My FIRST IMPRESSION Culture SHOCKS in Berlin Germany (as an American)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ม.ค. 2025
- Just an American trying to learn more about and Germany and the rest of Europe.
Today we're gonna check out My FIRST IMPRESSION Culture SHOCKS in Berlin Germany (as an American)
This video was recorded almost a year ago (in case anyone was curious) but I definitely see Berlin in a totally different light after visiting when I did. The funny thing is, I promised I wouldn’t visit Berlin until I had visited every other Stadt and Bundesland in Germany 🤣. Although I was only in Berlin for 2 days, so I guess that means I absolutely HAVE to go back. Where else should I visit and what else should I do in Berlin next time? Also, Döner or Currywurst? Which is better in your opinion 😂?
I stick with Hannover, regarding the cities you should visit xD
And since you like fish (/salmon) Bremerhaven - in every proper restaurant there the fish is as fresh as it can be.
I actually like "Döner Box best" (feel free to criticise me 😂 but the meat and sauce is simply the best about Döner in my opinion)
I think it’s a mood thing.
If you’re in the mood for Currywurst, than Currywurst tastes better than Döner, but if you’re in the mood for Döner, it can be heaven on earth!
@@ellieisnotcoolwarum hannover?
@@kimi7706 cause Hannover is one of the most authentic German cities in North Germany (my opinion). It's got that special multicultural city vibe without being too crowded or having tourist traps everywhere. There are a lot of popular and amazing parks & museums. Even at night there is always something going on. The buildings are pretty and so on
It might not be the most breathtaking, diverse or unique city but Hannover has it's unique charme and it's something one should have seen. (And there is that huge zoo... but I'm not a fan of zoos in general)
Sidenote the local tram (üstra) makes the whole city accessible in a short amount of time and is in contradiction to Deutschebahn pretty reliable
Short: Hannover has a lot to offer, without being too overwhelming
Visiting Kiel (North of Hamburg) during Kiel Week is a good recommendation. The City isn't the biggest, but very nice and open.
I like how respectful you are when you are in public places by not talking loudly and actually being considerate about the people around you
I just wanted to comment that. He's also so curious and respectful engaging with the locals, I really liked to see that. Have a wonderful time in Germany, James :)
Comparing Berlin to the rest of Germany is like comparing New York to the reast of the USA
Not really. You could say the same about Hamburg or Frankfurt. NYC is way more unique in comparison to other American cities. The Berlin of today, not that much anymore.
don't know if that is such a good comparison. NYC brings a lot more money into the states, than berlin does into germany.
i is more like Tik Tok Ohio and the rest off the usa
@@u.p.1038 NYC is only similar to Chicago.
So not true 😂
Like the dude said, you have to go to Berlin in summer. The vibe is unmatched.
Berlin is a shithole³.
There is no vibe in Berlin.... Garbage city.
Berlin summer is 10/10
@@MIZRAIM1906 you have totally no clue at all......Berlin is a city you really can live in. Not like fake cities like Munich. Only other great city is Hamburg!
Ohne thing i have to say is that i really like how you get More silent once you are indoors, some TH-cams Go Places and feel like they Own the Place. You donˋt and that is Great!
Man, thank you for not putting more hate and negativity on our city! I know, it's not the most beautiful city in the world, but the beauty happens in all the cracks in between and all the hidden spots. Plus, the visible and invisible history is just very extensive. Also, you can't really get Berlin in a glympse, because every district looks like its own different town with its own habits and nuances. Really glad that you liked it and looking forward to see maybe another video from here in summer! :) Some of my recommendations would be Spionagemuseum (spy museum), any bunker tour from Berliner Unterwelten, Obersee-Orankesee Park and maybe some event at Tempelhofer-Feld (the former airport of the Luftbrücke). Again, thanks for all your positivity in your videos, really good stuff!
👍👍👍
best place in the world. I know I will stay here for the rest of my life. It's my home.
Verstehe generell den Berlin Hate nicht. Kommt auch nur von Deutschen. Wohne in Hamburg aber Berlin ist auch super schön!
