Berlin Again: Nesting in City Scape
Berlin is one of the best cities to be in right now. Its popularity has been gaining for some time bringing in an influx of immigrants, both from the richest and poorest parts of the world. Everyone tells me that Berlin is not like the rest of Germany. It is built on German infrastructure and the Germanic culture pervades every aspect of it. But it has cafes lining streets, foreign voices everywhere and a thriving bohemian vibe. I have written before about the place, but this time it's from being there double the time. Last year it was two weeks, this year two months.
This time around we decided to test it for real as a base, spending two months there from May to July. I won't be making it a base in the long term but I would happily return again for a week or two, to visit and shop. Being there showed me a lot about what I want out of a place now, and what I don't.
Two months in any place gives you a sense of what it might be like to live there. That is why I like longer travel stints. It goes beyond tourist perspective. As cities go Berlin is one of the best I have been in. And the little bubble we lived in was one of the best for kids in a city. Prenzlauer Berg, as I mentioned before, is a bubble of child friendly color and international flair. It is the most densely populated area of children in Germany. You see children and babies and pregnant women everywhere. As well as an abundance of prams, which are like cars there in terms of status symbols. This bubble worked for us but it by no means shows you the real Berlin. For that you have to venture out of the area which I rarely did. Daily life with a baby and toddler was enough for me, that adding many extra lengthy ventures just proved stressful.
The best way to get around is by bike. But we had a real problem renting a bike that could support an infant and a toddler. If your child is over one year old it's easy. I was alone for half of my time there and I couldn't put Aziz in the carrier on the bike as it is illegal. The carts attached to bikes looked great but Aziz was too young for that. So I actually used a pram for the first time. Mostly it served as a way to haul around groceries. It also allowed me to go beyond a few blocks as I could put Aziz in it and Ruya could get into the carrier. She walked well but there is only so far a toddler will walk, and her mood for walking changed as fast as the weather there. In general everyone has a pram here. Carriers are seen but prams are the done thing.
In terms of taxi's uber does not provide child seats, you have to phone the taxi rank and request a taxi with child seats. No one will pick you up and break the rules. In the end the app that worked the best for me is taxi EU. You can specify child seats in it. Sometimes you wait longer but you can always get a taxi.
The weather could go from hot to cold quickly. In general it's a mild summer. A couple of really hot moments, mostly cool days and a fair bit of rain. It's best to always carry a jacket of some sort. I liked the coolness but I hated being stuck indoors. It's the first time I have been in an apartment in years and with two kids and us being used to some green spaces, it was tough. In the end this is what I did not like about being in Berlin. There are green spaces but they aren't particularly beautiful or abundant. The best way to get to green is to go to the forest which is quite a trek with babies if you don't have a car, and are in the center city. We did go to the botanical garden twice and that was gorgeous. Being there for so long showed me how little my soul cares for concrete now and how much my children thrive in nature.
In general days were punctuated by stuff we could do in the city that got us out of the apartment. School is very controlled in Germany, you can't home school. So everyone sends their kids to kindergarten and most do this by the age of one. For us it's different so I had to adapt and make up little adventures every day. Mornings we usually did some activities in the home, and then went grocery shopping or out to a cafe. I made a ritual of hot milk and a decaf late. I don't usually drink decaf late's but I did this visit, many of them. There is an abundance of organic grocery stores which I found one of the best aspects of Berlin. I loved shopping there.
The produce was mostly good, but it was all the other stuff you find in a grocery store that I relished. All of it organic and gorgeous. I also loved being able to walk around safely. As we walked Ruya and I discussed the graffiti and little birds, the dog poo and green men on the traffic light. I used the city as a classroom whenever I could.
Shopping was a big hit here. We got a bit heavier this trip though we did downsize a suitcase and shed a bit of stuff. The wool clothing for kids is worth traveling there to buy. I stocked up. Great rain gear and one exquisite toy shop made for a heavy kids suitcase. Mine got topped up with cosmetics. Germany produces amazing natural cosmetics and I love Haushka.
As before we weren't blown away by the food. But then we don't eat meat and fish is not plentiful in Berlin. There are a lot of vegan restaurants but nothing that was incredible. So I cooked mostly and happily.
I signed Ruya up for two classes. The art class- http://littleartberlin.com/ - was fantastic. We did the messy art class for walking till three year olds. There was always paint and clay but every week other materials and projects were presented. I liked that I needed to be there with her, and that she could be self-directed. She followed her interests in a place we could get really messy in. Renting airbnb's often means it's hard to create a truly messy space for fear of damaging the place. The music class - http://www.music-school-berlin.de - provided the wunderkeys program for little ones, which was developed in Canada so it's international and can be continued elsewhere. Ruya liked her music classes which surprised me because they are pretty formal. All lessons were in English and near our neighborhood. There is plenty of classes up for offer but mostly for over three year olds. Music and art were perfect to accompany our home schooling. It also added a bit of structure to the week other than playgrounds, which Ruya got bored with.
Berlin is a happening city and I wanted to check it out. We met some lovely people, both local and expat, we got some great stuff and I experienced what it is like to live in a European city. I got claustrophobic some days, realizing why a balcony can be so precious here. We would go from apartment to city scape and I am a nature girl. I found the Germanic culture to be rigid at times, sometimes aloof, and often a bit too ordered for me. I am from a country that is pretty wild and my character likes a bit of chaos. None of this overshadowed my stay. It was summer in Berlin and with the sun out we really got the warmest side of the city in every way. It's well worth a visit and since it's a happening spot right now it has a sweet buzz.
In the end though like any place, you find spots that feel like home to you. For us it was a little Portuguese cafe around the corner. The owner was a women who I hugged deeply when we said goodbye. She spoke from the heart, real and straight. Ruya loved her apple cake and we always sat at a table that had a little area my children could crawl around in. He could pull himself up on the window sill and watch the action outside. No one minded the child squeaks and the coffee, even decaf, was good. She made a strawberry cake for Ruya on her birthday. My little one turned three and blew her candle out with one puff. She liked the icing the best and I ate the strawberries with Aziz. I'll miss that spot the most.
