Berlin whimsy
Berlin was the host for the second leg of the IJP conference, and once again we embarked on a whistlestop tour of politicians and spin doctors, pausing only for the odd sandwich. I've been to Berlin before and there are few European cities with more to offer for fans of history, art, theatre and music.
But, if high culture leaves you cold, here are my insider tips for the best things to see and do in Berlin.
1. The Hounds of the U-Bahn - These vicious beasts are best viewed from a distance. Preferably behind bullet-proof glass. They patrol the underground, dragging uniformed transport police behind them, their slavering jaws clamped shut by muzzles which, i can only imagine, are made of titanium. The muzzles came into use after a particularly persistent Schwarzfahrer jumped one queue too many.
2. The Rubbish Rifflers - A breed of smartly-dressed gentlemen who walk the streets peering into every nearby dustbin, rummaging around, then going to the next like some sort of refuse bee. At first i assumed they were tramps, but they are far too smartly dressed for that.
Germany being what it is, i assume they belong to a fearsome, many-tentacled (and made up) organisation called the Quasi-Stasi, who are checking to see if the Germans are really recycling as much as they claim to be. Should one of these fearless lawmen come across a rogue glass bottle, he dusts it down for fingerprints, then kicks down the door of the perpetrator in the middle of the night. The offending litterbug is then 'disappeared.'
3. The Gleisdreieck Triangle - Some say it's due to an ancient tribal burial ground far beneath Berlin, others say it's the result of building works...but Venture onto the semi-mythical U2 underground line at your peril. An uninitiated adventurer could find themselves going back and forth betweem Gleisdreieck and Potsdamer Platz for the rest of eternity, too committed to the journey to get off. Although they'd have to be pretty stupid not to notice. Right?
4. The Rum Trader - A dimly lit bar roughly the size of a postage stamp serving, amongst other things, some of the best rums in the world. An old-fashioned barman in a tuxedo serves you your drink with a courteous nod, although anyone with elbows may have to venture outside to drink it.
5. The lobby of the Radisson SAS Hotel - Travellers at a loose end can relax here watching the fish swim round and round the huge aquarium that dominates the middle of the room. The staff are know for their tolerance of bored bloggers with another four hours to go until their flight.
Berlin was the host for the second leg of the IJP conference, and once again we embarked on a whistlestop tour of politicians and spin doctors, pausing only for the odd sandwich. I've been to Berlin before and there are few European cities with more to offer for fans of history, art, theatre and music.
But, if high culture leaves you cold, here are my insider tips for the best things to see and do in Berlin.
1. The Hounds of the U-Bahn - These vicious beasts are best viewed from a distance. Preferably behind bullet-proof glass. They patrol the underground, dragging uniformed transport police behind them, their slavering jaws clamped shut by muzzles which, i can only imagine, are made of titanium. The muzzles came into use after a particularly persistent Schwarzfahrer jumped one queue too many.
2. The Rubbish Rifflers - A breed of smartly-dressed gentlemen who walk the streets peering into every nearby dustbin, rummaging around, then going to the next like some sort of refuse bee. At first i assumed they were tramps, but they are far too smartly dressed for that.
Germany being what it is, i assume they belong to a fearsome, many-tentacled (and made up) organisation called the Quasi-Stasi, who are checking to see if the Germans are really recycling as much as they claim to be. Should one of these fearless lawmen come across a rogue glass bottle, he dusts it down for fingerprints, then kicks down the door of the perpetrator in the middle of the night. The offending litterbug is then 'disappeared.'
3. The Gleisdreieck Triangle - Some say it's due to an ancient tribal burial ground far beneath Berlin, others say it's the result of building works...but Venture onto the semi-mythical U2 underground line at your peril. An uninitiated adventurer could find themselves going back and forth betweem Gleisdreieck and Potsdamer Platz for the rest of eternity, too committed to the journey to get off. Although they'd have to be pretty stupid not to notice. Right?
4. The Rum Trader - A dimly lit bar roughly the size of a postage stamp serving, amongst other things, some of the best rums in the world. An old-fashioned barman in a tuxedo serves you your drink with a courteous nod, although anyone with elbows may have to venture outside to drink it.
5. The lobby of the Radisson SAS Hotel - Travellers at a loose end can relax here watching the fish swim round and round the huge aquarium that dominates the middle of the room. The staff are know for their tolerance of bored bloggers with another four hours to go until their flight.
posted by Rob Davies at 1:14 PM
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