@@RasmusWitzig Hast recht!!! Ich liebe Berlin, aber HH kenne ich einfach besser !
@@RasmusWitzig Da hast du recht! Und Hamburg fetzt natürlich auch! :D
Your Denglisch tho 😂
"There is so much more to a Döner. Like - I mean - like the Gemüse, the Sose"
Sose😂
Das ist mehr Engleutsch! (Weil er Amerikaner ist) 😂
The Sose XD
:D
Well beides kebab you can also say doner in English just without the "ö".
hes talking like a regular german but in reverse
In some ways, Berlin is still divided 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Seen from space, the city's lights show a stark contrast, with orange lights in the east and white lights in the west.
One of the reasons for this is that each side of the city still uses different types of lights, light shades, and fittings.
thank you for pointing out at 02:40 that people in berlin mind their business more than in other cities. ive been saying this for ages but havent seen anyone who feels the same
Minding our own business is our love language for being polite. I once grabbed a guy by his jacket to hold him back from running (unintentional) into traffic and automatically said SORRY while grabbing him. If he *wanted* to run into the car, that's non of my business! Okay, no, because the car driver didn't consented, but you get the point...
12:43 Bro, the "ich hab gaarnichts gemacht" was so unexpected and just perfect 😂😂😂
Nach diesem Kommentar hab ich gesucht 😂
@@LucasFedler ich auch HAHAHA. das war wirklich Situationskomik vom Feinsten!
I love how open you are to these experiences... Good content and good for yourself. You should go on doing this as long as possible. Oh and by the way - since you are into Graffiti.. "Teufelsberg" would have been one of my picks in the interview. Prior US surveillance center (they are "much" more subtle now) and home to some really breathtaking street art
You should visit the Harz.
It's very beautifull and rich of culture and folklore.
In Harz is a city "Bad Harzburg" they have a Baumschwebebahn (copy that word + Bad Harzburg and watch a video about it.
Pretty cool experience 😊
The building is the "Reichstagsgebäude"
The Bundestag is inside 😊
I am almost 48, born and raised in West-Berlin. If you visit again, I can show you around and tell you a bunch of stories.
goes to a pretty mid döner shop, loves it and says the best döner comes from Berlin. I think as a Berliner I'm just spoiled
I think on average berlin döners are way better than most other german cities, at least the cities I've visited so far. So I kinda get why he was so impressed with the mid döner 😅
average chicken in germany is like the best chicken in the States
The quality differences shouldn't be that big ... just grill some decent bread, slap some decent grilled meat in there, add some decent vegetables and add some decent sauce. It's not like a Döner is this intricate meal with a recipe that takes hours and a thousand steps to prepare. Or in other words: if you manage to screw up a Döner, you should get out of the food business altogether. 😄
dieses elitäre gelaber von berlinern über döner find ich abartig. das ist ein absolut top tier dönerladen und alles was noch "darüber" stehen könnte ist rein subjektiv zu entscheiden. diese einschätzung von dir ist echt unangenehm bruder, hauptsache sagen, dass es ja gar nicht sooo gut war🙄
Okay guys, where are your favourite döner shops?
I like K'Ups Gemüsekebab at Kastanienallee 102 in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin.
"Beirut der 70er" at Grünberger Straße 84 in Friedrichshain, Berlin has great Lebanese Food if you're looking for a quick meal.
Let's share favourites.
My best friend works for the railroads and is also responsible for the cleanliness of the stations.
I will pass on your praise about the cleanliness to him
Taxes don't really fuck you. We also get a lot in return. Good roads, we don't have to fork out thousands of euros for an ambulance or a birth.
There is also pension insurance, unemployment insurance, nursing care insurance and and and...
The biggest problem is that, despite inflation falling, companies are not lowering prices again.
Schön gesagt Heisenberg.
NPC 🙄🤦🏼♂️
@@DasLicht2907 the ironyyyyyyyy
good roads and pension insurance , that is a hoax, some cities have good roads ,but that is not the standard for every city, pension insurance is a joke and the healthcare system is, albeit leagues about the american, is so overly stressed out, you cant get anything done when youre not insured privately or know someone working at the doctor where you have to go. Our taxes are being used to fight foreign wars, subsidize foreign build projects , while the average German does not have the money to buy a bit of luxury anymore , dispite the large gdp.
