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Anonymous
Hey /trv/,

going to Berlin in July or August, and I want YOU to tell me what to do there. As I've already been there, I've drawn to lists what I want to do and what I don't want to do.

What I DON'T want to do/see (again):
--------------------------------------------------

- Zoologischer Garten (The zoo)
- Jewish Museum
- Checkpoint Charlie

Things I WANT to do:

---------------------------
- KaDeWe
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>> Anonymous
>>Go to the Brandenburger Tor and down a coffee at Starbucks's (if it's still there)
I think so. At least I was told so by a relative, who has already gone there this year. Best Starbucks ever - no contest.

Maybe a trip to Potsdam (Sanssouci).
>> Anonymous
>>34244

Thanks. I went to see Sanssouci last time, not that big of a deal IMHO. When you've seen Versailles...
>> Anonymous
bump
>> Anonymous
>>34244
I would also recommend Potsdam...

As for nightclubs... MATRIX!!!!!! awesome club, but drinks are expensive (as with every club i guess)
>> Anonymous
your brother will be able to get into clubs, at least before midnight.

topography of terror seems like a gimmicky concept but is actually worthwhile, and quite moving.

its worth wandering through the holocaust museum

what kind of music do you like?
>> Anonymous
Was in Berlin about 2 years ago this spring.

KaDeWe, kinda overrated, its like a Lord & Taylor/Macys with grocery store at the top. Very expensive, but worth touring it. I bought a small chocolate box there and it was like 15 euro.

Topography of Terror, very interesting, it is kind of a let down when you first get there and you see what it is, but once you finish it, it is very moving. I wish they would finish it

The Stazi (spelling?) Museum is interesting if your into that type of history about the East German secret police. Be warned, there is NO english translations, all German

May do the Fat Tire Bike Tour or the Pub Crawl. They're at the bottom of that tower thingy that has a ball at the top.

Go to Ulandstrasse at the end of...I think it is the green line. I know the other end of line is Warshauer Strasse, at Uland, there is a lot of good stores of different types, out away from the touristy areas, so you get to see read stuff.
>> Anonymous
berlin has excellent walking tours, in english. very cheap too - tips only
>> Anonymous
>>34327

>>your brother will be able to get into clubs, at least before midnight.
I really don't think so, I've already checked some websites of clubs, and they all say to bring some ID, and he really, really doesn't look 18, rather 15 or 16..

>>topography of terror seems like a gimmicky concept but is actually worthwhile, and quite moving.
yeah I think I'm gonna check that out

>>its worth wandering through the holocaust museum
what's that? the holocaust memorial? i don't really find it on google, but I remember seeing something like that the last time (but I was like 16 then, I'm 20 now)
Don't you happen to know some café where you can get in at 16? something that's worth to go to, that has that special "Berlin-flair"

>>what kind of music do you like?
I love electronic music (stuff like alex gopher, tiefschwarz, etc. (minimal techno, etc.). do you know a music store where I can buy some cool CDs I don't get anywhere else?

>>34361

>>KaDeWe, kinda overrated, its like a Lord & Taylor/Macys with grocery store at the top. Very expensive, but worth touring it. I bought a small chocolate box there and it was like 15 euro.

Anyway, I don't think I would buy there big time, can't afford. But I wanna see some cool stores where you can buy cool stuff for reasonable prices, you know, pricing category like ZARA or so, but rather stuff I can't buy anywhere else (if you get what I mean)
>> Anonymous
>>Topography of Terror, very interesting, it is kind of a let down when you first get there and you see what it is, but once you finish it, it is very moving. I wish they would finish it

OK, gonna try that.

>>The Stazi (spelling?) Museum is interesting if your into that type of history about the East German secret police. Be warned, there is NO english translations, all German

I speak German, so no problem. where is that?

>>May do the Fat Tire Bike Tour or the Pub Crawl. They're at the bottom of that tower thingy that has a ball at the top.

