Berlin Baby!

Why do you need to head to Spain when  you can simply experience  33° heat in Berlin  and chill by the pool and sip  on some  Pimms?

Well we found  a great little hideaway by our hotel which was awesome. For only €5 entry, you can spend a whole day listening to chilled sounds,  get some complimentary Pimms and use of the outdoor pool while soaking up them rays.  Not bad at all. Take a look for yourself!

But do you really want to know what made my day? Noticing that there was a catering company by the name.of VybZ Catering which were selling jerk chicken. YAAAAY!

I know they say when in Rome and all...but as someone of  Caribbean  heritage, jerk chicken can be a little hard to resist! 

Berlin and the Holocaust

When you think of Berlin, one can either conjure up images of its dark history or the crazy alternative lifestyle and nightlife comes to mind. 

During my 72 hour stay in Berlin, I must say that I experienced both the haunting past of the Holocaust, but equally enjoyed what Berlin nightlife has to offer.

On Day 1 we arrived at our hostel Plus Berlin which was lovely and very modern. For my friend Charlene, it was her first time staying in a hostel and she was somewhat apprehensive. However,  on arrival she was pretty  impressed. It was immaculate and the theme of the Berlin  Wall can be found all over the hostel.

Our hostel was located right by the Berlin Wall which was lovely to walk by. We didn't  walk the whole stretch,  but the some of the artwork  was truly enthralling.

One of the highlights which I found very informative was the Jewish museum.which brings you back to the Holocaust  and also gives you an insight into the Jewish diaspora in different parts of the world.

I was never fond of history at school, so didn't know a lot about the Holocaust. Little did I know about the 60,000 placed in Sachshaussen  Camp, when really it was made to accommodate just 10,000.  Even when Jews were told to leave, many couldn't  leave with none of the valuables which they had earnt. Not even wedding rings! 

 In schools they were often ridiculed by teachers and students alike and many had to step down from skilled professions during the Nazi era.

That's just a snippet,  but a must visit for everyone visiting Berlin! 

I found Sachshaussen very sombre as you'd  imagine and it does take a long while to get there. But it is worth it. 

Sachenhaussen bought the Holocaust to life. As you leave the station Oranienburg, you'll do the same walk to the camp that the prisoners did. We were taken to the spot beneath the trees where prisoners would shave their whole body and be given their striped uniform. 

They were given numbers which helped the guards see them as animals as opposed to humans. In addition they were even made to wash in the same bath water as each other.

It was really insightful to see the conditions  and hear about the treatment the Jews received. It was very reminiscent  of the Killing Fields in Cambodia, for those of you have visited there. 

We did this trip with a tour group which costs €15 but you are expected to have a travel card as the tour group takes public transport there.

The tour group leaves at 11am everyday at Brandenburg Gate . However,  if you prefer to travel there without the tour group, you only pay €3 for the entrance. You also have the chance to buy audio guides when you are there.

Wireless

Wireless is one of the biggest festivals in London....well probably the biggest as Glastonbury is huge and takes place outside London.
It definitely has more of an urban vibe in comparison  to other festivals you can find in London.

Unfortunately, there had been some problems with gatecrashers entering the festival due to poor security on the Friday event. Luckily, I had attended on Sunday and hadn't  witnessed anything of the sort!

Ciara and Rae  Sremmurd were some of my faves on the day. Rae had the crowd  going with their crazy antics and infectious  energy, I couldn't  help but jump around  myself.

Here are just a  few highlights from the amazing event. Nicki  Minaj  turnt  up almost 2 hours late due to her flight arriving late. But it was a fantastic night.

The DJ kept us occupied whilst we were  waiting for Nicki. A bit of dancehall never hurt nobody!

Guernsey

A friend of mine is based in tax free Guernsey; one of the Channel Islands not too far from France. When she invited us to visit, I jumped at the chance as I wanted to go to somewhere new. After all, when else would I get the chance to go there?

Considering the fact that Guernsey is part of England. Unfortunately, flights weren't  as cheap as you'd think. We paid around £150 for flights. From London  flights with EasyJet to places such as France, Germany and Spain  can sometimes be half or a third that...return journey!
Normally the weather is a few degrees cooler than London. However, I found it just as temperamental. At times it was really warm...then completely cool.
On a Friday night we found ourselves  at  Folies Bar located on the centre. The strip reminded me very much of what you find somewhere like Maguluf! Guernsey was very quiet...tranquil during the day, considering  it was a holiday. But, not at night!

I decided to try some gache ( pronounced gosh) which tasted delicious. It's  quite simply  a sweet bread with raisins which can be eaten the same way you would scones....With jam on top. Very lovely indeed.

We spent an afternoon hiking on the Saturday. With the help of our Lonely Planet, we were on our way to Fermin Bay. We started off at St. Peter's Port which is the town centre then off we headed into the wilderness.

However, we did come across some spectacular views. 

Despite a few bouts out the gym  recently.  The steps were definitely a challenge! 

We almost got lost but found some others heading that way. It was a rocky beach...but perfect place for a glass of Pimms and some ice cream! 

The following day.was a bit limited as we had little time, but still decided to head to Herm.  Herm is another part of he Channel Islands.

It is very easy to get to and only costs £10 return from Guernsey. From the pier where the ferry drops you off....be prepared for a bit of a walk. However, the beach makes it worth it! 

This is the view of Herm from the ferry.

This is the amazing view of Herm.

If you do decide to come here, try and find the toilet before you get settled.and find a  spot because it does take a while to get there. 

There's  also a lovely  cafe where you can get an ice cream or a cup of tea and relax.