When you think about any extra 3 realer irrsinn documentary and hear how much of that tax money is being absolutely wasted because of mindless ruling, you could argue that taxes or atleast the corruption fucks us.
I'm 76 now and in the eighties before the wall fell, my French company had to travel to West Berlin. We left Paris and drove through East Germany to reach West Berlin. We drove through fields and fields of cabbages. Instructions from the East Germany authorities was never to stop, not even for a "necessity". Finally we arrived at the East German border to enter West Berlin. A long line of cars and surrounded by miradors with heavily armed men. We had to stop and slip our passports into a sort of rail. When finally we reached the checkpoint, our passports were re-checked and we were asked to get out of the car, take off our sunglasses and the car looked into and over. If all went well, you would get your passport back, otherwise you saw cars being taken aside and taken apart (not literally, but it was a real search). Anyway, it was one of my most disturbing moments in my life !!
You were lucky. We had to drive the car onto a garage driveway twice, with high walls on the left and right, and the door was closed at the back. We were guarded by a GDR border policeman with a gun in his hand and we didn't know what they wanted. At some point they just let us drive away and didn't search the car. Well, maybe they had X-rays there.😂
My dad and his family once stopped for a "necessity" and they met an east german family at the parking lot. The paranoia both families felt was described to me as "extreme death fear". Both thought the others were stasi. I can't imagine wanting this back yet this is exactly what a lot of east germans are voting for...
You could stop for a pee or buy food in East German motorway service stations, no problem.
@@cantinadudesYou weren't allowed to contact east Germans when travelling between West Germany and West Berlin. But that is separate, it doesn't mean you couldn't take a rest.
@@xaverlustig3581 yea i know it was forbidden but they did it anyway. Its why both families shat their pants when they first met each other
You should definitely come to Berlin in summer, winter kinda sucks here... pick whatever park and enjoy...
The Victoria Park is also my favorite, great pick from your friend :)
I love your videos, man. You are so positive and hyped. Whether you just enjoy food or look at architecture, it doesn't matter. It's a pleasure to see our country through your eyes 😊
Thank you very much for this video. I am German and I have only been to Berlin a few times as a tourist. And this gave me really new ideas for my next trip to Berlin..
Because of your question, I like Currywurst, but a Döner Kebab have more to offer and varied and is more filling.
After eating a Currywurst I'm still hungry or hungry again very soon.
he she it das s muss mit
Dude, the „Was nochmal?“ was clean as hell!
In Berlin you have to try Falafel. But only freshly made. Also in a bread. It's so good. When I lived in Berlin, there was a so good place where they sold the best Falafel ever. But alas, it was sold.
Ich liebe es wie er immer einzelne Wörter auf deutsch sagt. Ich bin in Deutschland geboren aber hab von Geburt an englisch gelernt.
Whenever I visit Berlin, I feel that the city is very welcoming to everyone (whatever or whoever you are). And I think that Berlin is very honest: other cities (Munich, Paris, London, Venice etc.) are romanticised in one or the other way. But not Berlin. Berlin is beautiful and ugly, rich and poor, clean and dirty, ordered and artsy (like every other city is)... And the city stands by it. When you visit Berlin you get what see.
The architecure u showed as eastern block example was probably older than the GDR. and in my opinion the mixed use looks better then what i saw from a lot of US cities.
The guy recommending Berlin in summer is absolutely right. Been living in Berlin for 12 years now, the winters are boring and cold and gray and just like every other metropolis. But the summers... the summers... you have to experience it.
