..or maybe you all did know, and i´m the only one finding it out late..oh dear, i hope not ;)

So, let's get started, hi there travel lovers, Irina here, with some fun facts about the city of Berlin (first 10 facts at the beginning, last 10 ones at the end of this very post):

DID YOU KNOW THAT....

Berlin has an abandoned theme park? Yes, it does! Imagine a lonely ferris wheel, an old roller coaster, forgotten swans, an enchanted Viking ship and fallen dinosaurs, all in one place! Spreepark went bankrupt in 2001 and now it´s the perfect setting for urban explorers, photographers and edgy musicians. There has been some filming too, like Hanna, in 2011 and in December an old-fashioned Christmas market underneath the wheel, among other activities. Some may call it decadent and spooky, others, however, find it so extremely exciting, that they climb its fences in order to take some pictures. Are those instagramers? Who knows, but there are more than 12 k pictures of it on Instagram under the hashtags #spreepark and #spreeparkberlin, just saying ;) So, there is some romance in decay and frozen spaces, i must confess, so looking forward to having a photo shooting there someday.
there is also an abandoned airport in Berlin. And by the way, what is with this German capital and abandoned places? ;) Located just in the middle of the city, one of Europe´s most iconic pre-World War II airports has been abandoned for several years. After being turned over the public, in 2010, the Tempelhof airfield has become Berlin´s biggest park, even larger than New York´s Central Park. Today Tempelhof, also called Tempelhofer Freiheit (freedom) is popular with families, picknicks, festivals, music events, joggers, kite-flyers, rollerbladers, hipsters and even urban gardening. Pretty impressive for an airport, i must say ;) The indoor terminal and some of the hangars are also open for wandering around. But for how much longer will this vast space stay like this before commercial developers transform it into something else? However, if you´re into abandoned places, there is a book and also a website with lots of tips and places that might interest you.
the City of Berlin, with an area of 892 square kilometres, is much bigger than Paris.
it has more bridges than Venice. Say whaaaaat? ;)
there are also many navigable waterways within the Berlin city limits. This makes it also possible to explore Berlin by boat.
the capital is at the same latitude as London and the same longitude as Naples.
there are nine castles in Berlin. These also include six little castles, called Schlösschen in German ;) Now i want one for my b-day, cuz i guess little castle are more affordable, right? ;)
the film festival Berlinale is one of the most popular media events in the film industry.
there is a Museum Island in the Spree River where you can find 5 very significant museums.
and speaking of which, it is said of Berlin to have more museums than rainy days!

And oh, it rained during our weekend there! It rained like crazy, every minute of the day!

So we kinda stayed at the hotel most of the time, enjoying great breakfasts. That´s why all these 20 facts about Berlin are also on my list for our next trip there.

In the video and pictures below you´ll see how our first day was. We woke up at this very cool, picture perfect place, Gorki Apartments, prepared breakfast together, took like hundred of pictures (literally) and then looked out the window and decided to stay longer :D I know most people like rain and find it romantic, me too, when warm with a blanket at home!!! By no means when we travel!!

Yes, so, when we finally left the apartment, we wondered some streets, decadent, but typical Berlin courtyards and had coffee (and pancakes ;) at Distrikt Coffee and that´s about it. There was no light outside and i had to take pictures with only one hand, because i was holding the umbrella in the other one. Well, "you should´ve just ceased the moment!" you would say. I know, you´re right, i did..with cold hands, messy hair and wet boots. Told ya, rain and me..not friends, at all ;)

***quick, tiny tip->if you stay at Gorki Apartments, don´t miss Tommi´s Burger Joint! Among many cool cafés, there is this place with great burgers just five minutes walk from Gorki. You can stuff your burger with as many jalapeños and pickles you wish!!

How the second day was and some more pictures, in the next blog about Berlin. You can´t wait, right? I know, but just be patient, soon, very soon. Haha! Kidding ;)

And back to the rest of my Berlin fun facts (if you still are up for some reading ;)

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

11. Berlin’s tallest and oldest trees are in Tegel Forst? The tallest one has reached a height of 43 metres and it´s an European larch. The most veteran is a 900 years old English oak and it´s been nicknamed Dicke Marie (Big Marie).

12. it also has a "Garden of the World" recreational park with the largest Chinese garden in Europe. You can find traditional theme gardens from Asia, Europe and the Orient. In the Japanese garden for example, the visitors can even participate in a traditional tea ceremony. Arigato ;)

13. the German capital doesn´t have a mandatory closing hour bars and clubs?

14. Berlin has its own genuine beer? The speciality has even received a protected Geographical indication within the EU, where the name may only be used for brewed in Berlin. Berliner Weiße, meaning Berlin white is a fizzy, acidic beer made from wheat and fermented in the bottle. It is often served with a shot of raspberry or woodruff syrup to make a wonderfully refreshing summer drink. Too bad i don´t like bear ;)

15. the most famous pastry in Berlin is a jelly-filled donut, called Pfannkuchen (pancake) in Berlin, but known as Berliner in other countries and in the rest of Germany, whereas the crêpes most Germans call Pfannkuchen are known in the capital as Eierkuchen (egg cake). A little lost in translation here, right? ;)

16. Berlin has more Döner Kebap stands than Istanbul. And there is more! Rumor has it that Döner, in the form we know it, Kebap meat, served with salad and sauce in pita bread, was invented in Berlin! Mehmet Aygün supposedly sold the first one in March 1971 in his restaurant. Regardless of where and who came with the idea, Döner is extremely popular in the capital und more precisely Mustafa´s Gemüse Kebab (with grilled vegetables). People even get in long lines in order to have one. Can´t wait to try it next time!

17. And talking about famous snacks in Berlin, did you know there is a Currywurst Museum there? Yes, Germans simply love sausages! Now, have you tried the Currywurst yet?

18. this must sound strange to you (and to everybody, maybe) but you can find a toilet themed bar in Berlin! Weeeird! :) Das Klo, die Berliner erlebnis Kneipe, has not only toilet seats instead of chairs, but also toiled themed drink ware. It is very interesting, but a little too much for me ;)

19. the traffic light symbol is the East German Ampelman an idea original from Berlin. The appealing figure has become very popular among souvenir items.

20. and talking about iconic figures, did you know that the city has a mascot? Yes, you guessed it right, the Berliner Bär (bear)! There is even a street art project, Buddy Bears, that started as an artistic event in Berlin in 2001 and now also travels around the word promoting tolerance and international understanding, where every bear stands for a country acknowledged by the United Nations.

love, i