First Impressions of Berlin

On the 10 minute walk from the U-Bahn station to our apartment on our first morning in Berlin, we noticed a string of seemingly abandoned warehouses along the riverfront to our right and a string of towering apartment complexes tagged with graffiti on our left – not the warmest welcome. After a few days of walking by these warehouses, we have realized they contain a modern furniture store, a designer clothing outlet, and a purveyor of French wines. At night (read: after midnight) they turn into reknowned Berlin clubs. The graffiti varies from simple tags by ne’er-do-wells to masterpieces by internationally recognized artists (not that we can always tell the difference). No wall, trash can, ATM or vent is sacred.

The once glorious food market 500 meters down the street from us now contains a down-trodden Aldi and a discount clothing store catering to the largely immigrant Kreuzberg community. On a Tuesday, the center is a dark empty cavern. But come back on Friday or Saturday and the hall is bustling, filled with vendors selling: artisanal meats, cheeses and breads; wild mushrooms; wine; and handmade wooden children’s toys. As in all of Berlin, you can’t trust first impressions.