Berlin, Germany

8:05 am

So this is it. In less than 12 hours, I will be at Tegel, waiting to start the second leg of my European jaunt. I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by here.

Despite my short stay, I've grown very comfortable here. I feel at home when I am in Mitte and have even gotten used to typing on the German keyboard arrangement. It's just now that I've begun to piece things together and to have to leave now, is like pulling me away from a half-finished jigsaw puzzle.

Though the city will surely not miss me, I will miss it a lot.

The sun is out and I should be too.

I took one last walk through Alexanderplatz, just to see the TV Tower once more. The sky was favourable today.

Grabbed a doughnut for breakfast and headed off.

East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is a long stretch of the Berlin wall, decorated by famous artists, near Warschauer station. Only about 10 minutes or so away by S-Bahn.

Along the way, I stopped in and bought a piece of the Berlin wall. Apart from the little sticker on the front, it's no different than any other piece of spray-painted concrete I've ever seen - though this particular hunk does bear the specific distinction of having cost me 5 euros.

At the end of the wall (I went to the far east end, and walked back westwardly) was Ostbanhof (station). Just outside was a flea market. I was planning to go to Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz (another fleamarket in Prenzlauer Berg) today, maybe I'd be able to find what I was looking and not even bother going back up there.

Saw an old leather bag, like the Stasi used to carry around, but the guy wanted 25 euros for it. Didn't need it, so I walked away. Nothing else of interest really and no duffel bags. Shit. I'll have to go back to Trash to get one.

Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz

Got back to the hostel area and walked along Tor Strasse to Trash, but it was closed...as were all the shops along Kastanienalle. Where the hell am I, Halifax? What gives? Unbelieveable, but true. No Sunday shopping in Berlin. So, off to the flea market it is.

I found Arkonaplatz park and walked into the open-air flea market. I found the same Stasi bag for 10 euro, and it was packed full of weird shit. I don't know what half of it is. I'll bring it home to see if my parents or sister know. One thing looks kind of Star Trekish, but I think it's a Russian light meter.

There are tons of old-looking cameras here and I know my father would be having a field day (amateur photographer), but being that I know more about the Feminist movement than cameras, I didn't get anything for him.

I went back to Der Imbiss W again for an olive naan and another lassie. Mmm, that's good naan. Wish I knew about this place earlier. It's a little pricey, but probably doing my insides a lot more good than whatever they put in the composite meat for donner kebabs.

Follow the pea

I had to go back to the hostel to pick up my pack, then to Alexanderplatz to catch the aiport bus. I was standing outside and saw some people gathered around. I went to see what all the hubbub was about and found that there was a guy running a shady looking three-shell-game (don't know what it's called, but it's like three-card monte). He tried to get me in, but I didn't bite.

I noticed it was always the same two "players" who were winning. As I watched, three punters walk up and each lost 150 euros (50 euros a round). Morons.

One last look at Tor Strasse and I'm off to Prague.