Spending 18 months in Berlin was a dream come true. Returning home to Canada was a bit of a disappointment, to be honest. In part, I’d wanted to come back but at the same time I also wanted to stay in Germany. When I boarded my plane to Toronto, tears poured down my face as I pondered whether or not I’d made the right decision.
Being home has been really great (I missed things) but as soon as an opportunity presented itself, I booked a flight to Berlin for a three week long vacation to my “second home.”
My intentions were pretty straight forward – hang out with friends and enjoy myself. I purposely didn’t make any concrete plans and just let things happen naturally.
I further vowed that I would not work whatsoever. There would be no checking of office emails and there would be no blogging responsibilities – except a post or two if I felt compelled to write. Remarkably since arriving here in Berlin, I’ve felt more inspired to write than I have in months. Something about this place just makes me feel alive!
I ended up writing a long post about my life before travel blogging (what I like to sarcastically call “BTB“), a very personal and emotional story of mine which I called What I Wish Someone Told Me When I Was 26.
My “Berlinstagrams”
Berlin brings out the snap happy Instagrammer in me. Now, let’s have at it with the first round of my Berlin Instagram photos.
My welcome to Berlin was this view from my friend’s balcony.
Starting my vacation off right, I headed to a beer festival with my friend Adam (read his take here).
The Club Mate was to keep me awake and the beer was to get me drunk! Nothing more classy than double-fisting, yeah?
Other classy people wear buckets on their heads during beer festivals. It’s all the rage these days.
This only reminded me how beautiful a dusk in Berlin can be. Snapped this at Alexanderplatz while waiting for the S-Bahn to visit my friend Nicole and meet her adorable new baby (who already has her own passport)!
Getting off at the Charlottenberg stop, I saw a rainbow!
The following day, I walked through Prenzlauer Berg on my way to meet my friend Luci and attend her going away party.
The tree lined, cobble stoned streets only reminded me of why I adore Europe.
Then there’s the architecture.
My fourth day took me back to West Berlin, where I watched the sunset at a biergarten in the Tiergarten.
Later that week, I visited Alexanderplatz and took a cliched photo of the TV Tower, happy for once it was not the CN Tower.
These are grill walkers, men or women who walk around with giant barbeques strapped to their bodies and sell sausages to tourists. A perk of the job – there’s a built in umbrella if it happens to rain!
Saved the best for last – back in Prenzlauer Berg, I spied yet another rainbow! This was dusk as viewed from my friend’s terrace.
Berlin has been nothing less than fantastic! There will be at least one or two more posts showing more of my Instagram photos as it’s just been that good …
If you like my photos, follow me on Instagram (@cherylhowardblog) to see updates from my life in Toronto and on the road.
21 Comments
We’ve been itching to return to Berlin ever since our last visit too. Thanks for reminding us what a beautiful city it is. Looking forward to seeing some more photographic evidence shortly.
I hope you get to return to Berlin soon! And for sure, more photos to come! 🙂
It’s so weird that Berlin, which is actually no that pretty for a city, do look like a beautiful city. It’s because Berlin has a beautiful soul… I mean, until the tourists and other realty developer make it a lame, tasteless and soulless city…
What a shame to sell its beauties to the first one with money !
There are parts of Berlin that aren’t nice, but I think that’s common everywhere. And you’re so very right, Berlin does have a beautiful soul!
Beautiful photos 🙂
Thank you Muza-Chan!
I’m so happy you finally got to go back, even for just a few days 🙂
EurotripTips – Thank you! I’m so happy that I was able to return as well but it’s going to break my heart to leave.
Nice job with instagram and I appreciate the peek into Berlin – definitely a lot of variety to take in and be a part of.
Maria – Thanks! Berlin is a fantastic city. 🙂
Berlin seems to inspire so many and it’s fantastic to read that your writing flowed so easily while there. You images are gorgeous as well – particularly the shot of the rainbow over the train and the beautiful architecture photographed from your friends terrace.
Mary – most definitely. I was at a cafe the other day and overheard an American guy talking to the staff. He came to Berlin for three months to write a novel. And thanks for your kind words! 🙂
Alison Jean – Yeah, me too! Such a treat discovering new places like that.
I soooo need to get to Berlin! Looks like such a great city!
Ali – you haven’t been yet? What? Get here soon!
We’ll get up there at some point soon. Berlin is really interesting even to me, especially as I have only been twice and for a few days at a time each time.
Andrew – Hope you and Ali can get there soon. I may be biased but it’s my favorite city in Germany. 🙂
I love your instagram posts (and of course your posts concerning Berlin). You have a great eye for editing and highlighting some of the best pieces which is something I am still working on. Lovely shots, lovely visit – til next time!
Ebe – Awww, thanks! If you ever want some photo editing app recommendations, let me know. 🙂
They are gorgeous! The first one reminds me of Barcelona and Gaudi for some reason..Strange, huh?:) There´s one beautiful quote I remember about Berlin.. “You are crazy, my child. You must go to Berlin.” I don´t know who said it, but it doesn´t matter really..It´s just always corresponded with my idea of Berlin as a pulsing and exciting city, sort of culturally extravagant.
Thank you Julie. Berlin is a wonderful place and I miss it dearly!