It's been a while since I last visited the German capital, but lately I've been thinking back to it quite often. It's probably because I'm planning my next visit and I am thinking about what I want to see. After so long time at the other end of the world I seem to have somewhat forgotten what Berlin has to offer and what might be of interest to me there. And therefore I have to bring some of the pictures o fthat city back to my mind to help to refresh my memories a bit.
Normally you don't associate Berlin with water, even though the city has quite a few waterways to offer. In addition to the Spree and Havel, there are also many small rivers and canals that run through the city and which connect places. The last time I was right on the water is already long ago, but the last time I was in Berlin we walked at least very close to the water and discovered a little of the charming flair, which I want to rediscover in this city.
We were coming from the Märkisches Museum and walked along the Spree Canal, ther were some larger ships moored at the height of Fischerinsel, which seemed to have been there for quite some time. Before we had wandered through a number of street and this sudden sight was rather unexpected and created a completely different mood and atmosphere.
In the past, those ships must have been cruising on the big rivers of Germany, as at least the name Hanseat indicates a North German origin and connection. As far as I can tell, some of the boats are probably inhabited or used as restaurants. But there didn't seem to be any real life going on there that day. There was a very special quietness, which also spread to the shore and the adjacent street.
Except for us, no one seemed to be on the road at this time, although it was a bright day at prime afternoon time. Sometimes Berlin can be quite sleepy, while other parts of the city are really buzzing.
But it's exactly this contrast that this city thrives on, and it's exactly these contrasts and contradictions that I'm looking for and want to discover. That's probably why I prefer to hang out in places like this one, places with a bit of quirky history and a funky present. There are probably a lot of them in every big city, and with the right instinct you usually don't have to search for them for long. And that's why I'll probably just follow my feelings on my next visit to the German capital and let myself drift. I'm sure I'll get out exactly where I want to go....
[//]:# (!pinmapple 52.51325 lat 13.40996 long Berlin - Take me to the water d3scr)
