Berlin - Overview

I found Berlin insight and knowledgeable. After studying WW2 like most people it was always one of my favourite to study as I found it fascinating so being able to visit all the locations and learn more about the war was very interesting for me. Berlin as a city I think is still recovering from the effects for the war but some of the buildings are fantastic and the people were very pleasant. Here style was very similar to that seen in the UK – which wasn’t surprising as out of the world German and English people are the most similar. I would defiantly go back again – except when it was a bit warmer J

Day 6 - Berlin - Flea Market

For the last day in Berlin it was quiet laxed. We started the beginning of the day walking to a nearby flea market – which was absolutely huge and packed. It was very similar to most foreign markets you find abroad.

It had everything from food such as pancakes, handmade jewellery, home wear, cameras amongst other stuff including junk. It was a good market just very similar to ones I had seen before.

After due to it being so cold we headed to a nearby German cafe for some tea and hot chocolate to warm up before heading back to near the hotel for dinner and boarding the bus and the flight home.

Day 5 - Berlin - Tachelles and Motto

Quiet a lax day today of more tourism and trend spotting. To start the day with a bit of fun history we went over to Tachelles – OH MY GOD!!! What a place, it seems a little bit random situated in a nice area with bars and restaurant and then you could see a huge what seemed like a derelict building which looked quite old and rusted but also a beautiful building.

Huge gates opened in and you walked inside surrounded by wall to wall of graffiti and you felt like you had just walked into an episode of scrapheap challenge. People had made something of the metal, the courtyard was filled with metal, graffiti - music also filled the air. It was so impressive and incredible how people can make things out of nothing.

Situated within the courtyard were also little shops which were made of an iron crate – which we went in and were surprisingly warm and nice while escaping from the cold air outside.


From there, there was a door leading us from the courtyard to the house next to it. Inside it featured wall to wall of graffiti surrounding it all, posters stuck on the wall, smoke, broken glass – creating a




morbid atmosphere and a place people in Trainspotter would go but at the same time was very insightful. Featured within the house there were some strange yet unique people situated in little shops selling art, handcrafts, clothing, and jewellery amongst other stuff. It was a very enjoyable place and impressive.

From there we made our way over to Motto a shop with a huge arrangement of magazines and zines. It was quite an overwhelming shop with the varied about of choice and the layout was quiet difficult to ascertain but at the same time the range of choice was incredible.

Day 4 - Berlin - East Side Gallery

From history to a more modern take on history the ‘East Side Gallery’. Even all the areas surrounding the Berlin wall featured fantastic graffiti and visions on the walls. But the ‘East Side Gallery’ being



a 1300km long Berlin wall of graffiti was not vandalising graffiti we know but actually gorgeous paintings of people’s ideas, dreams and general imagination. You also crossed the border between east and West Berlin – it was here that or 1Euro you could get a stamp in your passport – And of course being a tourist I very much did.

Day 4 - Berlin - Bauhaus Museum

From there is history again with the Bauhaus museum. Everyone has heard a lot about the Bauhaus in DVC but many do not know what it actually was. The museum was in quiet a scheduled area and its architecture; design and structure really stood out and made it unique next to the river.

Inside was very simplistic with not much to read and more to see. There was works of art from children and students – some of which were incredible and way before their time. Surrounding many of the images and areas featured surrounding quotes, describing elements of what we were seeing summed up in a quote. It was a lot lighter hearted then the typography of terror – it had light and colours within the exhibition so added a bit of colour and happiness back in our minds.

Day 4 - Berlin - Typography of Terror

In the morning we had more culture from the typography of terrors museum showing and explain the torture the Jews went through with the SS and SA.

It was very heart retching and made me very angry. The bleak architecture of a grey box structure with not must lighting only natural light did not help the atmosphere and mood. The wall to wall images and text was so insightful but difficult as it was quiet overwhelming. But extremely understandable.

The horrible images like those seen in the boy in the striped pyjamas and schindlers list was one that you could relate to as you had seen them before.

The other area of the museum alliterated Jews who had live through the war and the concentration camp – with short statements of there experience – what it was like, what happened while they were there. It was a part that pulled the heart strings.

Day 3 - Berlin - Premium

Premium however was very different and reminded me of the clothes show.

It was a lot smaller then Bread and Butter – there was no music so all you could hear were people talking

and when you walking round everything was styled in the same way the brands were just cornered off by boards breaking them up. It was very white and bland – I suppose the only positive thing with that is that you could see the clothes for what they were instead of being consumed to the look of the room.

That night – We went out with the teachers to the ‘ballroom’. Here we had dinner and ballroom danced the night away with the tutors, good food and a great night.

Day 3 - Berlin - Bread and Butter

The Bread and Butter trade fair was so big and bigger then i thought.

It was held in an aircraft hanger – with each brand occupying little cornered off booths within. It was styled in the specifics companies’ way – You got so many freebees as well, my arm was killing me. It definitely was a good experience, seeing what is to come and also getting a feeling for some of the brands.

