After three weeks in France, we felt rested when we boarded our train to Paris. To reach Berlin, our next destination, we had to take a TGV train from Bordeaux to Paris, change train station in Paris, take a second TGV train from Paris to Mannheim and, finally, take an ICE train from Mannheim to Berlin. This route took about 13 hours, from our departure at 7:00 to our arrival in Berlin at 20:00.

We didn’t have any expectation regarding Berlin, and were surprised by how much we appreciated this city. This was mainly due to three dimensions which we generally look forward to in cities we visit: a place to learn, a place to relax, and a place to eat. Berlin easily covered these three.

A PLACE TO LEARN

There is no better place to learn about history than directly where it happened. With its troubling past, Berlin attracts each year a variety of tourists interested in its monuments, buildings, and museums linked to some of the main historical events of the 20^th century. The city also encompasses a variety of spots related to Germany’s long-term history, world history and the fine arts.

One of the highlight of our stay was our visit to the German Historical Museum (GHM), an institution which covers German history from the 5th century to the Fall of the Wall. Despite its extensive content, the GHM did a great job in presenting its collection in a very clear and thoughtful manner. We spent 3.5 hours walking through its halls and would have stayed longer if it had not closed at 6 PM.

Moreover, Berlin is much more than just its historical spots. It is a beautiful mix of the old and the new, a city turned towards the future but that still reflects upon its past. Nothing represents this more than the Reichtag building (seat of the Bundestag, the German Parliament), a building dating back to 1894, which was reconstructed in 1995, with the visible addition of a glass dome protected by an electronic sun shield.

A PLACE TO RELAX

When traveling, we often have a lot of logistical work to do, mostly regarding transport to future destinations. The last thing we want to do is forget to take time to enjoy where we are. Some cities, such as Berlin, make this easier to do than others.

With its large sidewalks, what seems to be an absence of rush hour in the metro, and its smaller crowds in touristic areas, Berlin never seemed too crowded. We enjoyed the calm of Tiergarten Park and the cozy and social atmosphere of its Biergärten.

Furthermore, you also have to be in a very laid-back and progressive city for nudism to be practiced openly in the middle of a major park!

A PLACE TO EAT

Because we are both vegans, we sometimes have a hard time finding places to eat while traveling. In Berlin, this was not an issue. Vegan food was readily available (and advertised) in most restaurants. Vegan/vegetarian restaurants abounded. We even had an easy time finding a tasty breakfast and take-away lunch at the central train station, often the hardest place to find good vegan food when traveling.

Eating Vegan in Berlin

Of all the vegetarian/vegan restaurants we tried in Berlin, here are the two that we preferred:

Quy Nguyen Vegan Living – Excellent tofu and South Vietnamese soups, nicely designed restaurant, Vietnamese coffees with homemade sweetened condensed soy milk

Tuanfuzius: Nice terrace and a  good variety of mock meats and spicy dishes