Hiking Tips in North Berlin

No matter how much I tried to explore the Nothern part of Berlin, there is apparently a lot left to still discover. There are small little towns where you can walk on small cobblestone streets with a view of the former communist blocks of houses all surrounded by lakes and thick forests like in Strausberg, but most of it is at a great extent left out of the usual travel lists. Unless you are a biker and you know your best routes in the middle of nature. 

As I am not a biker, but I love hiking and in summer and late autumn I am trying to plan as much time as possible outdoors, preferably in the middle of natural, green surroundings.

This time, I wanted to explore a small part of the Naturpark Barnim, which starts close to the Pankow area of Berlin.

Our SBahn ride stops in Buch, and from there, only a couple of minutes away from the train station, there is a little wild oasis of wilderness waiting for us.

A wilderness with an intensive human presence, as there is a Kindergarten operated from here, which, at least for the summer time, might be a delightful experience for the little children learning life skills in such a surrounding.

The more we walk the one-person pathways, bordered by unspoiled weeds and trees, the quietness is queen and only the view of the concrete buildings form afar and of the trains coming and going to the station remind that we are still close to the city. 

After one hour of very slow and easy walking - regular sport shoes can easily help to do it - there is not other human in sight. High-note screams of seaguls lost on their way to the big seas followed by more modest chirpings are the only remarkable sounds breaking the magic of our little urban reveries.

A big lake, well hidden adds more mystery to the entire landscape. It is surrounded by so much mud and wild vegetation that it can be seen only a bit later, from an observation point set up near one of the exits. From you can also eventually notice birds like herons or ducks that, according to the many presentations that we see during our hike, are the regular inhabitants of this area.

There is no way to get lost, and one can take the liberty of running up and down, back and forth through the green carpet of grass. 

The outwordly stillness of the moores a little spooky note to the hike, just when we were about to leave the area for continuing our exploration.

Out from the pristine landscape to the urban jungle, the wild summer flowers blooming from the concrete are a reminder that summer wraps in beauty even the ugliest city corners.

But we have just another small thing that we want to eff during this trip. We continue our SBahn trip to Röntgental, a small residential area bubbling with life, where people are either enjoying an open air family picknick in the Goethe Park - with a close-by Schiller Park - or trying the latest icecream flavours at the many parlours opened around.

Slowly walking surrounded by the bustle of motorbikers we are finally arriving Panketal, which looks like an old farming village, with its bricked houses. 

A couple of meters away, there is our final destination of this short trip: Zepernick Riding Center. Horses of all ages and breeds are either enjoying their lunch break or training in many of the arenas around. There are so many people around yet there are only the horses in motion that can be heard. I can keep watching those noble animals for hours and still not having enough of it.

The entire location suits the needs of the many 4-leg residents, with food supplies and personnel careful to cater to the everyday requirements of the horses.

As we are heading back to our connection back to the heart of Berlin, we feel refreshed by spending so much time in natural surroundings. Hopefully, would be able to come back in this area soon to explore more.

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Biesdorf, Berlin's Hidden Gem of a Castle

Marzahn is not necessarily a place on the map of Berlin travels. Usually associated with high unemployment  and communist-style blocks of houses, it is one of those areas that you rather avoid during your short or long stay in Berlin. Among my expat friends, I can hardly find one single enlightened person that ever went to this part of the city, unless I dragged them with me to visit IGA 2017 Flower Exhibition.

However, there are a couple of things that are worth seeing in this part of the city too, among which the natural diversity with a multicultural touch of the Gardens of the World to which IGA Show is nowadays part thereof.

I am not someone to give up that easy a travel adventure, no matter where though, and although a visit to this part of Berlin might take over an hour from my Western side of the world, I know from my extensive travel experience in the most remote and off-the-map locations that there is always something worth seeing everywhere, even it might be only some samples of Soviet-style architecture. But there is more to Marzahn than the stereotypes we - not necessarily expats - label with. 

For instance, the pink beautiful castle of Biesdorf.

Before the intensive expansion of the city of Berlin that took place at an aggressive pace starting with the end of the 19th century, Biesdorf used to be a small village area. There are only a couple of traces of that anti-urban life left now, especially around the S-Bahn Biesdorf area, where you can still find small houses and partly cobblestone streets. Around the S-Bahn, there are also some small fast food points, just to get some supplies before a long ride through the 4-hectare park of the castle.

Directly from the train station, you only have to follow the Albert-Brodersen Allee to make your entry into a world which is completely out of time. The rows of trees bordering the long alley are your key to a different kind of urban kingdom.

Oh thou, searchers of solitude, you have a garden where you can find your peace with a book on your lap. This time, it was a disruption into the daily peace and happiness program, as a group of teenagers were looking in the garden for their peace while listening to loud Goth music rhymes. Maybe the next visitors will have more luck at this chapter.

Not bothered by the musical background, which was fading away more and more as I was moving forward on the alleys anyway, I took a big breath of fresh air and admired the natural surrounding, with the discrete traces of human creativity. The meditative pose of this massive stone statue is in complete sync with the mood you are turning on while walking and walking around the park.

