PlanetEye

Getting wet: Swimming pools in the city

On a day like today, sunny, blue and pushing 32°C, you really don't want to be spending your time hanging out in cafes or trekking the tourist routes through the city. No, on a day like today you want to pulling on those Speedos and getting wet.

There are a large number of options for that in this city. Most obvious are the indoor pools. If you want to find one near you, try this webpage and click on Hallenbad. Generally though these aren't cheap: 4€ per visit, or 2.50€ if you are there before 8am or after 8pm.

Like most things, use of swimming pools has its own set of societal rules. Firstly, you are expected to shower before getting in the pool, which you do quickly in your swimsuit before running out. Secondly, if you are trying to swim laps it is every man for himself.

The pool is a war zone in Germany. It is a place where people define "this black line here is ALL MINE" and will swim up and down along it, ignoring the fact that they then charge into people coming the other direction. Lap lanes rarely exist because people rarely understand the concept of using it like a road and going up on one side and down on the other. Expect to cop an elderly woman's elbow to the ear as she forces her way past you, or to realise in panic that six people are bearing down on you, with no way to squeeze past.

However, there is no need to fear unless you're trying to do some training. As they say, Sport is Mord (sport is murder), but hanging out and getting wet... well that's just fun.

Flammkuchen: just like pizza, only better

Until I moved here I associated the word Alsatian only with dogs. Usually big, teeth-baring dogs on the end of chains held by large armed men. In fact the word refers to an area of France around Strasbourg. This borderland between Germany and France has changed hands many times over the centuries, so it isn't surprising that its cuisine is a mixture of the two.

One of the specialties is the Flammkuchen, a very thin type of pizza traditionally covered in creme fraiche, bacon and onions. It's a killer meal and, in my mind, beats out the tomato-based Italian variant every time.
There are quite few places around Berlin which serve Flammkuchen and are well worth checking out. Combine it with some Federweise, an early wine available around September, if you get the chance. Trust me, you'll love it.

Local drinks to give a go

Kiba:
This stands for Kirsch-Banane and is exactly that: cherry and banana juice. It's popular with young women and is surprisingly tasty. Plus the colours are pretty of course.

Apfelschorle:
Apple juice diluted with sparkling water, a nice refreshing drink for a summers day and a healthy alternative to soft drink. Even if you're not an apple juice fan (like me) you'll probably find it a great thirst quencher.

Caipirhinia:
Ahh, there's little that screams Berlin more than a Caipirhinia. The Germans have jumped on this cocktail made of limes, raw sugar and Brazilian cachaca (a white rum) with the enthusiasm of a dying man in a desert. Don't leave without trying one.

Hefeweizen:
A classic in the beer world. This literally translates as "yeast wheat" and is a cloudy, yeasty beer with, to me, a slight apricot taste. It's always served in long glasses with a slice of lemon. Other varients are available: dunkell (dark) is obvious, while kristall (crystal) has had the yeast removed and is a clear, lighter beer.

Berliner Weisse:
This is beer with flavouring, and is served in a a broad glass. It comes either with Himbeer (raspberry) or Waldmeister (woodruff). You're unlikely to ever taste woodruff outside of this country, so it's worth a try just for that experience. I'm not promising you'll like it though.