Hm I don't think so, but I think I'm going to do a bus tour, I'm only gonna be there for 3 days :/

>>Go to Ulandstrasse at the end of...I think it is the green line. I know the other end of line is Warshauer Strasse, at Uland, there is a lot of good stores of different types, out away from the touristy areas, so you get to see read stuff.

What make this street so special? Do you know of any other streets with more "underground" stores? (check above what I wrote...)

Thanks guys!
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Kreuzberg

thats all
>> Anonymous
>>34446

I don't want to die.
>> Anonymous
>>34449
you wont

seriously, there is no excuse to miss out on kreuzberg, especialy since you seem so interested in the underground scene.
>> Anonymous
>>34453

OP here, post above wasn't me, so what's there to see in Kreuzberg?

Although, I HAVE heard there's often some turmoil between ethnic groups (Turks and Kurds and so on)?
>> Anonymous
>>34456
kreuzberg is the cultural Centre, more bars clubs and scene shops than in any other hood, also underground scene and squatters.
if you are not there on may 1st, you wont have problem with riots.
>> Anonymous
>>34458
can you recommend anything specific? i'm a bit lost, as i'm only gonna be there for 3 days, so i need to plan a lot beforehand!
>> Anonymous
>>34459
the SO36 in oranien strasse, its a legendary punk club, even if you are not into that scene you got to check it out.

kreuzberg offers too much actually,
just do some club/bar hopping there.
>> Anonymous
>>34439
you can get into clubs in germany if you're 16, before midnight afaik. if you find that this is the case, then ditch him after midnight.

i havent spent huge amounts of time in berlin, but there's heaps of minimal in all german speaking countries, especially germany in this regard i'd have to say berlin is better than detroit. idk about cd stores - buying cds is a waste of time, as just about anything you can buy on a cd you can just dl. if you are into vinyl then its a different story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_to_the_Murdered_Jews_of_Europe - it wasnt there 4 years ago

there are ZARA stores in berlin, but thats not what you were asking. the place has heaps of places that sell good cheap clothes, just look around. i'm sure i dont have to tell you that berlin is a very cheap city - a melting pot that brings the best of east and west europe

rather than take a bus tour just get on bus 100. it takes the same routes as the tours but costs 2 euro rather than 15 and leaves from bahnhof zoo at one end (which is also worth visiting for historical reasons [lol lolis]).

having said this, i still recommend taking a walking tour, perhaps on the first day there. you only pay a tip, and the people running them are locals, so they can likely answer many of the questions you're asking here

visit the stasi museum. its worth speaking even if you dont speak german. its at the former stasi headquarters. UTSFE to find the address.

out of interest, whats your native tongue?
>> Anonymous
>>34465
>>you can get into clubs in germany if you're 16, before midnight afaik.
That's about to be changed, but I don't know if in all of Germany.
>> Anonymous
if you dont get a walking tour, then check out couchsurfing and find someone who is local. many people will be willing to meet up for coffee, even if you dont stay with them.

planning is key. i was lucky enough to get someone who lives in kreuzberg, and later someone who lived between karl marx allee and ostbahnhof.

if you're there a short period of time, check out the watergate (a club on the river spree). its kinda cheezey and commercial but still worth a visit.
>> Anonymous
>>34465

ok thanks. so where should i begin? i'm probably going to stay at the metropolitan hansa hotel, but i'm not sure where i should head first (concerning shopping - culture and sightseeing, i'll be ok, it's just that i'd like to know some shops that are gems which you'd never see if you didn't ask around beforehand..

my native tongue is luxembourgish, which is very (very) close to german, but a real language nonetheless (and a real country... ;-) )
>> Anonymous
>>34481
oooh, I love you and your cheap gasoline, and booze!
best regards, anon from Trier.
>> Anonymous
>>34481
yes, yes, we are all very impressed with your big country. you have a royal family and everything! that makes you almost as important as monaco. you should learn from them and open some more casinios - with the eu weakening your tax haven status and everything ;) only a benelux fag would think you need 3 royal families and 4(lolwait more) languages for 25million people. but seriously, how distinct is luxembourgish from standard german? i know swiss german is all messed up to standard german speakers. is the difference greater than that between dutch and limburgish? or afrikaans? frisian? for that matter, do you speak dutch (or more likely, french?)

