If you ever find yourself tired, in Turku and needing to fly to Berlin from Helsinki, I would recommend paying the 7e it costs to chose ones own seat on the plane!
After a coach ride through the night, I found myself, early morning, sat between a silent German lady and a rather rotund and amply sized Latvian gentleman, who squeezed himself into the aisle seat next to me.
The next few hours passed as uncomfortably as one can imagine, trying to catch some sleep as the unwilling filling in a not so friendly German/Latvian human sandwich.
I don t know what it is about German police, but they always look a little more frightening than our Bobbys on the beat in England.
Tegel airport Germany, 9am, they were out in full force, pistols hanging nonchalantly from their side as they surveyed the incoming visitors. Clearly thinking me a upstanding citizen of the world, I waltzed on by without hurt or hindrance, into the chilly sunshine of Berlin.
Tegel airport benefits from being close enough to the city to connect through the efficient BVG transport system, which relies on the goodwill and honesty of its passengers in collecting fares.
The possibility to jump on free of charge is tempting to a Brit, any who have visited London would know it is nigh on impossible to get through the Berlin wall esque barriers, that prevent even the most tenacious from storming the 'barricades'.
For the bargain price of 2.70e The bus 'Number' TXL takes you straight to the centre and Alexanderplatz. It winds its way through the industrial suburbs of Berlin. Ramshackle small bungalow dwellings with adjacent garden patches line the route, a throw back to the DDR.
A Prison which wouldn t look out of place in The Shawshank Redemption adds to the intrigue along the journey, and perks the imagination of the inquisitive traveler. I m sure a story or two can be told behind those walls.
A rabble of Danish school kids provided an unintelligible but pleasant background noise to the journey. Having studied Danish for two years at university in London, it was good to reacquaint myself with the soft guttural sounds of the Danes.
Nearing the centre, U bahn and Train lines dot the route and the bus soon emptied of the Danish contingent, who hopped off to treat the unsuspecting U bahn population to a cacophony of Dane speak. It is debatable if it's a real language, or just a series of unintelligible bastardised Norwegian/Swedish words ;) I jest of course, it is a lovely language!
The many tributaries and canals from the Rover Spree line the route into town, and as the TXL travels past the hauptbahnhof of Berlin, a glass megastructure of modern architecture, you catch a glimpse of the TV tower. Shining circle atop, keeping watch over the slumbering city below. Streets empty and quiet on this sunny Saturday morning. The sun dancing off the river and building windows, giving a surprisingly tranquil and warm welcome to the weary traveler.
The bus turns and drives through the campus of Humboldt university, an impressive array of educational buildings that give a campus feel to this area of Berlin. A cafe or two stirred my caffeine senses and as my eduroam wifi kicked in, I decided to disembark and find my bearings, over a much need coffee and Berlin cheesecake...
Using a combination of sign language and a fried my smile, I acquired my liquid and food replenishments, and sank into the welcoming sofas sipping my coffee. sleep starved, but content, so began my first day in Berlin...
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