Playing Host in Berlin

Thanks to a certain orange airline’s creation of a new route between Bristol and Berlin, I have had a constant flow of visitors since arriving here in September last year. Despite their reservations about contributing to climate change, (amazing how that 1, 99 euro fare can change the hardiest eco-warriors into European jetsetters), and the odd phobia of flying, I have been impressed to see how many have made it out for a weekend in the "Hauptstadt."

Aware that most of them weren’t just coming to spend time with me, (seeing as I only used to see some of them about once every six months when I lived in England), the pre-visit panic sets in nearly every Thursday.

What will they want to see? Are they arty or historical types? Will they get to see enough before the weekend’s over? The list goes on.

Friday around lunchtime I go out and buy a Zitty or Tipp (Berlin’s answer to Timeout), and spend hours working out an elaborate plan, which features a well-balanced mélange of cultural activities, sightseeing and a taste of Berlin’s famous nightlife.

Late night drinks

My plans, however never quite make it to fruition; the ratio of nightlife to sightseeing always seems to end up slightly uneven, thanks to Berlin’s 24-hour licensing law, which really does mean you can stay out all night, unlike in the UK, where it has translated into a handful of pubs staying open till 12 am.

This means that by the time all my guests have surfaced and showered and had cups of tea, I usually abandon the original plans and present them with the whistle-stop sightseeing tour: get the U-Bahn to Potsdamer Platz, walk from there to the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, before walking down Unter den Linden and back to Kreuzberg for some nice food.

Nobody ever really seems to mind, as although the statuesque Brandenburg Gate and the impressive parliament building elicit a few "oohs" and "aahs" from my guests, (especially at sunset, which is the earliest we have got there this winter), the real excitement is usually expressed elsewhere.

Setting priorities

The public transport, (“look, it actually comes when it says it will on the timetable”), creates quite a stir among the English guests but most interesting of all, is the reaction to the gastronomic delights of Berlin. I’ll be showing someone along the remains of the Wall, and sure enough: “Oh look, there’s that great falafel place we went to at three in the morning,” or my friend who I took to the Reichstag who spent 20 minutes taking photos of a Bratwurst stand next to it.

Blasphemous though it may seem, I can relate to this attitude, which is probably why all my friends are foodies. I always remember holidays by remembering what was on the menu and have spent lots of happy hours foraging in foreign supermarkets. This week, my boyfriend is in town, and I am making sure we aren’t doing anything too cultured: just a tour of Berlin’s finest eateries and the odd long walk round some sights to work up an appetite.