Although it's debatable whether it's a Hamburg or Berlin invention, you should not leave Berlin without trying a Mexikaner. Basically, it's Schnaps (usually Korn or Vodka) mixed with tomato juice and hot and spicy things. When the beers or wines or gin and tonics get boring, spice up your evening with a Mexikaner. They're usually enticingly affordable. Just don't make the mistake of drinking too many, or your night out could take a disturbing turn. ;)
If you're bang in the middle of Berlin, near Alexanderplatz, go to Nikolaiviertel and eat at "Zum Nußbaum", great traditional Berlin atmosphere as well as food and drink. Nikolaiviertel is cute to explore, see if you can find the statue of St. George piercing a Lindwurm. Later in the evening, take an S-Bahn to Bellevue and find great atmosphere and pub food in the Lir Irish Pub. (Also decent Mexikaner to be found here.)
The thing you can do almost anywhere in Berlin is what I call "Späti-Hopping". A Späti is a kiosk or shop that is open most (or all) of the night, often 24/7, and many of them have little benches and tables in front of them. So what you do is: you enter any Späti you come across and you procure a refreshing beverage. (The selection of beverages in Spätis is usually mind-blowing. Don't make the mistake of drinking something you know. Be bold, try something you don't know.) Then you walk down the street until you've emptied your beverage and you come across the next Späti. Then you do the same, procure beverage, continue walking until the next Späti. Easy. Sometimes people will sit in front of the Späti on the chairs or benches, and many of them will be up for a little chat, either to lecture you about the decline of Berlin, or to trade stories about home countries. Continue from Späti to Späti until you can't walk anymore. (Some Spätis will let you use their toilets if you purchase something, just ask nicely.)
Additional information for Americans: it's totally fine to walk down Berlin's streets openly carrying a beer (or other alcoholic beverage of choice) in your hands, even drinking from it, even in bright daylight.
This is one of the "secret trips" I take friends on who visit me here:
* go to Hansaviertel
* get on one of the boats that goes down to Oberbaumbrücke
* get off at Oberbaumbrücke
* maybe have a look at the wall or have a drink on the floating hostel (in front of Pirates)
Variation A:
* walk north-east-ish towards Warschauer Str. S-Bahn station and pass it
* go down (east) into the RAW area and have a look around
* maybe drop in to "zum schmutzigen Hobby" for a drink if it's open
* exit the RAW area to the north and walk up Simon-Dach-Str.
Variation B:
* walk south-west-ish towards Schlesisches Tor
* have a Burger at Burgermeister, a former public urinal turned food source located under (!) the subway (!) that floats about 10m above (!) the streets
Variation B1:
* go south-east-ish down Schlesische Str. and just take in whatever you can find there, like the Freischwimmer restaurant, the Hoppetosse boat-that-is-a-club, Molecule men (statue of 3 men signifying where 3 Berlin city parts meet), Club der Visionäre, the old DDR watchtower, ...
Variation B2:
* go south-west-ish down Skalitzer Str., it's a long walk down to Kottbusser Tor, but you'll come across the most fascinating little things and shops and restaurant and bars. Plus a beautiful mosk and that world-famous graffiti of a cosmonaut near Mariannenstr./Rio-Reiser-Platz.
I could go on for ages with recommendations of what to do and where to go, but ultimately the best thing you can do is just pick an area and walk through it, explore it. All of the above variations are great areas for Späti-Hopping. Plus you'll see more of "actual Berlin" and less of "tourist Berlin".
Insider tip: look up comedy in Berlin. There is a bubbling underground comedy scene, and due to the variety of Berlin's inhabitant cultures, a significant part of it is in English. Some hilarious talent to be found here, like Kinan Al or Filiz Tasdan. (Little caveat: a lot of Berlin's comedians do Berlin-specific jokes, things you'll likely only understand if you've lived in Berlin, or maybe if you've lived in another metropolis like it.)
If you visit Berlin with your better half, believe me, DO THIS: use the Internet to look up the time of sunset, and book a table in the restaurant of the TV tower at Alexanderplatz for about 30 minutes earlier. (Fernsehturm am Alexanderplatz) Maybe plan a day or two ahead, and be there 30-60 minutes early, there is an elevator but there could be a wait. Go up in the elevator, have a look around, advance to the restaurant for the ultimate romantic endgame. Order food and drink, slowly rotate on a yuge disk in the sky, and watch as the most amazing atomic sun explosion unfolds outside as the sun vanishes under the horizon, leaving everything benath you black and quiet, interrupted only by the occasional flashing blue lights blasting down a street. If this stunt doesn't get you laid, you should reconsider your relationship.
