July 1, 2009 – 9:45am (Germany Time)

I’m on the train to Amsterdam after spending 2 days relaxing in Berlin. Luckily, the cold that I had developed was very mild and I’m in the recovery process. I wasn’t really worried though as I never get sick for more than 3 days. But I am disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to do and see more in Berlin. Berlin is a very vibrant city full of energy and positive young people. Another thing that struck me about Berlin and Germany in general is that things there are very efficient. I swear the city runs like a well oiled machine. It is a big difference from the chaos of Rome and Cairo. Yesterday I went to get on the escalator and it wasn’t moving so I figured that maybe it was just turned off. So I go to start walking up it and it starts moving as soon as I step on it. Later, I realize that it operates off of a sensor that determines whether it should move or not. Wow, what a concept in energy conservation! I never have seen anything like that in America. Also traveling on the train through Germany you see many wind turbines (I think that’s what they are called) that harness the power of the wind for energy. Once again, a very rare sight in America, and I have driven from coast to coast.

I did get a chance to experience the legendary Berlin night life last night though. One of the guys at the hotel desk recommended that I go to this nightclub called Sophie as it was the only one that had any kind of dancing going on that night. He said it would be best for me to just take the train a couple of stops down and it would take me right to the club district but after getting to the train station everything was in German and I couldn’t figure out which train I was supposed to take. So I hopped in a cab and I was on my way. The cab driver didn’t speak English either so I showed him on the map where I wanted to go and we agreed on a price to get me there. He dropped me off in the middle of the club district. By this time it’s about midnight, but I wasn’t worried because the parties don’t start in Berlin until about 1am anyway and go on until the sun comes up. After asking a couple of people where this club Sophie is I was able to find it. It was 3 euro to get in which isn’t bad and beers were about 2.50 euro a piece. So I’m in there chillin by myself at a table and I see a couple of German guys come in and they are looking at me. I figured I probably looked out of place being the only black person in the club, LOL. I give one of them the head nod and he comes over to me so I say to him “What’s Up?” He shakes my hand, mutters something in German and heads to the bar. As the club starts getting packed more and more people are hitting the dance floor. The DJ is playing a blend of techno, retro, and house music. Next thing I know, the same guy from before comes and sits down right next to me and starts speaking in German. I tell him that I don’t really understand what he is saying and ask him if he speaks English. He says, “a little”. He’s really drunk and continues speaking to me in German with a few English sentences thrown in. I find out that he’s not from Berlin, but a different part of Germany and he’s there with his friends to party. He then starts motioning to the dance floor and says “you like partyyyyy?” I say yes and figured he wants me to go with him to the dance floor and dance with some of the women. We hit the dance floor and I notice one other black person in the club, a young woman. She sees me and immediately gives me a smile and we do a salute with our beverages. I find out she’s there from France and is living in Berlin now, but she’s originally from the Ivory Coast in Africa. The night goes on with lots of dancing, drinking, and the guy telling me that I’m his best friend now. It was funny because every time I saw him after that he comes up to me and says “you are best friend for me, you are my cousin” and gives me a big hug and shakes my hand. After a fun-filled night I hop in another cab and head back to my hotel. Now here I am on the train on the way to Amsterdam. Amsterdam again, I wonder what it will have in store for me this time.

No Comments »

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website