When I first arrived I was so overwhelmed! First it was just the heaviness of my bag. I’m pretty sure it was the dead weight if my wet laundry that had yet to dry. When I arrived by train we were on a low level, and I got off and saw this huge bus/train station but it was also very much like an airport with shops! My first step off the train was to see a German in military issued BDUs. I didn’t see a face but I noted the German flag. I sat down my things for two seconds to grab my atm card in like a back niche next to the mostly empty parking locker exit. After getting my euros I sat on the floor to strap myself back into my bag. I went to the visitor’s center and bought my bus ticket. I validated it and got a bit lost rounding the station trying to find a seemingly non-existant station 9. I asked a station police and they told me where to go – then I went to the wrong side of the tracks and then made it back to the right side.

I got on the train and after six stops I got off and sort if didn’t know where to go so I looked and found the bus I was to take. One thing I saw was this statue in the water, I suppose it’s still called a statue. It was tall and had two persons fighting and they were silloets and riddled with bullets. After 3 stops, one less before I was to get off, the bus emptied out and I was told it was the end of the line. Apparently I went the opposite direction.

When I arrived I found the place and it was next to the river. I rang the intercom bell listed as “blank” like the directions said. But no one answered. Someone was entering the building so I followed. I was greeted at the door by Oli and went inside. I was so exhaused by then.

His foyer and hallway, connected to the bathroom, kitchen, his female roommate, and the living room before deadending into his bedroom. The hall had a monitor to click on the light when someone entered. The living room was were the Swedish group of couchsurfers and a Japanese girl CS slept. I was to sleep on the floor in my sleeping bag. Which was cool with me since I was not the only guest.

Because I was tired I took an hour’s nap. When I got up we went to the grocery store to shop for dinner. The Japanese girl (Aki) was going to make Japanese chicken curry. Oli was going to make a specialty, which was like tomatos and motserella in a balsamic vinigerette. Both were delishious. For the dessert the Sweds made this yoghurt/melted icecream tasting dessert. I guess I need to learn more about cooking and making desserts!

That night they were going out to go clubbing but I conked out before they left. They were out until 7am. Unbelievable. I can go until 3, maybe 4 but not 7hrs.

But they were all nice, 3 girls and one guy, all younger than I. Doing sort of a off year before college, but they were 20. Everyone in Europe seem to be really skinny and dress well. They all left on Saturday.

Saturday morning I got up, took my usual shower and had some granola for breakfast. Aki joined me and eventually we walked to our bus stop. She was going one way, I think to the zoo, and I was going downtown to Check Point Charlie and the Berlin Wall.

She left before me and as I was waiting I realised I needed to use the WC. Except there wasn’t any. I recalled when we got off the bud there was a mini-mall. I say mini because there were probably only 30 shops in the two stories. I backtracked to it and went inside. I found the sign for WC and went to that direction but it was a loading area. Darn. So I went to go look at the map. It said it was there, right next to the elevators. I looked again. Hm. No. So I decided to check upstairs. Voilà. There it was. I hoped I didn’t have to pay. Hope hope hope. No! Fantastic! After the restroom I glanced around the mall before going back to the train stop.

I looked at my Metro Map (which I tore out of my heafty travel book and waited to get to the stop. I got out and I must say the only thing that really looks German in Berlin was this subway stop’s font. Unfortunately I did not get a picture.

I eventually walked my way to Checkpoint Charlie. Which is a total joke. Swarming in tourists, and shops. Shops trying to sell what I assume fake chips of the Berlin wall. I doubt there would be enough chips to last 20years worth of tourists. From there I decided I’d walk to the Wall. I think I missed the long wall, but I did see a part of the Wall. I had been walking around for so long. I asked for directions from a vender who knew English and Spanish so when I asked about the construction I talked in both languages since English want working out so well. They were building a Berlin Wall museum ontop of the SS buildings/remains.

After that I decided to walk to the Gate.  I forget the name but it’s Berlin’s gate. I found the holocaust memorial, with the gray slabs and hilly maze. I got there and hear the bumping of techno music and saw pink balloons. Apparently I found the GLBT Parade! Rather, it found me. I decide to walk around to follow it from the sidewalk. There were lots of guys in whitie-tighties and crossdressing, girls with the butch haircuts, and guys dressed a girls. One thing for sure, they have great music tastes!! There were signs, mostly in German but one said, “Where is my vote?” There was even a mourner in all black for Michael Jackson. And even MJ music playing a bit as well. Lots of fun. I walked the length of the strip of the street, all the way down to the golden angel traffic circle. Which was closed because of the parade, which was cool.

From there I took the nearest Metro Station, Tiergarten, which happened to be the one to take me home. Nice. So I took that back to the bus station then the his back to home at Treptower Park.   From there I took Bus 104 to my stop but forgot where the apartment was! I went the wrong way but remembered there was a party on the river so I looked over the bridge and found it then made my way back. I was buzzed in by Oli and went inside.

Packed and had some left overs for dinner. Aki eventually came back around 7pm, an hour after me. We sat in the kitchen and she remembered she bought mangos and I had never had mangos before. They taste like is mix between a peach and a pineapple. Good stuff. She also prepared a green apple and we had a few strawberries with chocolate. After taking about politics, rootbeer, fruit and the US I finished packing and Aki and I went to sleep.

This morning I got up at 7am. I took my shower and grabbed my things and left. I got on the bus then the Metro and arrived at the airport. I realized when I got to the airport that their check in was 40 mins before departure. And I had one minute. I was late by 4 minutes.  I was told to take my baggage with me but then was stopped and told to take it to check in. Luckily the girl at the counter helped me and checked my bag in. I then ran to my gate. Made it with a good 5-10 minutes before it left. In the plane there were not assigned seats and I was in aisle seat next to a large man so I had to lean on one side the whole flight. First time ever not to sit next to a window. Unnerving feeling, unable to see outside. I hope I’m not forming aero-phobias. Flight went fine otherwise