Thank me later. ;)
Ganz schön wild. Habe alles notiert ❤
Hope you had a great time over here, glad you got the overall spririt of Berlin right. If you come back to Berlin, go get a bicycle!
Some informations where not quite right though, especially when it comes to the seperated city. There were more cars than Trabbi.
The wall museums and Checkpoint Charly are a Disney version of what it was really like.
21:11 That "trench" is the unearthed prison cell basement (as part of the ongoing "Topography of Térror" exhibition) of the former Géstapo HQ building (later RSHA). It just so happens that along its former street-side facade the outer wall to the western part of the city was built less than two decades later. "Géstapo" is short for "Geheime Staatspolizei" (secret state police) and was the political police force of Nazì Germany from 1933 until 1945.
You really have to do a video at lake Constanze or Bodensee in german(it's beautiful), or more about the black forest near the swiss and french border it looks just like in the fairytails, & try more of the food here, like black forest cake(best from it's hometown Freiburg) or Flammkuchen( it's like a french/german style pizza),etc.
If, then you should include the Rheinfall in Schaffhausen that's not so far from the Bodensee. It's the biggest waterfall in Europe and it's on the border between Germany and Switzerland. Bodensee has other attractions like the 'flower island' Mainau. A bit further away is Castle Neuschwanstein the inspiration for Disney's Cinderella Castle.
@@seanthiarBut the Rhine falls really are in Switzerland and have nothing to do with Germany, it is nice but I’m not sure it makes sense for a German react yt
Konstanz is indeed beautiful, i lived there for 12years, a small paradise
@@seanthiarInstead of Neuschwanstein I would recommend Burg Hohenzollern.
Konstanz: very beautiful historic centre. The city has a very long history - it's been given its name by the ancient Romans. It's the centre of the region around the west part of Lake Constance. There's a regular ferry conncetion between Konstanz and Meersburg another very beautiful town surrounded by vineyards on slopes reaching almost down to the coast line of Lake Constance.
Lindau: the historic centre of that city is on an island in Lake Constance at the opposite end. It's connected via a bridge on one side and a railway dam to the opposite side of the island. Like Constance it was inhabited by the ancient Romans too who called it Lindovia. The historic city centre and the harbour area are really worth visiting.
Bregenz: capital of the Austrian country of Vorarlberg and home of a prominent music festival. The opera hall is right at the coast of Lake Constance and even a bit inside - actually a large stage with room for an orchestra is in the lake. The opera hall can be reached by a beautiful promenade along the lake connecting it with the harbour. There are regular connections by ship to Lindau, Friedrichshafen, Konstanz and several other places. It has a nice historic centre too.
Friedrichshafen is probably the larges city at Lake Constance. It's mainly an industrial city but it has a beautiful seaside with a harbour right near the city centre. For people interested in technology, particularly aviation Friedrichshafen is offering two very interesting museums: the Zeppelin museum about the history of the airships which were built here for the first time, and the Dornier museum telling the story of the aviation and technology company Dornier of which parts were integrated into Airbus Industries finally near the end of the last century.
Those are just the four largest towns at Lake Constance. There are a number of smaller towns, all of them quite old and mostly really beautiful.
From within Germany it's easy to get there either using Autobahn A81 from Stuttgart to Singen and then to Konstanz, or using Autobahn A7 from Ulm to Memmingen and A96 from Memmingen to Lindau, or Autobahn A96 from Munich to Lindau. In Switzerland there's an Autobahn from Zurich to St.Gallen which is quite near to Romanshorn and Rorschach at the Swiss coast of Lake Constance. It's also not too far away from Bregenz and Lindau once you've reached Rorschach.
Trains connecting Munich and Zurich are passing through Lindau (though not the island part any more) and Bregenz. There's a railway line from Ulm to Friedrichshafen which can be used to get to Lindau too. Konstanz can be reached by train from Stuttgart as well as from Zurich quite quickly. Also there are trains connecting Ulm and Innsbruck/Tyrolia, Austria, passing through Friedrichshafen, Lindau and Bregenz and also passing through the railway tunnel at the Arlberg pass deep in the Alps (there's an Autobahn and a tunnel for it too).
