Berlin

Day One: May 14, 2024

After a close to 7-hour bus journey from Bydgoszcz (a trip you can read about here if you haven't already), we finally arrived at Berlin's main train station. The first thing we did was grab a kebab, which quickly highlighted the price difference between Germany and Poland—things were definitely more expensive here!

While this wasn’t our first time in Germany individually (Tammy had spent part of her childhood there, and Bobby had a memorable school trip that inspired his love for travel), it marked our first visit as a team for the TeamMcGrath channel. It felt a bit like a homecoming in some small way!

Joining us on this adventure was Kyle, who travelled from Poland as well. Having learned about Berlin in school, he was eager to see the city for himself.

After our meal, we headed to the nearest ticket machine and caught a train to the area where we’d be staying. After a 20-minute walk, we arrived at our apartment—the cheapest option we could find on Airbnb. While there were cheaper alternatives like hostels or shared accommodations, we wanted our own space.

Once we settled in, we took some time to relax. Bob caught up on some editing, and we called it a night, excited for a day of exploration ahead!

Day Two: May 15, 2024

We kicked off the day at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, where we had our first run-in with a charity scammer. She approached us under the guise of gathering signatures for a charity petition, but we could sense something was off. After complimenting Tammy by saying she was beautiful and proclaiming that England was the best country in the world, we realised it was all a ploy to butter us up for a donation that would likely go straight to her pocket. We politely declined and made our escape.

Once we were free from her grasp, we started the vlog and grabbed a delicious currywurst from a nearby food van. It was a perfect snack as we took in the beauty and history surrounding us.

Next, we ventured over to the Reichstag building and explored a nearby park, soaking up the sights and sounds of the city.

Later, we hopped on the Berlin Metro and headed to the Berlin Wall. To our surprise, we encountered yet another scammer trying the same trick. This time, Bob managed to capture it on camera, exposing a common scam tactic in the city. It was an eye-opening experience that added an unexpected twist to our day of exploration.

Our next goal was to search for traditional food. This led us to a restaurant that was closing for the day, but we had the pleasure of meeting a friendly Pakistani guy who had moved to Berlin. He spoke incredible English and German, sharing stories about his journey.

On our way back to the apartment, we encountered another interesting character—a guy from India who used to live in Plymouth and now worked in Berlin as a developer, just like Bobby! His English was outstanding, and he was fluent in German as well.

However, our bus ride took an unexpected turn when we were stopped due to a fire on the street where we were staying. We started to worry if one of our electronic devices had malfunctioned and caused it, but thankfully, it wasn’t a major incident. The fire was enough to disrupt bus routes, adding a bit of drama to our evening.

We also met a lovely lady whose family was from the States. She had grown up in both Paris and Berlin, giving her a cool accent and a fantastic command of several languages. It was clear that Berlin was a city filled with smart, diverse people!

Finally, we returned to our apartment and grabbed some fast food from a nearby restaurant to rest up for the 7-hour bus journey back to Bydgoszcz the following morning.

Day Three: May 16, 2024

We started the day by exploring the less touristy areas near our accommodation, vlogging our experiences along the way. It was refreshing to see a different side of Berlin, showcasing its local charm and vibrant culture away from the bustling crowds.

After soaking in the local atmosphere, we hopped on a bus to visit the Sphere Restaurant. While we didn’t go inside, we enjoyed the surrounding sights, including the Berlin Cathedral and the Pergamonmuseum. We were amazed by how beautiful Berlin was, appreciating the stark contrast between the tourist-heavy areas and the quieter neighbourhoods.

Next, we made our way to Checkpoint Charlie, where we found it fitting to grab a meal at McDonald's—a unique blend of history and American fast food at the very place where the Americans controlled the city when Berlin was split between them, the Brits and the French.

We then headed back to the bus station to take the trip back to Bydgoszcz where upon arriving at the city we had to head straight to the Airport for our flight in a few hours.

Reflecting upon our time in Germany, we had a great stay, it was good to be back in a country we held so dear and we had a unique experience, although next time we would like to stay somewhere a little less busier with a lot less scammers next time!