anyway, start by taking your bro to brandenburger tor. go to the starbucks and get a coffee. at 11am and 1pm, people will appear looking for someone to show around the city for free, tips only. it takes 3 or 4 hours but youll see a lot of shit, and its a lot of time to be hanging out with a local. they leave daily.

alternately, skip starbucks and go to the dunkin donuts outside bahnhof zoo at 10.30/12.30. same tour, starting on the west. this is much closer to your hotel, but if you do this you wont get to visit the starbucks at das tor, which is one of your WANTs. 2 birds with 1 stone etc. i would do this first as it will get a lot of the sightseeing out of the way before you start, and you wont be left with that lingering feeling like you should have seen more. the tourguides will be able to give you more than enough info thats not in the tour about other sites to see.

these tours are english tho - you might want to look into german speaking ones (but english ones are catered for international tourists, so are probably your best bet)
>> Anonymous
>>34489cont
in all honesty, you are not looking in the right place for this advice - the best you can hope for is to get lucky (which you may) and find someone with the same interests as you, who just happens to know about the city you are going to. this board is growing, but is still relatively obscure. if you extract one of the variables, you will have a better chance of finding what you're looking for. if you want to know about music, ask in a music forum etc.

i'd also strongly suggest finding people to hang out with, or even people to just ask online questions to on couchsurfing. this effectively removes another variable (ie only people in berlin). they are generally more than willing to help out, and i've had people who couldnt host me just come to hang out and show me around their city before. they are locals, and you can screen their interests first. there is a huge cs community in berlin, and i'm sure you will find someone who likes similar things to you there. my time in berlin was mainly with these sort of guides, so i cant really give you explicit names of places. even if i could, you're better off finding someone who you know has interests that line up closer to yours

i'm a native anglophone, and there's a lot of cultural shit that goes along with that
>> Anonymous
>>34484

lol, but FUCK YOU i live in wasserbillig and i'm going to die of cancer because of your exhaust fumes ;) (actually, it's true)

>>34489

yeah yeah, i'm not a monarchist, calm down;) anyway, luxembourgish is definitely more different from german than swiss

thanks for the advice, i might take such a walking tour

>>34490

ok, i'll try couchsurfing, just googled it, didn't know it before
>> Anonymous
>>34491
yeah i probably should have just pointed you toward google in the first place :P
sign up for couchsurfing and i'll drop you a line when i'm next in wexxonbillig ;)

wtf do you mean you're not a monarchist? if i were you i'd be doing my damndest to marry that alexandra, and then uphold the status quo. you could do a lot worse - though her brothers look like tools. if you dont, she'll probably marry cousin william and have criminally good looking kids
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>34494

because she's not really hot, and because i don't like my father's taxes, and my futures taxes, going to the grand-duke, while i could spend that money myself.

moreover, she's going to marry a royal anyway.
>> Anonymous
>>34495
I'd hit it.
>> Anonymous
>>34495
ther'es no reason you cant become a prince a few days before you get married.
if thats the worst photo of her you can find, then i rest my case. i'd say that she's destined to end up like princess stephanie, but it does appear that your royals do have a bit more class than that.

i think you are a bit confused. do you honestly think that if the monarchy was overturned, you would be taxed less? or would the taxes likely fuel the excessive lifestyles of other politicians? i'm by no means a monarchist, but i think you're delusional. the family would be just as rich, and almost as influential, and your taxes would not go down. you arent even unreasonably taxed at the moment
>> Anonymous
>>34499

well, I wrote a huge retort (about europe-america conflict, disparity of social classes, etc), and finally came to the conclusion that I AM delusional, believing in the "good" in human nature, and then my PC (my mother's vista actually, I'm a macfag myself) decided to crash, so, let's forget about it and return to berlin ;)