While we were there we were fortunate enough to talk with Michael from New Balance for ½ hour – to ask him questions about the brand in order to help us in our new brief. We also noticed a lot of people wearing NewBlanace shoes around Bread and Butter as well as lots of quirky outfit - illustrating a good form of street style.

There was music surround the event helping set a mood, people were dancing and made the shopping and looking around easier. Throughout the event as mentioned previously there were lots of different looks – not what I would have thought – there were some out there people with artistic and crazy styling but most of the people we saw were very normal.

Day 3 - Berlin - Helmet Newton and Alice Springs

As another early start and a busy day ahead including visiting the Helmet Newton museum, Alice Springs exhibition and went to the Bread and Butter and Premium

Helmet Newton is the famous photographer who died in a car crash in 2004 – but his legendary photos still remain in this museum due to being donated by his wife after his death.  Helmet Newtons photos featured nude women; who were all natural, hairy, wobbely bits – human and normal women the people we should see on magazines but the reality of real women.  

“I was there – the camera does not lie, the approaching storm, the strip in Berlin, it was real. Jesus on the cross, who knows? It was so long ago. True or false? It must have been flesh and blood and stone and mortar. Otherwise it would not be on film” Helmet Newton, Monte Carlo, 1991

His wife going by the name of Alice Spring also produced legendary pictures which were also illustrated in this exhibition. Her photos were a lot more naturalist with portrait shots of designers, artists etc  including Vivienne Westwood, YSL, Andrea Leon Talley but it wasn’t just famous people
captured in a lens it was also pictures of bodyguards, Russian bouncer, policemen etc. Alice Springs photos illustrated a more snap shot in history rather than staged.

Day 2 - Berlin - Erotik Museum

From one extreme to another and stop number 9 it was too the erotic museum of sex, porn, toys, body parts and paintings. It was showing the extremes of erotica, there were many paintings heading back to as early as the 18^th century and it wasn’t just representing the missionary position let’s just say – some of the image were really graphic and in some ways shocking and insightful.

I must admit there were parts when walking around I was like a giggling school girl with fetishism, S&M and rubber I was thoroughly enjoying the amusement.
Going back to the paintings they were taken with weird positions and exaggerated sexual organs and all Chinese (don’t know why). Unfortunately I don’t think I can put pictures up of what we saw as i think this blog would be banned.
After a gander in the shop it was home would bound – easily we thought but when 2 people are running for the nearly closing door of the train something is bound to happen.
So I jump on and Julia remains on the platform – all there is, is waving hands and sad faces as the train starts to move shouting next station, next station!!  - It was seen as much amusement to my fellow passengers.
As I hopped off the next stop it was a 10 minute wait till the next one, but again it is not that simple. I expected to see Julia shout which carriage she was in but silence so while I jumped on I had a split second of – I don’t know if she is on the train – so as the door where about to shut I jumped off again.
But that split second which I wish hadn’t happened meant that the sad waving face was in the opposite direction. In the end it was lucky train number 3 where Julia and I finally met up at Alexandar Plaz to get back home. Oh what a mission!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 2 - Berlin - Jewish Museum

From there to the history, shops and back again. The Jewish museum – unique architecture with a zig zag structure next to a decadent stoned house. This museum was one in its own.

The disorientation around the museum and not many windows present inside just a bit of natural light and again the feeling of disorientation, hope, and sadness featured mainly in the holocaust chamber. The holocaust chamber was pitch black, no heating, and natural light. The feeling of loneliness and a time to think and appreciate how Jews felt. With the light representing that ounce of hope it was an effective way of representing their feelings. The rest of the museum still in the same format of zig zag corridors and slits of light the rest of the 2000 years of Jewish history was illustrated and alliterated. This museum showed that what most people thought was this hatred for Jews began in WW2 was actually so much more then that – it showed that Jews have been targeted quiet a lot though history. It was a very insightful museum with much more suffering and disbelief then I thought.

Day 2 - Berlin - Kurfustendamm

Now from 18^th Century back to reality to a road of Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Armani. The road of designer which was 3km long. Many would be in their element. The KaDeWe department store situated in Kurfurstendamm down the 3km long street is the largest department store in Berlin. It didn’t look like much until you were inside. The promotion of ‘the early bird catches the fashion worm’ was defiantly something of a hit. Through the bright promotions which looked trendy and sophisticated it added quite a bit of edge and class to the store.

The 7 story glass lift elevators amongst shoes, clothes, home, floor of confessions with cheese, chocolates, Chinese food, grill amongst many other foods filled the air before one floor up and a deluxe buffet with a restaurant, windows viewing the city with amazing purple, gold and dark wood decor.

This is where we decided to stop for lunch – I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women or in Bloomingdales New York going for lunch with the ladies. The food was cooked right in front of you, but as you have guessed it, it was quiet a small dish costing a large amount.