Getting around

Deep into the East, off the tourist map today.

Ubahn then a tram to Frankfurter Tor to see the two huge towers flanking Karl Marx Allee. Feels more like Moscow than Berlin. Then we walked miles through the Friedrichshain neighbourhood which is still pretty much unchanged from Soviet times.

We ended up down at RAW-tempel. Located in the former German National Railway rail yard and now full of clubs and bars set in the old buildings and warehouses. Bloody amazing. Ruby floated the idea of coming back at night to go to one of the techno clubs. I pulled my flat cap down and marched on.

Next stop was East Side Park, where the river Spree used to divide East and West Berlin and where the longest remaining section of the wall is to be found. A few obligatory photos but it was pretty busy so then we left the crowds behind again and walked over Oberbaumbrucke which is a beauty of a bridge, built from red bricks at the end of the 19th century as a customs office for boats entering the city. During the Cold War it was used as border control between East and West.

Still walking, down through Gorlitzer Park, the only time on the trip when it felt a wee bit unsafe. Large groups of guys on the entrances and exits offering a range of services.

Pushed on to Karl Marx Straße. And a tattoo appointment for Ruby while I was absurdly grateful to take a seat in reception for an hour.

Then we jumped on the ubahn again and returned to Alexanderplatz where we found a wee hut where locals drink beer and eat French fries. Perfect.

Home for a short disco nap. Back out later for two quick trains to the Black Lodge, a Twin Peaks themed bar which made Ruby very happy. The fact they had half a dozen local craft ales on tap worked for me too.

Back up the road for midnight (as you can see Ruby is an old hand at public transport in Berlin now) just before our favourite local restaurant closed, to round off the day with a pilsner and prawn dumplings. Perfect!