Quick Berlin Sunset

By Jake Fear
Berlin sunsets can be a little hard to come by in the winter time, so feeling lucky that I got this shot in. It's been a rather mild winter so far in 2024-2025, and with February already here, maybe we're going to miss out on getting a proper snow this year.  I dreaded it my first year here, and now I'll feel cheated if I don't get at least a 10cm or so storm before the year is over!



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What to Read, or at Least What Other People Read

Kollwitzplatz Past and Present

By Jake Fear
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Echoes of an Artist, Flavors of Today: A Journey Through Berlin's Kollwitzplatz There are places in Berlin where history isn’t just confined to museums; it’s etched into the cobblestones, whispered by the rustling leaves of plane trees, and reflected in the faces of the people who call it home. Kollwitzplatz, the beating heart of the charming Prenzlauer Berg district, is one such place. It’s more than just a square; it’s a living monument, a bustling marketplace, and a culinary destination, all rolled into one irresistible corner of the German capital. As you step off the M2 tram at Knaackstraße and walk the few meters to the square, the first thing you’ll notice is the sound. It’s a gentle hum of life: the laughter of children tumbling on the sprawling playground, the clinking of coffee cups from sidewalk cafés, the cheerful chatter of shoppers at the weekly market. It feels peaceful, almost idyllic. But like Berlin itself, this tranquility is layered upon a profound and often tur...
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Prague, the Mother of Cities, and Kutná Hora's Silver Heart: A Traveler's Historical Guide

By Jake Fear
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The City of a Hundred Spires and its Silver Soul Prague does not simply exist; it presides. Known to history by its ancient epithets, Praga mater urbium (Mother of Cities) and Praga Caput Regni (Head of the Kingdom), it is a city that wears its past not as a relic, but as a living mantle. 1 To walk its cobblestone lanes is to trace a narrative etched in stone, a chronicle of emperors, reformers, artists, and mystics. Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a breathtaking ensemble of palaces, churches, and bridges that seem to defy the passage of time. 2 Yet, the golden glow of Prague's spires and the grandeur of its imperial monuments tell only half the story. The city's magnificent Golden Age, a period of unparalleled architectural and cultural flourishing, was not born of a vacuum. It was forged in fire and financed by a seemingly inexhaustible river of silver that flowed from a town an hour's journey away: Kutná...
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Visiting Sachsenhausen

By Jake Fear
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  Visiting Sachsenhausen: A Comprehensive Guide to the Concentration Camp Memorial When visiting Berlin, many travelers choose to confront one of the darkest chapters in human history by visiting a former Nazi concentration camp. Located just north of Berlin in the town of Oranienburg, the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial provides a somber and educational experience that helps visitors understand the horrors of the Holocaust and the Nazi regime. This post offers a comprehensive guide to visiting Sachsenhausen, the history behind it, and practical information for your visit. The History of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Establishment and Function Sachsenhausen was built in 1936 as one of the first new concentration camps established after Heinrich Himmler became Chief of German Police. It was strategically located just 35 kilometers north of Berlin in Oranienburg, allowing the SS to oversee operations directly from the capital. The camp was designed to set a standard ...
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Some of the basics, things you're going to see even if you don't try :-)

By Jake Fear
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Whether you attend a rally, just wander the city, are go specifically to check out the landmarks and attractions that Berlin has to offer, you're going to end up here at some point.  I ended up there several times, and deciced to learn a bit more about the history of the location, and give you a brief summary here. The Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin's most iconic landmarks, rich in history and symbolism. It was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia in 1788 and completed in 1791. The gate was designed by architect Carl Gotthard Langhans in the neoclassical style, inspired by the Acropolis in Athens. Its purpose was originally to mark the entrance to the city of Berlin and serve as a symbol of peace. Over time, the Brandenburg Gate became a symbol of both German unity and division, as it witnessed several significant historical events: Napoleonic Era (1806): After Napoleon's victory over Prussia, the Brandenburg Gate was taken as a symbol of conquest. Howev...
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Saturday mornings at Winterfeldtplatz

By Jake Fear
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  Berlin's most authentic food market experience The first time you smell grilled mackerel mingling with fresh-baked strudel at 10am on a Saturday, you'll understand why Berliners have been gravitating to Winterfeldtplatz market for over a century. While tourists crowd into Markthalle Neun for Instagram-worthy shots, locals fill their wicker baskets here with wild mushrooms, artisanal marmalades, and produce that tastes like it was plucked from Brandenburg soil that morning—because it probably was. This isn't just another European farmers market. Winterfeldtplatz represents something increasingly rare: a genuine neighborhood institution where elegant Schöneberg matrons haggle over organic asparagus alongside Turkish families buying herbs for weekend feasts , where the fish griller knows his regulars by name, and where you can still pay €2 for a currywurst that rivals any trendy food hall version at triple the price. The red-brick church signals you've arrived at Berl...
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Viktoria-Luise-Platz

By Jake Fear
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  Berlin's most refined culinary square where Kaisers once lived Step off the U4 at Viktoria-Luise-Platz and you'll find yourself in what feels like Berlin's best-kept secret—a hexagonal oasis of Gründerzeit elegance where the fountain serves as an outdoor bathtub for both children and dogs, where Billy Wilder lived in the 1920s, and where some of the city's most authentic Austrian schnitzel is served steps from a legendary design school that's been empowering creative minds for over 150 years. Unlike the tourist-packed squares of Mitte, Viktoria-Luise-Platz operates on Berlin neighborhood time. Here, young teens from the neighbouring Lette-Verein, the design-school, have their coffee-break at sidewalk cafes, while elderly Berliners claim the same fountain-side benches they've occupied for decades. The square feels like a film set for "how cultured Europeans live"—except it's completely real, and the coffee is excellent. Where Austrian emperors ...
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Fire and Several Audible Explosions Near kurfürstenstraße

By Jake Fear
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  Starting around 08:30 local time I heard an initial explosion and took the first picture of this building.  The initial explosion was followed by 3 to 4 additional explosions of different size, with the shockwave of the largest being felt at my location.  For reference, the picture was taken with 5x zoom.  I can't find any details yet on what has happened, but sirens have been heading toward the area all morning.  I believe I heard some sirens before the blast, possibly indicating a fire had started before the first explosion, but I didn't realize the event was taking place until I was startled by the first loud explosion. Update: 09:18 - The smoke is decreasing rapidly, and there have been no further explosions.  It does appear the fire fighting teams are struggling to get water higher into the building with the equipment that has currently arrived at the scene. I have not witnessed any air support for the fire.  Currently the seem to be limited to ...
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