I am absolutely love Berlin, for the first time in a while (minus Aus) I’d say this is a country I would love to move to, it is quirky, cool, has a nice vibe to it and really just is a wonderful place. Even after only one full day here I am so not ready to leave. First up for my day was coffee! Essential. From here I wanted to start checking out some of the attractions on my WelcomeCard so I headed to SeaLife first, being an adult (well, pretending to be) it doesn’t take me long to wander around these things as I just like to go for the novelty, so after about 45minutes this was done and next stop was back to Brandenburg Gate, hoping it would be a little less busy and it was which I was thankful for, it gave me a chance to have a proper look round and check out the incredible architecture.

Next stop was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This was breathtaking. I spent so long here just wandering the walls. The whole area was incredible, it begin as quite short blocks that people were sitting on, and gradually as you walked further and further in, the blocks got higher and higher until they completely towered over you and you felt like you was part of a maze. All in grey, they stood high and it was an experience like no other, with almost complete silence within the memorial, it was a harrowing experience. There was a total of 2711 concrete slabs and underneath was a place of information which contained further information, including the names of around 3million Jewish Holocaust Victims.

Next stop, which was just around the corner, was Madame Tussauds. It provided a bit of light-hearted entertainment for an hour or so and gave me a bit more of an insight into some of the things happening in Germany which was pretty cool. From here, I headed over to Checkpoint Charlie. I was a bit disappointed, it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be but I did make the most of taking a couple of quick snaps. Some of the other people there said usually there is actors dressed up which makes it a little bit more special as they talk about the story of the Checkpoint and can stamp your passport for you for a small fee, but they weren’t here so I just had a wander round (it is in the middle of a road), and headed off to my next stop.

I then headed over to the East Side Gallery. Again, how stunning. I am literally in my own little world and completely in my element with everything I’m doing in Berlin.. really.. when can I move here?! I had been looking forward to heading to East Side Gallery since before I even left England, it was on my Must Do list. The artists work here was just something else. I’ve added a pic of my fave piece below but there were so many, including the famous ‘My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love’ with Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker kissing. I walked up and down a few times taking in the different art and these two girls asked if I wanted a photo, they were super lovely about it and I really thanked them, one thing as a solo traveler is either relying on my tripod for pics or kindly asking strangers. I finished off the day with dinner at a cute little Mexican Burrito Bar and headed back to my hostel for a film and chill out. Back again tomorrow!

I honestly got so many incredible pictures in Berlin. I wish I could upload them all. It was only while I was sat in my hostel last night reflecting on the day and writing that I really sat and looked properly at all my pics where I could really take in everything that I had seen. The photos provide memories forever for me. I was thinking about my day and how it was my last full day in Berlin, even though I really wasn’t ready to go yet, and definitely hadn’t had time to see and do everything I wanted to. First up.. you guessed it.. coffee! Iced White Mocha today please. I was in Alexanderplatz and wanted to go up to the viewing platform of Fernsehturm Berlin (TV Tower) so booked a time slot and then went off and checked out Big Little City Berlin as it was close by. This was sold as a kids attraction but I loved it so much and it really helped explain some of the history too, all the little figurines and characters and buildings played a huge part in telling the history of the country and almost helped cement some of the knowledge that I had begun to learn over my last few days of exploring. It was then time for Fernsehturm Berlin, I joined the queue for the security checks and before I knew it, was in a lift up to the top floor (it was super quick!) where there was a 360° view of Berlin.

Final two stops were Berlin Zoo and Hard Rock Café, a must for me if there is one in a country I visit! I hopped on the train / tram / metro (transport of some description) to a different area of Berlin so I could visit the zoo. I had heard amazing things about Berlin Zoo and as it was included in my WelcomeCard I definitely wanted to visit! It did not disappoint, it was huge, but also, the animals weren’t really caged in which made me so happy, most of the time, they were separated by dug out tunnels and low fences from the public, which meant you could still clearly see them and they had their freedom too! The giraffes will always be my favourite and I don’t think that will ever change, and they were so graceful. I also met some cool monkeys amongst many other animals and it provided some real enjoyment on my final day in Berlin.

I am a little gutted that I didn’t get to see and do everything, but it does also mean I can plan a trip back in the future too so it’s not all bad. For now, it is an early night for an early start in the morning to head off to my next stop.. Copenhagen. See you there! Mads xxx