If you are into street-art, the Urban Nation house is a must to have visited! It houses a museum for street-art history, starting with the early NYC Graffiti movement. Located close to the Nollendorfplatz, the whole street has houses covered with murals!
Actual coffee has more caffeine than Espresso, btw. I think it has to do with the speed of water seeping through the coffee powder… So, may regular coffee would have been better to keep you awake. But those donuts looked yummy!
Berlin is the heart of creativity, especially in musical and painting arts.
If you come to Berlin again you need to go to Krasselt´s Imbiss and get the Buletten with Fries or the Bratwurst but without ketchup. For me its the best in the City.
I'm so happy you actually went to the park I used to live near too, I have so many good memories at that park from my childhood and snowy winters are amazing at it.
Ach- ich auch ist ja lustig 💪🏼 ja war echt schön
Berlin is definitely its own living organism, i used to spent my summers there at my grandmas as a kid, i am still influenced by it till today and sometimes i here the city call for me in sleepless nights...
ticket inspectors in public transport (within cities) are always undercover everywhere in germany and sometimes it's the most random people you could think of just so that no one can expect it. the weirdest I had was a group of old ladies and a group of beer drinking arabic looking guys.
only on trains between cities the conductor/ticket inspectors are in uniform.
in Hamburg they mostly wear uniform
really depends where you’re from in every city in my area they wear uniforms
@@ilyas863 which city is that?
i know that in köln, münchen, nürnberg, mannheim and berlin they don't.
i have never seen them wear uniform in any public inner city transport. it also doesn't really make sense, if you see them in uniform you just exit or don't board the bus/ubahn/tram, that's why in most cities they are undercover.
@@williamrockwood5234 wiesbaden mainz frankfurt
Love your enthusiasm man! Have a good time in germany ❤
The döner staffs are always very very welcoming. I don't know why but they sometimes call you chef wich means boss. I really like it. Its just kinda funny and it makes you feel kinda safe or something 😂
Finally, hab sooo lange darauf gewartet!🥳
Awesome video Bray. The editing was top notch as well. You are authentic my friend keep it 💫🤙🏼
nice berlin
in my opoinion in east berlin
for a good spot is
"Ahrensfelder Berge"
the view over berlin in the night or sunfall one of best places in berlin
btw by "Nordbahnhof" - "Berlin Wall Memorial"
the wall too but with tower and so
So much love for you James. We need more people like you. As a german, its nice to see how you celebrate the Bundestag. Its really wunderschön to be honest.
Stay here, come to cologne & watch the Dom. Your Brain will pop, i promise you
Yeah...typical Berlin weather. But in summer I'd really recommend to go to Potsdam and Sanssouci if you are into parks and architecture.
Have visited Berlin many times. Once on a day out from Leipzig and once overnight from Paris on the train.
It's great fun trying to spot the German transport fare dodging staff!
So many beautiful districts in Berlin each with their own character.
If you go back to Berlin you must visit the Tempelhofer Feld, it is an old airport
For me personally, one of the best places in Berlin I think is kleiner Müggelsee which is in Köpenick. I know it’s not even near the centre of Berlin but on hot summer evenings with some beers and a little snack it’s a dream. Around the lake are some spots where you can chill with your friends because the spots are mostly not that big so you have kind of privacy if you’re lucky and get a nice spot. But also little walks by the Spree in summer are so gorgeous and so fascinating that you instantly fall in love with our beautiful city. As a Berliner I and mostly everyone else who lives here is so annoyed of this much graffiti which is only like tags of graffiti groups so you are the first guy I know that likes the graffiti.😂
Finally you are there where the fun is
Fun video. My first time to Berlin was in March 2022 and I'll be going back in November 2024. With Hamburg as a new addition. Love that doughnut shop!
