to do. We didn’t even bring our cameras. I guess we just wanted to see what the city was all about.
I fell in love with the city. These two, on the other hand...
As we strolled these alien streets, I quickly fell in love with the city. The kaleidoscopic mix of historical, modern, and Soviet-era architecture was strange yet charming. You could see that this city has been through a lot. Its history is remarkable – we learned all about it on the bike and walking tours we did over the next couple of days.
Today, Berlin is thriving. I think that’s what I really fell in love with. The people here are probably the most tolerant I’ve ever encountered. The city’s complicated history and culture intertwine today in a multicultural environment that is always welcome to change. This is a place for artists and creative thinkers. That much is obvious just from the graffiti-covered walls that seemingly line every building.
Berliners are eccentric people. They also like to wear black.
I don’t feel like an outsider here. Our group of Americans sticks out like a sore thumb when we travel together, but when I’m alone or with a small group I feel at home. I’ve already been approached multiple times by people speaking German. I’m flattered that they think I’m one of them. I wish I was. This city has all the beauty, charm, and history of a European city. But it also feels more alive today than just about anywhere I’ve ever been. That atmosphere radiates from every corner restaurant to every street performer, from every historical monument to every beautiful building. Who wouldn’t want to be a Berliner?