Ping Pong Merrily on High in Berlin.doc

It has been just under a week since my last blog post, but it feels like a mere cup of coffee since I was last sitting in front of my laptop. The trip to Berlin was a wonderful holiday, but went by oh so quickly. After the whirlwind weekend with Talia I collected my wits on Monday and set off for the German capital on Tuesday morning.

What exactly can I say about my trip to Berlin? It was one of the most relaxing vacations of the past year. Because I was lucky enough to visit the city and see the tourist spots in March, I was uber content to just hang out with two of my good friends and explore the parts of the city they have been enjoying. Steve and Emily were unbelievable hosts - I was happy to see a piece of their reality in Berlin.

Emily met me at the airport on Tuesday night. I don't want to get to nostalgic about it yet, but this will be the last European meet-up for Hincksy and the Doctor. This means that there won't be those fantastic best friend transport moments when we see each other after months of doing our own thing. I never tire of locking eyes and greeting with a big old smile and hug. We caught up on the train ride into the city and I heard the play by play of the wonderful adventures her and Steve had been getting up to. Upon arriving at berlinpad.com, I was shocked at just how beautiful the place is. The complex is secure and large, and the flat is spacious and homey. My hosts had prepared a wonderful soup in my honour (the first of many stellar meals to come). That evening we stayed in and caught up over a few glasses of wine.

We stuck to a pretty basic pattern for the three days I was there. In the mornings we would leisurely sip coffee and welcome the sun, the afternoon was reserved for walking through the city, and the evening was spent preparing dinner, eating dinner, and sipping on red and white. This type of existence is the stuff dreams are made of. It was nice to check out from the world and spend quality time enjoying the comforts of life. Wednesday we visited the East Side Gallery which is over 1km of the Berlin Wall that has been preserved as a reminder of its significance. It is an international monument for freedom. The wall is covered in over 100 paintings done in 1990 by a collection of international artists. For the 20th anniversary, the paintings have all been restored. In addition to the gallery we checked out the Turkish section of the city which is Emily and Steve's favourite area. Thursday was a busy excursion day. We hit the major spots in the city (Potsdamer and Alexander Platz) and then went to the larger shopping centre in continental Europe - Ka De We. This is the German Harrod's. They had all kinds of impressive and expensive displays and collections. Friday was the weekly Turkish market trip where we stocked up on a bunch of delicious veggies and meat. We usually would stop for a coffee to break up our walking tour.

As a reward for our diligent and determined afternoons of walking, Steve and Emily continually cooked up a series of delicious meals. It's one thing I'll remember most about the trip - the coming together over good food, good wine, and great company. When I say the food was good, I'm not lying. We had a pork roast with carrots, onions, and red cabbage, in addition to spinach dumplings smothered in cheese and butter. This was one meal! The next night we had traditional sausage and sauerkraut with caraway seeds. The final night was piri-piri chicken with broccoli and beets. In the afternoon we'd snack on delicious platters - the highlight of which was four different types of hummus Emily had made. Steve's interest in cooking is infectious. I'm definitely inspired to get more creative in the kitchen after seeing an expert like him at work. Emily is also a creative wiz with experiments and great dishes. I just wish we could make those leisurely evenings last longer.

After dinner most evenings we would either stick in and play a game or two, or hit the town. Thursday night was probably the biggest night of the bunch - we had a bit of a pub crawl. We started at the flat and then went to three bars in the neighbourhood. The first was called the Living Room; it resembled just that. After a round of beer we then proceeded to the Pink Bar which is a really hip place with a DJ. We stayed for two drinks there before venturing to Doctor Pong which Steve and Emily hadn't set foot in yet. What a place! Inside it resembles an abandoned butcher's with a front room and a back room with no decoration on the concrete walls, aside from some chairs scattered here and there. The feature of the place is that it houses a large ping-pong table in the centre of the front room where the assembled crowd (of rag tag hipsters) play ping pong. However, it's not just one game of ping pong, it's like a co-op ping pong. After you reserve a paddle, you join those gathered and form a rotating circle around the table that keeps a game going back and forth. As you run around the table and contribute a shot, the game widdles down to two competitors who play a five point match. It all starts again, over and over. We met some really friendly people there who welcomed us with open arms. I've never seen a place like this. It felt typically European - funky, alternative, hip, and quirky.

The final night was spent with Talia and Rob Macnamara (yet another Queen's friend) who overlapped visits by one night in the city. The five of us had a wonderful time catching up. After lengthy discussions we finally left the flat at 2am and went for a drink in the neighbourhood (things are open LATE in Berlin). We ended the night with a delicious shwarma (spinny meat delight). Not only was it great to have a Queen's gang in Berlin on the final night, but the four days with Em and Steve were fantastic. I reconnected with the city without running around with my head cut off, ate delicious meals with friends, and spent time with people I really admire.

It was the third visit I've had with Steve in Europe, and something like the dozenth time Emily and I have connected somewhere on the continent. While it signaled the end of visits in foreign lands with my best friend (for the time being), it was the perfect end to sixteen months of sharing travel and excitement.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I can't say I'm a huge fan of ping pong. We never had a table and I think the first time I played was two years ago. But at Doctor Pong there is no question you get in on the action. Ping Pong merrily on high.