When I was still a kid in the 90s the old S-Bahn in Berlin had handles instead of buttons which you could actually open the doors with whenever you wanted. Even in between stops while the train was moving. For some adolescents that was too tempting not to exploit. So they started to get out of the S-Bahn and climb on top surfing the S-Bahn.
Ja! Konstanz and Bodensee, Mainau! Not to touristy, but one of the top beauty's to see in Germany.
And you get lekker Leberkäs!
Even out of a Tankstelle, better than in whole Bavaria!
In the Victoriapark the house you were pointing on is a restaurant called Tomasa, it has a tiny zoo on the side. The building is called Villa Kreuzberg, it used to be the machine house for the waterfall in the 19th and 20th century, it became a youth club in the 80es and a restaurant around 20 years ago.
You have to see the Tempelhofer Feld!
ohh this video brought back so many memories
If you're in berlin again you have to try 7days Döner in Schöneberg... They also have "der Gerät". It's my favourite Döner place.
Such a minute detail, but I love that you made the effort to refer to things by their German names ♥
You even visited the donut shop at the Frankfurter Tor what a legend.
Even as a German who has been to Berlin a few times, this was very informative. Thanks, my guy!
Next time you have to go to Berlin in spring/summer. That's the time when Berlin wakes up, becomes alive and makes it, in my opinion, the coolest city in the world! I, like so many, I am a so called “Hinzugezogener“ (some who moved to Berlin and wasn´t raised there) and initially only wanted to stay for 2-3 years.... now it's been 12 years and I've married lol. I believe that life ALWAYS has different plans for you and guides you into your destiny. especially if you have the courage to go out into the world and leave your usual security.
Keep up the good work! Your curiosity and openness about everything is inspiring.
I went for the 1st time a month ago. I loved it. It has a gritty charm like NYC, but quiet. My trip was too short, I need to go back.
Hallo James ,ich hoffe du hattest ne gute zeit. 😘
Im happy you liked Berlin.
Brammibals Donuts is originally from Berlin the woman who owns the shop started to sell the donuts some years ago on the weekend at Berlin weekend markets (and yes they are the best donuts I ever had hehe)
If you want a deep lifechanging experience over in berlin, I recommend a visit to Hohenschönhausen Stasi Prison. You can get tours through there hosted by people that used to be inmates there, hold prison and "questioned" by the Stasi. Really impressive.
Love Brammibals, they have so many vegan options!
My grandma actually escaped from East Berlin to her relatives in West Berlin. She's turning 88 soon.
lovely to see whatever is special for a stranger in contrast to the experience of people who are used to it
It is funny. The place where you interviewed people for recommendations to places to visit, some of which were museums. I just learned that there is a hidden one right under the monument. It is actually a very big , dome like hall there where reliefs and statues of buildings are safely stored (often replaced by reqpliques on the original places) but there is no kiosk or something. You have to know it and to a reservation on the cities website to get in. Considering your tastes as communicated by this video I think you night enjoy a visit.
if u are ever coming back to berlin u have to try the Falafel or Shawarma at Al Gazali, located at the Boxhagener Platz. One of the best to exist in Berlin.
5:36 „was nochmal ?“ xD hat sich so geil angehört… 😊
There's an interesting fact about Trabbi (or using their official name Trabant) cars: Their nick name was "Rennpappe" which loosely translates to "racing cardboard" since their body work was actually fabricated using laminated paper instead of metal due to shortages and in order to keep the price down.
Shoutouts and props for actually finding brammiballs and getting that applepie donut. its the best besides "bienenstich". best unhealthy food in town! love it!