Then suddenly, while overwhelmed way too much by the nature - after all, we are just visitors in the Kingdom of Nature and although we may proclaim our love of it, we are rarely able to fully understand what this beautified and mystified natural life is all about - the pink castle of Biesdorf, with its careful planned Italian architecture angles interrupted the revery. 

Biesdorf Castle is one of the 25 castles, manors and villas left to the city of Berlin after all the tragedies of the last century. Compared to other massive German castles, it rather look like a villa. It's history started at the end of the 19th centry, when it was first built for the Baron Hans Hermann von Rüxleben. Later, it was acquired by Werner von Siemens and stayed in the family until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1919, the villa was hosting various apartments. The owners changed little from the outdoor look, with most interventions being rather aimed at the gardens. 

The city of Berlin purchased the castle in 1927, and when it was re-opened to the public, in 1933, it was fast taken over by the National Socialist party.

Destroyed completely in 1945, it was rebuilt and opened during the communist Germany time in the late 1950s as a leisure center.

The ambiance around is typical for the early spring: many people - especially those accompanied of children of all ages - prefer to run around the gardens and enjoy the chill. Some are enjoying the view while sipping a coffee from the elegant large terrace. As usual, I prefer to have the best of both worlds and intensively exploring the gardens with a long stop indoors.

The octogonal tower is a landmark of this castle - besides the colour - and I am dreaming of being able to have a look over this part of the city from the top, but unfortunatelly such a chance is not being given to this demanding writer. The chance to admire every angle and corner of the building are lessons good enough in terms of architecture and for such an architecture lover as me, it is enough for now.

The indoors area brings to this journey to the unknown part of Berlin a human touch I was longing for. The free-of-charge exhibitions hosted here offer the chance to explore the works of local artists, some of them featuring visual life stories about the inhabitants of Marzahn. And it is much more to it than Cindy of Marzahn, as the photo exhibition where random people living in this area are sharing their interesting stories.

In other hall, a piano is taking a well-deserved break before a new concert will be offered to the visitors.

After changing hands so often in less than 100 years, after the reunification of Germany, Biesdorf Castle went through massive renovation works and in 2016 was finally reintroduced in the public circuit. Nowadays, it is managed by a foundation running various local projects and its exbitions are aimed to raise awareness about local problems and identity.

As usual, my successful trips are ending on a sweet-tasty note. After more than an hour journey to this part of Berlin, followed by a long historical and nature exploration of the castle itself, I reward myself with a delicious hot-chocolate and poppyseeds cake - Mohnkuchen - from the castle eatery. It might not be real castle food, but it has a local touch and a very friendly customer service so it is a happy ending of a trip that would love to repeat again in the near future. 

Against all odds, it seems that Marzahn has a lot to offer to the curious eyes and mind.

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What is Futurium?

A joint initiative of the German Federal Government, prestigious research institutions and business representatives, the spectacularly designed Futurium situated in the heart of the governmental area with its equally outstanding buildings is aimed to offer a platform about the future. Its official opening is expected at the beginning of 2019 but in the last months there were organised a couple of open house events allowing the great public to visit the precinct. 

Futurium is aimed to be a global inter-disciplinary platform where arts, research, public interest and business are coming together to discuss and understand the life developments of tomorrow. 

The building, bordered by the Reichstag and the Hauptbahnhof, both symbols of the present and the future of the new bold Germany, covers 3,200 sqm. of exhibition space spread over 3 massive floors. The main hall opens with a full view of the Reichstag and other institutional buildings part of the German government.

At the time of my visit at the open house this summer, there were many interesting art installations displayed, with a focus on creating synergies between creativity and innovative technical ideas. This installation for instance, made by the Moscow-born Berlin based artist Misha Shenbrot is called Denkraum (Meditation space) and its aimed at offering an environment for evaluation of the present needs and wishes, opportunities and needs.

For both big and small people, a meeting with a talking robot is the epitome of a journey to the future, and this little white guy is there to answer a couple of questions. Children of all ages will be an important target public of Futurium too, as potential future decisions makers and not only.

Another interesting art project displayed during my visit was Continuum, including among others harpsichordist Elina Albach, a meditation about the place of old music into the new musical trends.

It was interesting to notice the role of music and arts, in general, into the Futurium portfolio, as an universal way to communicate within different generations, ethnical and linguistic backgrounds.

The architecture of the space belongs to Richter&Musikowski, a young team of architects with an impressive portfolio of future-oriented modern architecture. The conception is build around the idea of openness and accessibility, with the transparent walls reflecting the sky and the outside environment. One of the most spectacular so far is the 'skywalk' on the top of the building, offering the best angle over both the Reichstag and the governmental area and the Charité hospital complex. 

But there is also something more than the interesting architecture: the entire building relies entirely on renewable energies. Walking on the roof reveals also a multitude of photovoltaic and energy collector installations

I never been an avid science-fiction reader and I always need some time to set up in the future-mood, but at Futurium I had the feeling that the future is all around, but it will not be created and imposed by others, eventually from the top of a colourful UFO plate, but it belongs to each and every one of us to shape it. Because human minds can create - and destroy - everything with a purpose, including an orchestra of robots playing all by themselves - and requesting a break once in a while too. 

