Wo ist mein Werwolf? Part Three

Our last full day in Berlin was Sunday. I hate last days. Anyway, we started the day as we meant to go on.. with a currywurst from Curry 36!! Despite the rain, today was the day to be a proper tourist, so we made our way to the Brandenburg Gate.

As soon as we got out of the U-Bahn station we found ourselves in the middle of a tourist bedlam (and weirdly a group session of people meditating for peace). The tacky side of the tourist industry was very much on display here with Turkish men dressed as Commissars and Red Army troops, ready to have their picture taken or stamp your passport with a DDR stamp (for a price of course). It was extremely depressing, given that this place was the setting for a great deal of deeply moving history, to see the area abused in this way.

After this underwealming experience we went to the Reichstag, which several people had recommended to me. Don't get me wrong, the architecture of the new dome is astounding and the history of the building is fascinating. But was it worth an hour and half long queue? No. It wasn't. I learnt more reading the free pamphlet they give it in the queue about the current workings of the Bundestag, than I learnt in the brief time I was on the roof. Next time I would love to book to see inner workings of the Bundestag, but if you've got a limited time in Berlin I suggest you enjoy this building from outside. It'll be far more satisfying.

After finally getting away from the Reichstag, we headed to Potsdamer Platz. Very modern and nice, but our meal at Corroboree (an Australian restaurant) of crocodile, kangaroo and blackened chicken was a major disappointment.

After what felt like a rather deflating morning we headed back to the apartment for a brief rest before we headed back out again with one mission in mind... go to Prenzlauer Berg and get drunk. We headed to our newest favourite watering hole, Thüringer Stuben, and settled in for a meal. The English language menu was... amusing. But despite the unintentionally hilarious English, the real shock was the food. It looked like hearty Thuringian fare and I didn't know whether to be excited or worried.

I ordered home made tomato soup, with home made bread, a venison gulash and for dessert apfel krapfen. For an out of the way pub what followed was truly amazing. The food was absolutely divine. Helped down with ever more Thuringian beer, and eaten in the pleasant company of a rather cute barman, it was a really lovely evening and even when Jim didn't have money to pay the bill (they don't accept cards, meaning I love them even more being an old fashioned cold hard cash sort of a man myself) it was all good.

Back to Mehringdamm and another drink in the Vogt's Bier Express and yet another currywurst at Curry 36.

And then it was Monday and once more the dream of a different life in another country was brutally extinguished by something called reality. Berlin. I loved you!

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist