May vibes...
I've been meaning to write this post for a while now, but so much has
been happening lately, I think I just sort of lost the track of time. Like I've
mentioned in my other post- May is a very festive month here in Germany and I had
the chance to see it for myself.
A few weeks ago, straight after the Baumblütenfest (which was mentioned
in my other post) I have attended Mauerpark on Sunday which is based in Berlin.
I know what you're all thinking 'another park, isn't she sick of them after
living in Potsdam for so long' but this park is very special. On Sundays it
changes into a flea market which has a variety of good snacks and other things
that could be brought for a reasonable price. Also, it changes into an open-air
karaoke. This place is sooo fun. Like I've never been really a big fan of
Karaoke- but honestly this place is so worth seeing while you're in Berlin.
It's used as an activity for many German people on Sunday mainly because pretty
much most of the shops are closed, so it gives them, something to do and it
brings people together, no matter what culture you belong to. Everyone was so
respectful towards the people that participated in the Karaoke. It was so nice
to see that. I would never have the confidence to sing in front of thousands of
people, but literally there was not a single person that would laugh at you
whether you had the talent to sing or not, which was really cool. After this
experience, I just could not believe that I've been living here for so long and
I've never been to Mauerpark on Sunday before. Crazy.
After Mauerpark along with Lee and some of my friends- we decided to go
to the Festival of Cultures which was taking place at Mehringdamm in Berlin.
That festival was good but so messy at the same time. There was bottles and
glass everywhere. And I mean literally on every single street in that area. I
have no idea how cars or anything would be able to drive on those streets after
this festival. I mean someone would probably clean all these streets, but I
have just never seen such a mess in my whole life. This festival sort of
reminded me of the Caribbean Festival in Nottingham. There was lots of people
dressed up in costumes, people dancing on the street and loud music. I feel
like Mauerpark was a better experience for me personally, but I was happy to
attend this festival and discover something new. Especially after missing out
on all the street parties in Berlin, on National Workers Day- as I was in Leipzig.
I also went to the Topography of Terror Museum in Berlin, as I was
really interested in finding out more about the Nazi dictatorship before and
during the war. I must say that if any of you are planning to see it, don't
have high expectations. It's an outdoor museum, free of charge and there is
plenty of detailed information, posters and old articles about the Nazi regime.
It's worth seeing but there was not much there.
Not long after that, my mum has actually come to see me for a couple of
days. The plan was that she would spend a few days here in Germany with me then
we would go to Poland together to attend my cousins Holy Communion. I was so
happy to have her here. The weather was lovely, and I was really missing my
family at this point. I mean I haven't seen them since March, so I guess that's
understandable. While she was here in Potsdam we explored Park Sansoucci,
Babelsberg and Neuer Garten- as she has never seen them properly. When she came
to see me in December, it was so cold by this point that she genuinely wanted
to be inside somewhere most of the time- so we took the opportunity this time.
We also went for a nice Italian food just at Luisenplatz in Potsdam and for
some cocktails at Club Laguna. I think she really enjoyed herself here (I mean
I hope she did). I was a bit surprised that she didn't want to go to Berlin.
Anyone would if they were in Germany, but I think she's not a fan of big modern
cities so instead I showed her what Potsdam has to offer and we explored all
the nature stuff- which by the way are so beautiful at this time of the
year.
Now that I've mentioned the lovely weather, I have also been taking
advantage of the 30 degrees pretty much on most of the days and went to swim in
the lake at both Golm with my friends and Werder with Lee (which is just one
stop away from Potsdam). I mean don't expect a lot, it's not like swimming in
the sea but it is so fun. And so many people do this here. You would never see
in England, groups of people swimming in lakes- especially little kids, mainly
because half of the time these lakes are absolutely filthy, and they have lots
of bottles in them. Or because it might seem a bit weird to some people. Here
in Germany, it is totally acceptable to swim in the lake, but you must take
into consideration that you might also see people walking around completely
naked. And it's normal here. Like the other day I was bored at home, so I went
to a lake in Grunewald/ Berlin and literally I think I was the only person that
was dressed there, while I was sunbathing. I tried to act normal, like it's not
bothering me, but it was just so weird. I had to leave that place😂😂😂 I would never purposely laugh at
people for sunbathing while they're naked or anything. I think I have sort of
accepted that it's completely normal here to do that, but I just think some
things should be kept to yourself. But it's okay for people to make their own
choices I suppose. We also went for a bike ride with Lee around Potsdam,
which was so fun.
As mentioned before, I went back to Poland towards the end of May with
my mum and although it was great to see everyone again. I think I'm so done
with that place now for a bit. I love going to Poland, seeing all the familiar
faces and spending time with my family but I think it's just gone to the point
now where I've had enough. I feel like I've spent so much time there this year
that I need a little break. Also, I've missed Lee's birthday because it was on
the same day when my cousin had a Holy Communion, so I was a bit devastated
about that, after he has made my birthday so special this year. But I knew I
had Munich and Prague planned straight after my return to Berlin and I knew he
would be pleased with these trips, so I didn't feel that bad in the end. 💖💋
Munich and Bavarian Paradise
What can you say about Munich??? 'Oktoberfest
and Beer'. You hear it all the time everywhere. And most people wouldn't
probably have a clue what this city is about if it wasn't for the fact that
Oktoberfest takes place here and that you can get these massive- huuuuge 1
litre beer. However, there is so much more to this place. I was completely
amazed with the Bavarian culture, the city itself and some of the buildings
here. I'm going to start with what I've loved the most about this experience
and by giving you some advice if you are planning to see it. Then talk about
the things, I didn’t particularly enjoy.
FOR
1. You should see some of the museums and
cathedrals
I know some of you aren't probably into that kind
of stuff, especially when you're young and you're going there with a group of friends,
but you so should. As soon as I got out the underground station and saw St
Peter Cathedral, I was just so astonished with the place. I mean I still think
that the cathedral in Cologne was a lot better and bigger, but Munich has such
a good variety of beautiful cathedrals and buildings, that they are worth
seeing, while you're there. Also, from what I heard, the Bavarian National
Museum and Deutsches Museum are worth seeing. However, I've not had the chance
myself to see them.
2. It's a great walking distance to all the sights
If you are thinking about going to Munich-
Marienplatz is the place where you need to get to. Everything that you probably
would want to see in Munich is either on this square or it's nearby. Except if
you are planning to go to the castle or the Dachau concentration camp of
course. I think I have already said this in my other post, but I’m really
missing living in a small city where everything is close by and I don't have to
get thousands of buses/ trains or other transportation systems. I mean Potsdam
is not so bad, but every time I want to go clothes or shoes shopping or
anything like that, I have to go all the way to Berlin,(as I can never find
anything in Potsdam) which not only has plenty of shopping squares/ centres but
there is always so many people everywhere, whether it's a Saturday or Monday.
Which can be so annoying sometimes. Munich was so much more relaxed with that.
And although we have used some of the transport systems there, there was no
actual need for it. We could have easily walked everywhere, like in Hamburg. I
could never say the same about Berlin.
3. You should go to Hofbräuhaus am Platzl or to at
least one beer hall- just for the experience.
I mean Munich has this big stereotype that 'people
just drink beer there all the time' even though that's not actually true, so
why wouldn't you want to go to a beer hall. We went to Hofbräuhaus on our first
day there and it was so worth seeing. It looks like a big hall and the waiters
are dressed in the Bavarian outfits and you can obviously drink a lot of beer
there. It was such a cool place- but pricey. If you are not a big fan of
beer or any alcohol, then I wouldn't worry too much about this experience. I've
seen families with little kids there, so it's sort of like a restaurant. You
can still order some German food there if you're not a fan of drinking- but
it's just for the experience and the atmosphere why it's so worth trying it
out.
4. Viktualienmarkt is just as good as people say it
is
We weren’t actually planning to go there, but as we
didn't have a lot of time in Munich, we were aiming to see everything on our
first day and we came across it by accident. It's a 200-year-old market with
plenty of things that you could pick from and dozens of people there. If you
are looking for some fresh goods or just want to see what it looks like, then
you should go for it.
5. Other things that are worth seeing in Munich
city centre
Munich Residenz, Frauenkirche, Old Town Hall, St
Peter Cathedral, Odeonsplatz, Hofgarten, Isartor, Karlstor, Feldherrnhalle, St
Michaels Church, Olympic Stadium. My list could probably go on for ages. There
is just so much to see and so much to do there. We didn't actually have the
chance to see the Olympic Stadium as it's not near the city centre like the
other places. However, on our way to Prague our coach went past it and it
looked really good. I think it's difficult for me to say what everyone should
go and see, as we are all different and like other things. However, if you are
planning to go to Munich with the same motive as me- which was to understand
what the Bavarian culture is all about, explore some new things and learn a bit
about the history of the town, then you will definitely enjoy these
places. There is probably more to it, but I only had 1 day there.
6. Buy yourself a Bavarian ticket!
If you end up going to Munich and you're not
enjoying it so much, or you've booked too many days there and it's getting a
bit boring, you should see other places that are nearby or go to the Bavarian
Alps. We actually did that with Lee on our second day there. We got on the
train from the Munich Hauptbahnhof to Garmisch Partenkirchen, which is a small
city located in the Southern Germany. I believe it took us an hour to get there
on the train. The train ticket was quite expensive- think it was around 30
euros for 2 people. However, it's so worth paying that much money to see some
the views that we have seen. You can use it anywhere in the Bavaria- not just
Garmisch. So, for example if you wanted to see Neusschwanstein Castle or
anything which is not placed inside or next to Munich then this is the best
alternative. Also, just so none of you get confused, to get this ticket you
must use the blue ticket machine- not the normal DB one. The normal machine
will charge you a lot more for it, but you will see it straight away as soon as
you enter the main station. After your ticket is printed out, you must put your
name and surname on it. If you haven't got a pen or anything, I wouldn't worry too
much. When the ticket inspector checked us, he gave us the pen to fill it in.
He wasn't angry about it. Garmisch is so beautiful. Honestly, you would not
regret seeing this place and if you want to experience the real Bavarian
culture, try some amazing food or maybe do winter sports (if you are planning
to go there in the winter) then this is the right place to be at. We actually
ended up going there on National Holiday (Bank Holiday). I'm not entirely sure
what the people in Bavaria were celebrating on this day. I know it was called
'Corpus Christi' and it was related to Religion but as we got to Garmisch
Partenkirchen, many people were dressed in their traditional Bavarian costumes
which was really cool to see. It felt like I was in a way experiencing the
Oktoberfest. Everything was closed on that day, but everyone was out
celebrating with their families. Even little children were dressed in their
costumes. So, in a way I feel like I have experienced something completely,
entirely new. In Garmisch you can also get a train which takes you all the way
to Zugspitze (the highest peak- and highest mountain in Germany). However, just
so you are all aware the tickets for that are ridiculously expensive. I do
in a way regret that we didn't have the chance to do that. But it's difficult
being just a student, trying to see as much as I can with a very limited
budget. If you can afford to pay around 60 euros to go to the highest point of
the mountain and get some phenomenal views, then you should so go for it. But
we decided to take the other alternative and climbed for a little while just to
get some lovely pictures. There are many paths that will take you closer to the
mountains but the one we took was just past the train tracks and past the hotel
(sorry I don't remember what it was called). If you look on Google Maps, and
walk towards the lake that it will show then you should be able to get there
without problems. 😃 We
climbed all the way until we got to the waterfall and honestly, I think that
was the best thing I have ever done in my life. I felt so good about myself and
that has made me realise that I now want to actually climb a mountain all the
way until the end. I think I have now found my new passion. I know it's going
to be tiring and stressful, but the feeling you get after you accomplish it, is
un-describable. I don't know which mountain I would like to climb yet, but I
know it's going to happen at some point in the future. If you're not a mountain
fan and might think this place will be a bit too boring but you still like
other nature stuff, then you should still get the Bavarian ticket and head on
the train towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Before we arrived, we have went past
some beautiful places such as; Starnberg- it has a beautiful lake with boats,
Tutzing, Uffing and many more. But these places are a lot smaller and there is
not much to do there. On our way back to Munich, we stopped at one of these
places. I cannot remember exactly which one it was, but the lake was absolutely
beautiful there. I have never seen such a clear lake, but it was absolutely
freezing. We tried to go for a swim in it, but we gave up on that idea. So, I
would definitely recommend, visiting other places, not just sticking with
Munich- and if you do that then get the Bavarian ticket. Although Munich itself
is beautiful and I wish we spent more time there.
AGAINST
1. Englischer Garten was a disappointment for us
I don't know why but for some reason Englischer
Garten was not what we expected. I mean it is beautiful, especially when the
weather is nice, but I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I live in
Potsdam, which not only has so many beautiful parks but also amazing lakes. So,
my expectations were a lot higher. We did however, go on a boat and explored it
for a bit, but if you are living in a place like Potsdam which has so much to
offer in terms of nature, then I wouldn't expect too much from this park.
2. Don't go to Munich, on a National Holiday
When we got to Munich, we haven't checked properly
if anything was happening at this day. Our plan was to go shopping the next
morning to get some necessities, but we were highly disappointed when every
single shop was closed. It was a nightmare to look for one and I feel like in a
way we wasted a bit of time because of that. I think that's one thing that
annoys me about Germany in general. Like fair enough it's a holiday or even if
I'm just referring to Sundays. Supermarkets don't have to be open but there
should be some other alternatives like how they have corner shops here in UK. I
don't get the whole idea of it so make sure you're well prepared if you are
planning a trip anywhere in Germany, especially if you are there on Sunday.
3. Munich is not a cheap holiday
If you are going to Munich, thinking it's a better
choice than Berlin and a lot more affordable then you might be a bit shocked
when you get here. Munich is not cheap, which is why we were extra careful with
our money while being here. The food is amazing and so are the beers that they
offer here, and you should try it whenever you can, but don't go crazy with
your money or expect it to be cheaper in any way because it's not. The 1 litre
beer on Marienplatz in one of the restaurants, cost us 11 euros each which was
ridiculously expensive, but we didn't want to miss out too much on the
experience, so keep that in mind 😊
4. Hostels are not great, but they are cheap
This was my first experience at staying in a hostel
and sharing a room with 4 other strangers. I must say this choice is a lot cheaper,
especially if you are staying somewhere for the weekend. Like we only paid 60
euros for 2 people and 2 nights, which means it was 15 euros per night. That
was decent and seen as we had Prague planned as well, that was the only choice
that we had. However, from this experience I know that, I won't be sharing a
room with any strangers any time soon, unless I'm desperate. I'm not a big fan
of sharing anyway, but I wanted to give it a try, and it's a big NO from me. I
mean we have made one American friend, but the rest of the people that stayed
with us were messy. The room stunk most of the time and I couldn't bare sitting
in it. On our second day we had everything planned. I woke up extra early to
use the shower before we were heading towards the mountains, and one guy that
was staying with us literally ran into the bathroom just before I wanted to go
in and stayed there for about 40 minutes, which was really annoying. Another
time, when we came back to drop our stuff a stranger was sleeping in my bed,
despite the fact that I've left a note with my name on the bed, so they would
know it's taken, which again was really frustrating. I don't think I ever want
to go through this again unless I must. If you are going on a holiday with your
friends or a big group of people, then this is the best option. The place where
we stayed was Smart City Hostel Munich, and there was a small bar downstairs
which was really cheap, and the breakfast was only 5 euros I believe, but this
whole idea of sharing with strangers has put me off it for good. Don't expect
for anyone to clean the room while you're out and bring your own towel, so
you're not stuck looking around for one like we were.
Czech Me Out
Praha, Praha, Praha.
What can I say? This place was really good, and
it's so worth visiting it at least once in your life but there have been some
disappointments as well. We got the Flixbus (which is similar to Megabus in UK)
and it was so cheap to go there from Munich. It was a place that me and Lee
have been speaking about for a while, that we wanted to see so that was my
birthday present for him this year.