anyway, i found a nice page about for berlin for young people, but apparently it's in english only (i think)

http://www.visitberlin.de/bock_auf_berlin/index.php

so, i've gathered a nice little list so far with things i want to do/see in berlin, and i'm gonna post it later or tomorrow (if this thread is still there then), when i'm back on my computer

if you have any other suggestions, just post them, thanks anyway, you've been of great help!
>> Anonymous
>>34516
whilst i follow the notion that there is basic 'good' in human nature, there is also overpowering 'greed'. and i'm not american. and you just told me you use a mac for no reason. do you care what os i'm using? :P

i think you meant deutsch only. but sort it out, post what you've found. the thread will still be here - how big do you think this board is? there's barely even been 10 pages of material posted here ;)

i would still recommend finding locals on cs, and doing the walking tour first up. and the jew/stasi shit. but i look forward to seeing the plan you put together - and some post from the other side. when's the trip?
>> Anonymous
>>34524

yep, deutsch only, sry ;) i told you i was a mac user because i got hugely annoyed when my mother's pc (which is NEW and uses VISTA) crashed, and my mac has never done that;) but well, whatever, it's not important.

i'm back at my place now, but i've got to study, so i'll post my little list later (i want to split it up in some categories)

the trip's going to be (probably) july 10-13, very short :-/
>> Anonymous
My "what-to-do" list:

>> 1° CULTURE & "CULTURE"

- Brandenburger Tor
- Topography of Terror
- Stasi Museum
- Walking tour
- bus tour (maybe with Linie 100)

>> 2° SHOPPING

- KaDeWe
- Zara
- (find a) Bookstore with second-hand books
- (find a) Big record store with second-hand CDs and vinyls
- Ku'Damm + back roads around it
- Uhlandstrasse (i heard there was a lot going on)
- Bergmannstrasse and Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg (idem)
- berlinerklamotten (i read it was a cool store)
- to die for (idem)
- haeftling (idem)
- depot2wei (idem)
- Berlinomat (idem)
- Eisdieler (idem)
- "maassen 10" (or sth like that // idem)
- thatchers (idem)

- Alexa Shopping Center
- the stores at the Hackescher Höfe in Berlin Mitte
- Prenzlauer Berg

>> 3° EATING & DRINKING

- Some cool cafe to play pool, etc.
- Starbucks
- Dunkin' Donuts
- eat a Currywurst, yeah..
- Burger King (none in my country :( )

>> 4° OTHER

- Take my bro to the university, he might go there
- Take a lot of cool pictures
>> Anonymous
>>34579
thats quite a bit of stuff there - lots of shopping. this might be a stupid question, but what do you mean 'idem'? if you take a bus tour (and i recommend you do - it will only take half an hour or so and you see a lot of shit) then just take line 100, unless you want to pay 10-15 euro each extra for a voiceover. it is exactly the same route, and you have been to berlin before so you probably know what a lot of the stuff is anyway (and if youve done the walking tour it would be a nice recap i guess). just get on at the start of the line (which is close to your hotel) so you get a seat at the front/top

what is the purpose of your trip? to take your brother to the university? (is he trying to get into humboldt?) will your parents be there too? will it be possible to stay on a few extra days, if you find your own accommodation (free, ie couchsurfing), or do you have work/other commitments? even if you dont intend on staying longer, find someone who shares your common interests on cs - it is ALWAYS worth getting a local's perspective.

do you want to try and get into some clubs, or not bother? i've heard conflicting things about getting into clubs if you're 16, but similar to anywhere, people do get let in regardless of the law. in this respect try berghain&panorama. the place has cult status and is gay, so if your bro is good looking and dressed fashionably you'd still have a good chance of getting in (esp since you speak german). it would be an experience if nothing else - hopefully i dont need to tell you that gay clubs dont just have gay people in them. if you dont like the idea of a gay place, try watergate and/or tresor
>> Anonymous
>>34636cont
the issue as far as i can tell is the curfew that germany imposes - kids 16-18 can be out unsupervised until midnight, but after that need supervision from a parent/guardian. it might be worth getting your parents to sign a note saying he has their permission to be out under the supervision of his elder brother outside curfew time (just dont tell them you're going to gay clubs ;) ). i must stress that if you do go out, be careful, as staying up all night will likely wipe out half a day to a day of prime shopping/sightseeing time, and it seems that shopping is one of your main priorities

i only mentioned dunkin donuts because its the meeting point for the tour that meets on the west. if you want to go there otherwise then fine, but its nothing special other than i think it has a great internet cafe upstairs.