If you want to learn more about the life in the GDR, you can visit the DDR-Museum (GDR-museum). And if your schedule allows it, you shoud also go to the Tränenpalast (palace of tears, former border control between east and west Berlin).
really enjoyed watching you experiencing my hometown
Bro, lost places in Berlin are wild, especially those out of ex soviet union... Gotta go there with alk and friends in summer
Man... After a day of binge watching TH-cam and an overdose of videos resulting in a lag of interest... this video fired me up to get my ass up... an go to bed 😅
Deine positivität ist so ansteckend! 😊😊
You really should visit Thüringen and for example the cities Erfurt&Gotha cuz both cities actually have some really pretty spots and historic buildings :)
I definitely enjoy this version of speed, testing Döner, more when the loud one 🔥
8:49 actually it’s standard for bakery’s in Berlin too. Only in the south it’s rarer to find Franzbrötchen
The traffic light figures are the official figures of the GDR
Many have nostalgic feelings for them
They do have more personality and have been tested to be more easily visible
The Reichstag used to have an ornate dome with golden features,
after destruction in WWII they remade it
The glass dome is supposed to represent democracy
People can just walk up in there and look at the politicians
Some of the concepts for the new dome are hilarious though😆
The buildings are less detailed because of
1 East germany
2 Removel of the facade in the Weimarer Republik (and slightly before)
Many people in the WR thought that the facade is 'false'
-A lie of prosperity just painted over poor living conditions
...Most of the times it just kinda looks worse though...
Brammibals Donuts was founded by a former nurse....they started baking in their private kitchen and meanwhile they have several branches in Berlin.
In summertime you should also visit the lakes and rivers and beaches in Berlin and the castles in Potsdam. Also the former ancient hospitals, breweries and childrens homes which are now Lofts.
Wow, you literally were right next to the house I live in ;D Didn't know you were here, would have thrown candy from the bancoly haha. Some weird german Mars bars or something ;D I send love.
I really appreciate your videos 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Yo, James, next time try "Spießbraten Brötchen" (or normal Spießbraten with "Klöße"), if its possible. Some butcheries/Restaurants in Germany sell it.
Checkpoint Charlie is a replica and smaller than the original, at least it stands on the correct spot
Berlin... I've lived there for 5 years of my life.... and I'm still missing its vibes. I felt very much at home in that *dirty old town*.
And maybe I'll return someday....
In the GDR you could buy Trabi, Lada and Wartburg. But you had to apply and wait for years to buy one from the government - and only if you had a family. That’s why they had children so early in life. 😅
And they registered the kids on birth for a car, so they maybe get one 20 years later or sell the rights for the car to someone else
People-wise I had the same culture shock the other way round: as a Berliner travelling to NYC for the first time this March, I was so stunned to see a city that open and like "talkative" at just such a different level than in Berlin. Berliners being more locked-in is actually a very German thing. I guess also many expats enjoy that - you always have your big private space. But in NYC I really loved the open-ness, people being seriously interested in you. That sometimes is a flaw in Berlin: people always just mind their own business. Can make you feel lonely pretty fast.
I totally agree with you saying everyone’s so locked in. This is the reason why I‘m leaving Berlin after 3 years 😢 you know, Berlin seems so open but a lot of times it’s just that people absolutely don’t care. That made me very sad. Nonetheless, there are many positive and interesting sides to Berlin as well. Definitely worth a visit 😊
also during summer take a tour on a ship through the city!
ayo bud, really love your videos!
guess i should go over to berlin as well for the first time hehe :)
Haha. That's so funny seeing you at my REWE 😄
I love your channel pls keep up the good work
Finally!🙏
Missing Germany, 😢hugs from Canada 🇨🇦 American Brother 😊
Oh honey. ❤
Great to see you in berlin.
Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!!
Best snack point in Berlin: Grande Gyros at the corner Bergmann and Zossener Straße in Kreuzberg. :)
Regarding not knowing the "brand" of the donut store, all the best food places are individual and not part of a chain.
We have a McDonald's here in our town, but I haven't been to it for over 12 years. There are so many better options that are just local burger or Döner restaurants etc. that are each unique, all use local sourced, fresh beef, not deep frozen pattis that have been shipped over hundreds of kilometers, bread from a local bakery and fresh, locally sourced vegetables and fresh sauces, no preservatives, no added sugar etc.
James, when you're in Berlin next time, take a flight to Warsaw, Poland, and check out the most thriving and vibrant city here in East Europe!
In Berlin, check out Charlottenburg and Schöneberg next time and drive through Grunewald, the big city forest.
You'll need more days than last time definitely😊.
Ich bin froh, deinen tollen Kanal gefunden zu haben! :O)