Tag: #Berlin

food, lifestyle, society, travel

Happy hanukkah!

Hanukkah is not a strange word for me anymore.  I was introduced to Judaism when I worked as au pair for 10 months in Golders Green, a well known Jewish area in North London. I learned about some main holidays, traditions and most of the the yummy food they have: the challah bread on Fridays, the bagels and the jam mini doughnuts for… Hanukkah!

We’ve been wanting to go back to Golders Green for long, but never found the time, really. We finally went yesterday. The streets were busy, preparing for the last day of the holiday, some Menorahs were lit in different parks around… very nice vibe. And we got some treats from Daniel’s bakery! The best bagels in the freezer for when I fancy them, it’s the key. Find it at 12-13 Hallswelle Parade, Finchley Road, NW11 0DL.

La palabra Hanukkah ya no me suena a raro. Fui introducida al judaísmo cuando viví y trabajé como niñera para una familia en Golders Green, conocido barrio judío del norte de Londres. Aprendí sobre algunas fiestas, tradiciones y sobretodo la comida: pan hallah, bagels y mini donuts por Hanukkah. Y volvimos ayer, todo el mundo preparándose para el último día de la fiesta. También nos llevamos algún que otro capricho a casa de una de las mejores panaderías de la zona.

menorah.jpeg
Menorah at Brandenburger Tor, Berlin, two weekends ago.

It’s all about making the most of every experience and learning, like we did in Berlin ;).

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art, cinema, food, society, travel

Berlin, a personal guide

Just got back from a cold holiday in Berlin. Some people would say that December is not the best time to visit the city. I say it is. It was my second time visiting a cold Berlin. Here is a four day guide:

DAY 1: FRIDAY

We landed very early at Schönefeld Berlin Airport. We would “easily” have got to central Berlin if it wasn’t that buying a ticket involved a good 45′ spent in a ticket queue. Mad.

 

Tip 1: How to move around

We mainly walked everywhere. But for those daytrips further out, we managed to survive and get around with U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (trains that cross and go out the city).

There are no ticket barriers to use the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams or regional trains. However, you can be asked to show your ticket anytime, so you better have it. To get into the bus one has to show the ticket to the driver.

Another option would be renting a bike. Very affordable and easy, since there are bike lanes EVERYWHERE. I love it.

 

So we got to Alexanderplatz and there we found one of the biggest Weihnachtmarkt (Christmas market) of the city. The offer would be the same everywhere:  Bratwrust, typical sweets, GühlWein, Xmas gifts and fun fairs.

 

Tip 2: Where to stay

Location as always is very important. After looking for different options, including Airbnb and apartments, we finally chose EastSeven Hostel (Schwedter Strasse 7). Just as they claimed to be: relaxed hostel in central Berlin. Small, cosy and clean.

The closest underground station is U Senedefelderplazt. The Kollwitzkiez district, as well as Mitte, are close to the city centre, easy to get around and have nice cafes, restaurants and local shops.

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