A parent-friendly Berlin

Last week, my parents came to visit, and I was appointed head tour guide. After leading (mostly following) 5 of my besties from Edinburgh (more on our frolickings to follow) round on the previous days, I was used to organised, fast-paced activities. Unfortunately, my parents were not used to this, and losing them in U-Bahn stations was a daily occurrence. Despite these first initial hiccups, discovering more of Berlin with my family showed me a different side of the city.

On Friday, we trooped to the TV tower, expecting to be able to take a trip up it immediately. The ticket lady informed us that our appointed visiting time was 5 hours later. Fortunately, this was fine, as we had plenty of time, but you are able to book visiting times and tables in the restaurant online. Mum had also bought Welcome Cards for the four of us, which comprised free travel around Berlin and handy discounts - the best discount being on the TV tower, which was half price.

In sight-seeing central, near to the Tiergarten, Reichstag, Brandenburg Tor and Holocaust Memorial, I am always lost as to where to go for lunch. There is a crowded Starbucks and a handful of smart restaurants, but with my family I re-discovered a hidden and fabulous cafe, lurking inside the Akademie der Kunst. The staff are always grumpy at first (due to my Englishness I think), the menu is only in German, toilets are 50 cents (but refunded when you pay for food/gifts in the cafe and shop) and the food takes a while. However, it is always quiet, despite the flocks of people outside, and is a ten-second stroll from the Brandenburg Tor. My parents ate (and for this I quote my mother: 'The best tomato soup I have ever eaten') and Fi and I shared a colourful salad with the obligatory asparagus.

The Berlin Cathedral was an unexpected success. Creepy golden tombs and a hike up to the roof (accompanied with the usual 'Don't lose your hat' jokes) were well worth the 4 euro entry (also because of the Welcome Card).

orangey

On Saturday afternoon we headed out of the city on the S-Bahn to the Olympic Stadium, home to the infamous 1936 Olympics. Angry receptionists told us we were no longer allowed inside since it was 45 minutes before closing time, and so we sprinted round to the west side of the stadium. On this side is the clock tower, which was also closing. Thanks to warbled German attempts from my sister and I, the stern lady said she would let us up for 10 minutes. Good, because meanwhile, my dad was having a hypo from all of the sprinting. From the top we could see an outdoor concert and Teufelsberg, the abandoned cold war spy station.

Sunday brought more perfect weather. We drove (Welcome cards had expired and being in a car was an exciting prospect for me) to Potsdam, to see the palaces and gardens there. The gardens were beautiful, and more importantly, free. The highlight for me was seeing a dog being carried around in a Louis Vuitton bag. Shortly after this we had to run (again) through the expansive grounds in order to deliver Fi safely to Schoenefeld airport.

For a last dinner with my parents, I took them to Prater, the oldest beer garden in Berlin. I had '1/2 a duck' with potato dumplings and cabbage, and sipped on Radlers. It was like being back in Bavaria again, when I was invited to Sunday dinner with a teacher and her entire family, and in my hungover state I couldn't work out how to politely eat ducks. Well, it was kind of like that, but less stressful.