Berlin Day 1

August 5, 2012

It's about 1 AM here at the hostel. After our day out yesterday, we kinda napped the afternoon away.

We arrived in Berlin around 8PM yesterday and didn't get to the hostel until around 9PM. We flew Lufthansa from LAX. It was a good service(everyone got their own tv and got to chose what movies/tv shows...do that was cool), except for the part where it was super hot on the plane...maybe it was just from where we were sitting (middle aisle), but it was really hot. Needs more cold air.

The hostel we're staying at is where we'll be for the entire study abroad
program. It's pretty cool. It used to be an old convent/hospital and it totally has that creepy-hostel vibe to it (especially the hallways...the lights are on a timer, so they can cut out on you whenever). No AC, but there's a fan and the place is clean, so we're good.

We got a late (and I do mean late) dinner at a nearby place...it was Italian. Those places are EVERYWHERE. It was a little local restaurant with German decor and italian food and served really good sangria. It was the only place that was still open at 11 PM.
Really good food. Passed out around 2 and we all woke up to sunshine beaming down through the windows at 7:30 and birds singing.

Today, we went to Schloss Charlottenburg. It was the summer palace of the Prussian monarchy. The tour was part of a package deal we got (tour, dinner, concert in the palace...dinner and concert next wednesday). It's pretty cool, it was destroyed during WWII, but they restored the castle to its original baroque design. The gardens were nice...designed in the French style, like Versailles only smaller.

Random note, I found Dunkin Donuts at the Haufbahnof (main train station) and I am so happy! ALL the MUNCHKINS! Don't judge me, there is no Dunkin Donuts in California.