What I liked about Prague
1. The buildings and architecture
Prague has so much to offer in terms of stunning buildings, churches and
cathedrals. But I think what I liked the most about it, was that quite a lot of
the buildings has statues on top of them. I don't know what it was, it just
made the place look so charming. There was something about this place that made
it look like you weren't in Europe, but then other bits looked exactly like
many other famous tourist places in Europe. The perfect place to start at would
be the Old Town. There is so much out there that would make you realise what I
mean, when I say that the architecture is absolutely beautiful there. You can
find St Vitus Cathedral and many more things over there.
2. Very historical city
Czech Republic, along with other countries in Eastern Europe were
attacked during the war and after were part of the Communist rule. If you like
History and are interested in what these places had to go through, then Prague
would be the perfect place to start at. I would recommend the Prague Jewish
Museum and Museum of Communism and the Jewish quarter. Although I've not had the
chance to go there myself if I did I would definitely like to find out more
about the History of this place.
3. The views
Prague is a city which has many hills, therefore it enables people to
get some wonderful views of the city. Along with that you can explore some
beautiful parks on top of the hill while seeing what the city looks like from
the higher point. Unfortunately, I don't have the names of the places where we
went to get some stunning views, as Lee was actually planning this trip, but if
you head towards the castle just past the Charles Bridge then that's where you
can get some really nice views of the city.
4. Charles Bridge
I think this was my favourite thing about Prague, along with the Old
Town square. The construction of this bridge finished in the 15th century, and
it connects the castle along with the Old Town. It was so beautiful. However,
if you want to get some lovely views and pictures then I would recommend going
there while it's early in the morning or late at night. So many tourists are
there in the morning that it would be impossible to walk through it without
bumbing into people all the time. We woke up at 5 on our second day, got there
around 7 am and there were already a few people. Not as many as there would be
in the day, but just be aware that this bridge is so important for tourists,
that the best time to see it would be while everyone is still asleep.
5. Prague has an amazing party scene
As some of you probably already know that, Prague is perfect for
partying. We didn't go to Czech with the intentions of partying all the time
with Lee, however I know that if we did we would not be struggling to find any
place where we could have fun. There were so many people out everywhere on
Saturday, that the streets were absolutely full. There were couples, groups of
girls, stag and hen do's pretty much everywhere. We went to a Shisha bar first
which was inside a bar right next to the Charles Bridge. That place was fun but
the main place that we were hoping to go to was: Ice Bar which was at Karlovy
Lazne club. The ques to this place was horrendous but we managed to get in in
the end, and it was such a fun place. I enjoyed the dance floor and music a lot
more than the Ice Bar, but it was worth trying it at least once 😄
6. Hostel Emma
I know you're probably thinking I'm advertising a hostel out here, but
this place was so great. It was about 10 minutes away from the Old Town square.
It was cheap and very clean. I also enjoyed the fact that we had our own room
this time. We only had to share the bathroom, but most of the time it was so
clean. The staff were very helpful as well. They explained to us exactly where
to go and what to see, which was great as we probably would have been so lost
without their help. There are also other affordable hostels out there in
Prague, which are worth looking at.
7. The boat tour
As I have booked the hostel with Booking.com they gave me 10% voucher on
a boat tour which was so good. They had all sorts of different packages, but we
were just hoping to find out more about the city so we booked a 1 hour cruise
which showed us some beautiful places in Prague and more about the history of
the city. I would definitely recommend this. I feel like I have learnt so much
from it.
8. The connection
In a way I feel like Czech Republic is in a lot of ways like Poland, not
just because of the similar language but just in general how people behave and
how things work around there. I felt really connected to this place and I
enjoyed the fact that there was not so much language barrier, as it is very
similar to Polish.
What I didn't like about Prague
1. Tourists everywhere
I know I can't really say much about this. I was a tourist there myself,
but I do believe it was the wrong time to go there, as there were literally
people everywhere. On top of that, some of the streets, especially in the Old
Town are so small you feel like you're squashing people while you're walking to
the other destination, which was really annoying. That's why we decided to do a
little tour early in the morning just to avoid crowds.