burger king is shit, but if you like shitty american fast food then i guess itll be great
>> Anonymous
>>34636

by "idem" i meant that for all those other shops i want to go, it's the same as above ("idem" means same), meaning "i read it was a cool store", by which i was implying that i ONLY read that, and if the shop sucked in reality, you could tell me.

the purpose of my trip is basically just see berlin, but he MIGHT be interested in the HU or the TU (he has no idea what he wants to study, so he'll just check what a university looks like.

my parents won't be there and no way to stay longer, cause i start working at my summer job on the 14th..

about the clubs, i don't think i'll bother, i might go to cocoon club in frankfurt during holiday with a buddy who's 20 y-o too, and maybe return to berlin with some other older friends some time soon, so.

problem is i love BK and DD, so i just HAVE to go there;)

do you think we need a parental permission to go to some bar until 12 or 1 am?
>> Anonymous
Go to some music bars and then theres a big Irish pub near saviniplatz that's good. I forget how you even spell half the places sorry. =/
>> Anonymous
bump, need MOAR (if there is more to say) i don't want to miss out on something uber important
>> Anonymous
>>34361Same-fag here

The Stazi/Stasi Museum? Hell I have no idea where that is. I just know we got there one day by taking some trollies and walking a few blocks...
But....GOOGLE TO THE RESCUE
http://www.stasi-museum.de/en/enindex.htm
>> Anonymous
>>34927
Forgot to mention also, when we went, they let us sit in chairs and stuff there also (the ones that should be behind the impenetrable velvet rope. They had maybe only a 1/3 of the items roped off
>> Anonymous
>>34708
i guess idem is a german thing? or is it unique to luxembougish? or am i completely missing something?

i havent been to half those shops, and even if i had, our tastes would likely differ. one man's trash is another's treasure. additionally, i would recommend only going to shops you care about to start with. ie, unless you care a lot about handbags, if you dont need a handbag, there are very few handbag shops that are worth visiting. get what im trying to say?

encourage your bro to try and get in to one of those schools - ive heard they're not that easy to get into due to the high youth population in berlin, but since he speaks german it will help him greatly. if he gets in, you'll always have a place there to crash ;)

i'm going to say it - 3 days isnt enough time to really see berlin. if you want to come close, you are going to have to be very very busy, and either not sleep or miss out on either the nightlife or sightseeing. since your bro is underage, i guess itll be the nightlife. most young males like things like war more than art museums etc. i like both, and am from australia where we arent really spoilt for choice in that regard, so those things have taken up a lot of my time when traveling in europe. luckily i find it very enjoyable to wander around modern art museums, or checking out architecture, while spaced out from clubbing the night before.

currywurst(or even doner)>BK or DD imo, but each to their own

i dont think youll have a problem with curfew, but just keep in mind that if a bouncer, cop, etc, knows that he is under 18, he can be taken back to the hotel after midnight. if you only plan on being out til 1, it shouldnt be a big deal anyway
>> Anonymous
OP here, thanks, my HDD crashed and my laptop was in repair until today

erm, "idem" is latin btw, but still, it's quite commonly used i think!? it just means "same", when you want to repeat a statement
>> Anonymous
well, i've never seen (read: noticed) it, but my dictionary says its used in citations to indicate an author who's already been mentioned. either way it's not common in english

so you bitch when your mum's pc crashes and you lose a post, but your mac dies for a week and you think it's normal? :P

sage for offtopic