I've been back from Berlin for just over a week now, and I'm well into writing the next Good Thief's Guide. This was my second trip to Berlin for the book, and it was incredibly useful. In the main, I tried to focus on getting more of a 'feel' for the city this time round, in particular the different neighbourhoods I'm going to be writing about. I spent time in the former eastern districts of Prenzlauer Berg (where Charlie is going to live), Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, the historical Mitte area, and the Tiergarten, in the former west.
I found Charlie's apartment. And a couple of locations Charlie is going to break into.
And what else? I went and took a good look at the British Embassy. I went up the Fernsehturm (the Death Star-like TV tower). I hunted out some outdoor ping-pong tables in Kollwitz Platz. I visited the DDR Museum. Experienced a train driver strike. Wandered through the Ka De Wa department store. Ate a HUGE apple tart. Walked through the soviet-era architecture of Karl Marx Allee. Strolled along by the River Spree, which was filled with heavy chunks of ice (the temp varied between minus 4 and minus 6 while we were there). Took a bus tour (hey, it was cold). And drank another Berliner Weisse.
I didn't try Curry Wurst (maybe next time) and I'm sure there's plenty more I missed.
Mind you, that's what trip 3 is for. And since I'm planning to return in the summer, I'm hoping it'll be a whole lot warmer.
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