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Top Tips to Making Friends in Berlin

August 29th, 2011

Tushar Mathur

Starting out on your new life in any place can be difficult – all the worries of leaving your friends and family behind and having nobody to talk to if you need them. Of course that won’t do and you’ll have to start looking for new connections. Luckily for you, Berlin residents are a friendly bunch and you shouldn’t find it too hard to start making friends there. Here are some handy pointers on how to get started making new friends in Berlin;

· Go to non-tourist places

Avoid all of the well known tourist traps such as Brandenburg gate because the only people you will end up meeting are other tourists. Instead check out local flea-markets such as Arkonaplatz in Mitte or Moritzplatz in Kreuzberg. Of course make sure the interesting people you meet are young enough to remember your name the next time you get chatting to them!

· Clubbing

Much like anywhere in the world, clubs are a great place to meet new people. A friendly bunch of people out to have a good time, there is no way you will fail to meet some young and interesting Berlin folk. My advice to you is to check out the Weekend Club which is found on the upper floors of an old office building in Alexanderplatz and King Kong Klub in Mitte as they both house some of the most interesting people you will find in Berlin. Of course let’s not rule out small bars and cafés, particularly the ones found along Kastanienallee and on Oderberger Strasse as there are always a friendly bunch of young people to get talking to and may even invite you along for a night out.

· Meet other non-natives

Just because you are looking to meet new people in Berlin, doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be German! There are various groups of non-natives who hold meet-ups for travelers from far and wide to mix and make new friends. Why not check out the Language Party (also known as the Boat Party) which is held on a ship named Eastern Comfort. It is here where you can meet people from all over the world and perhaps brush up on your German or eat some very tasty homemade hummus. The party usually begins at 7pm and is only 1 euro to enter!

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Bucharest, the Paris of the East

September 2nd, 2008

Tushar Mathur

Bucharest is the capital city of two million inhabitants, once called “The Paris of the east”, has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past 15 years, as has most of Romania. This proud people are descended from the warlike Dacians, live in the shadow of the beautiful Carpathian Mountains and produce a seemingly endless stream of excellent gymnasts. Having joined the European Union 2007, Bucharest now aspires now to be called “Paris of the east”.
Bucharest is true metropolitan area and the big names such as McDonalds, Benetton, LG, Sony and many others have been there along time now. Ceausescu’s grand boulevards and majestic palaces still dominate the city.
There are small balconied corners, with lacy ironwork and colored window shutters reminiscent of Paris at its finest. Continuing this Gallic theme; Romanians are also flattered to be called “the French of the Balkans”.

The most attractive site in the city is the compact historical centre, but obviously one can’t ignore Ceausescu’s People’s Palace. To build this monument to megalomania almost one quarter of the old town was pulled down, including any houses, churches, synagogues and beautiful modernist villas, all demolished.
Today, the Romanian parliament sits on this sight and guided tours for tourists are also organized here.
Ceausescu’s People’s Palace is one of the largest and most bizarre buildings in the world, exceeding even the decadent palaces of Saddam Hussein. In terms of perhaps only the American Pentagon could compete with it. It has over 3100 rooms, 20 wings, a labyrinths of secret passages and the upper floors nearly disappear into the haze of the metropolis. The Romanian leader had called the building “The house of people“ and referred to it as the Romanian acropolis.

He didn’t however leave to see the completion of the building as was execute by “his” people during the revolution in December 1989.
There is an interesting irony in the fact that, at the beginning of April 2008, Ceausescu’s monstrous palace hosted the largest ever NATO summit.
Once you plane to be there in Bucharest you have to think well about the hotels because too little hotels which allow Pets if you have one, I had check it online from around 45 hotels and I found only 4 which allow the pets and here where you can search more online from this sit, its over than 118 hotel deals only in Bucharest:

http://www.hotelscombined.com/

And here it is the hotels which allow the Pets in first page:

1-Armonia Hotel