Exploring Alt Reinickendorf

Since I've documented my article about the Most Beautiful Metro Stations of Berlin I wanted to return to a part of Berlin I did not have any idea about but which charmed me with the most colourful and elaborated decorations. One of the last weekends, I took my best walking shoes and my camera and started a long walking expedition into the (almost) unknown.

My adventure started at Lindauer Allee metro station, on the U8 line, direction Wittenau. As usual, I couldn't resist to have a look from the above and admire the colourful trees and geometrical shapes bringing colour and good mood to the otherwise boring waiting time for your next train. 

A couple of steps away from the metro station, the colourful garden colony of Pflanzerheim was getting back to life, with windows being slowly opened and gardens started of being cleaned and watered. 

Charmed by the manicured gardens of the colony we not even realized that we are far into a wild wood, such a quiet walk although the green-bordered avenues are often crossed by dogs and bikes on their quiet morning walks.

Half an hour of walk later, we landed on the Roedernallee and a different and completely unknown page in the history of Reinickendorf is being opened. Here are the headquarters of Berliner Seilfabrik, a local brand producing equipments for playgrounds. 

A couple of meters away, a red-bricked building hosts a company producing since 1981 fasteners for the automotive industry.

The alley has plenty of average foodie options, the usual variants of Turkish and Asian fast-foods, but also a couple of beer open air locals. As in many other quarters of Berlin, the intensive renovation works of the building announce some coming suprises for the local real estate market.  

The more we walk the more we are getting closer to the historical chore of Alt Reinickendorf. Part of the city of Berlin since the end of the 14th century, it was named for the peasant Reinhardt (Reineke in a German dialect), who first settled here in the first half of the 13rd century. Situated in the Nortwestern part of the city, it went through dramatic transformations starting with the 19th century, once the industrialization process began. The train station - nowadays S-Bahn - built at the end of the 19th century, created important connection from this part of the city to other Eastern areas of Germany.

Near the train station, one can walk to the local War Cemetery, dedicated to victims of the WWII, among which known and unknown soldiers from Italy, Netherlands, France, Russia, USA or Spain.

On a more positive note, history is present again at Industriehof, outlining another center where the engine of industrialization moved the city forward.

The small streets around Freiheitsweg offer a pleasure to the eyes, with the colourful, multi-storey houses surrounded by gardens and secret mews. For a moment, I completely forget where I am and the constrast with the grey constructions I noticed on the main street is noticeable. 

Back on the Roedernallee, we have a look at the famous Paracelsus Bad, the first built in Berlin after WWII, inaugurated in 1960. Since then, it permanently diversified the offer, being considered nowadays an attractive destination for swimming lovers in the Northern part of Germany. The complex also includes a sauna and beauty and hair parlours. 

As often happens during my travels, my hunger for learning means that I might stumble upon unknown bites of information that keep surprising me. As for instance, the encounter with the Weiße Stadt (White City). Of course I know and love the White City in Tel Aviv, but finding another one in Reinickendorf was more than a pleasant surprise. The outstanding examples of a massive construction including 1,268 residential units are to be found on Aroser Allee (former Schillerpromenade), Emmentaller and Genferstraße. 

Built at the end of the 1920s according to the principles of the 'New Objectivity' architectural style, the 3-5 storey buildings were aimed to offer a complete housing experience to the residents, which similarly with the housing complex in Frohnau, were also served by 2 Kindergarten, a heating central, an apothecary and more than 20 shops, spread on an area with significant areas covered by gardens. 

Part of the UNESCO World Heritage, alongside with Gropiusstadt, it offers the German architectural answer to the increasing housing needs of the 20th century. Everything looks very neat and well organised the inspiration for an equally clearly settled life. The charming blue doors were my favorite part of the area, bringing a joyous human feature into the strict white labyrinth of buildings.

The ambiance on Residenzstraße is less organised and white clear, with cheap colourful stores and the Babbel of languages. At the foodie stop at Tamra Chicken I recharged my batteries put on trial for the long walking hours with a halloumi cheese plate, accompanied by delicious mezze and a fresh lemonade prepared in Middle Eastern style. 

As the rain decided to pour shortly after my lunch was over, against my will, I have to make another stop - this time soaked in sugar, at La Femme, a family friendly restaurant part of a chain serving delicious breakfast and Oriental dishes spread all over Berlin. My kanafe was outrageously sweet, but pretty for the camera. 

 We reached the final leg of the journey, Franz Neumann metro station, but the trip is not over yet.

The next 45 minutes are well spent in the after-rain quietness walking around the Schäfersee, my thoughts interrupted only by the repeated noises of the huge airplanes overlooking the area coming and going from Tegel Airport. Around the lake there are many summer coffee places, as well as a mini-golf yard, but the most soothing view is of the quiet lake, with its lonely boats waiting to be driven. 

My walking adventure ended as scheduled at Franz Neumann, another colourful station on this metro line. True is that it took me a lot of time to come back to explore this area, but it just opened my appetite for more Berlin histories. 

Right now, I should think about what's next on my Berlin mapping agenda.