2. Don't expect too much from the service
Don't get me wrong. We didn't have any issues with the service or anyone
that's worked in the restaurants that we went to, but I do feel like Czech
Republic is a bit like quite a lot of the Eastern European countries, where top
service always is not the main priority. That doesn't bother me too much, as I
don't expect a lot from people and I know how stressful it is working in Food
and Beverage. However, I know some people are really picky about small things,
so don't have high expectations when or if you go there.
3. They charge you for table service
Not every restaurant, but quite a lot of them will charge you for table
service which can be a bit annoying. Like I know it's important to tip people
if they are offering a good service, but when they expect that along with a
table service charge then it can be frustrating. Especially when you're just a
student, who doesn't have money growing on the tree lol. Along with that, some
places will take ages to give you a receipt, after you ask them if you could
pay. Like for example: we went to a Czech restaurant, called Restaurace u
parlamentu, and I swear we have waited at least 15 minutes just to pay. Like I
know it was busy, but it was just annoying that people who came in after us
were served straight away, while we were waiting around.
4. Some staff can be rude
Not every place of course, but we had an unpleasant situation in the Ice
Bar. Due to the fact that I've booked my room with booking.com, I was offered a
discount on the entry to Ice Bar and a free drink. When we asked the bouncer
about it, he wasn't very interested to help us, and said we can sort this out
while we're inside. As I got to the bar, I showed them the voucher and the
bartender just said 'I don't know, and I don't really care about this' which I
thought was really rude. Some places will not go out of their way to help you
out or explain things better, so keep that in mind.
5. Some exchange shops will rip you off
We were actually already aware of that, as the staff in the hostel told
us to be extra careful when we are exchanging our money. We went to one place,
which was right next to the Charles Bridge, and the person working behind the
counter tried to rip me off by around 60 euros I believe. If it wasn't for Lee
and his brilliant Maths skills, then I probably would have went for it. But in
the end, we just left and found another place. So be careful. Make sure you
calculate before how much you should be paid or do it while you're still at
home, so no one can advantage of the fact that you're a tourist.
6. The food was not great
When we came to Prague, I was determined to try some Czech food as I
believed it would be like Polish food and because I like to try new things,
rather than just going for the same food all the time. When we finally found a
restaurant, I've realised that Czech dishes or most of them contain meat- which
I'm not really a big fan of. Ever since, I've stopped eating meat in my second
year at uni, it never tasted the same. I have days when I will try something
with meat, but my appetite has changed so much. It feels horrible every time I
try it so that was really annoying, that there was not much Veggie options
there. However, we were more successful in finding a better place on our last
day. We went to a lovely restaurant called u Svejka, and I tried fried cheese
(it was a Czech restaurant), which was lovely.
7. Prague did not amaze me
Don't get me wrong, I think Prague is a beautiful
place. It's so worth seeing at least once in your life and I can totally relate
with the Czech culture as it's so similar to the Polish one. However, I
remember the feeling I got when we walked into Marienplatz in Munich or when I
saw the Bavarian Alps. I was so amazed with the place and everything else that
was around me. But I didn't get this feeling with Prague. I don't know if it's
because I was tired, the weather was awful when we got there or because I've
still been so amazed with Munich. It just didn't surprise me in any way. I
still think that it's worth seeing though. Also, I believed that Prague would
be a lot cheaper than it was. I mean it depends where you go, some places were
okay but just be aware that Prague can be very expensive.
Now that my trips are over, the main priority for
me is to catch up with all the work from uni. Lee has officially left Germany
now, so I'm a bit concerned about how things are going to work out. I've never
lived in a foreign country all by myself, so it is really scary and
frustrating, but hopefully everything will be okay. I'm so glad that I've actually made some friends here, because I know how difficult it would be for me to live here all on my own. In 2 weeks’ time, I'm going
to UK for my mums wedding so I'm really looking forward to that, but for now I
just want to focus on improving my language and working really hard at uni, to
get back into this routine of doing things. I've been thinking lately a lot
about my dissertation, which I know I have a lot of time for anyway, but
everything is just going so fast lately that I want to be well prepared for it.
I don't know exactly yet, what I want to be talking about in my dissertation,
but once I do, I know that it will be epic.
Thank you for reading my post, MR x
