Summer '16 Trip: Day 16

LAST BLOG POST AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Or at least it’s the last blog post for this trip. Who knows where I’ll go next………………..

But anywho, we got up a little after 9 or so, which was lovely. I had been dying to try this bagel place right next to the apartment, so that’s where we went for brunch. The service was iffy (not surprising, but always annoying), but MAN were those bagels good. They were real bagels (the boiled kind), and were just absolutely perfect. I got a cinnamon raisin bagel with GOAT CHEESE CREAM CHEESE and honey (the spread was called “Sticky Goat”). I also had a white hot chocolate, something I hadn’t had in ages. I loved it all! There were also all kinds of books on display (I guess for sale? We couldn’t really tell), so it had that cute literary café look going as well. Honestly, I’m surprised we didn’t go back for a late lunch or dinner.

While we were traveling, Kayla’s study abroad roommate (who’s in a longer program) had been keeping watch over Kayla’s other small suitcase in their apartment. After brunch, we went to go get it. We were just there for a brief moment, but from what I could see, it was a very nice apartment. Maybe I ought to have studied abroad in Berlin! …Just kidding.

We took the suitcase back to the AirBNB, and then set out for some last Berlin adventures. Kayla’s favorite German chocolatier, Ritter Sport, has a big store in the city center, so we of course had to go there. Fortunately, they’re actually open on Sundays! It was super cute. Kayla got a bunch more chocolate to give as gifts, and I just got a small square to eat right then (my suitcase was looking a little too full for any more goodies).

Giant chocolate squares!

The next stop was Checkpoint Charlie, which had a neat little outdoor gallery/info/history area. There were also guys dressed up as US Soldiers that you could take photos with or get illegal passport stamps from (we did neither). It was just weird being there and thinking that when my mom came to Berlin when she was in college it was actually like that. Crazy!

Both of us were feeling pretty off (I think our last day of train travel finally did us in), so we went back to the apartment to rest some. After a little while, we decided to go to a fancy burger chain place called Peter Pane for dinner because all I really wanted was French fries.

Worry not—I did not only eat French fries. I actually had one of the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had! They had a dinner special thing where you could get a burger, fries or a salad, and a cocktail and saved about 3-4 euro doing so. The cocktail I had was also one of the best I’ve ever had, I think because it had mango in it. The patty of my veggie burger was made of walnuts and celery, which sounds odd, but was actually really good. The best part of the burger, though, was the fact that it had GOAT CHEESE on it. Mmmmmm. I’m addicted. (And I think y’all can gather that we both got fries instead of salad).

We took the subway to the East Side Gallery after dinner, and walked along that for a while. It was neat! And the weather was lovely, despite having rained some earlier. We actually then walked all the way from the gallery back to the apartment (which actually isn’t a long walk at all), where we got as packed as possible and went to bed.

The cute little bridge between the East Side Gallery and the apartment

It was going to be another early morning for us, but at least this time we’d be going home!!! I’m excited. It was a short trip, but an excellent one. I got to revisit cities I already knew I loved, fall in love with new ones, AND (most importantly) do all this with one of my very best friends. I couldn’t have asked for more! Except maybe someone to carry all our luggage for us…

Well, so long! Farewell! Auf wiedersehen! Goodbye! I hope you join me next time I make use of my passport!