Day 3: A (Long) Bike Ride Abroad

I haven't rode a bike in what feels like years, which was clearly evident today. My class spent today on a group bike ride through the city, given by a wonderful company by the name of Fat Tire Bike Tours. The weather seemed rather ugly and overcast for my Florida senses, but it actually turned out to be very pleasant. It didn't rain very hard or long at any moment, and the sun never beat down on us as we rode through the city. The bike tour lasted from around 10:30 am to about 4:00 pm and spanned over 8 miles of the city. We started at the base of the Berlin TV Tower, where the Fat Tire Bike Tour headquarters is located. We then went on to tour the former East Berlin by riding down the city streets and sidewalks.

An interesting observation in Berlin is the overall prevalence and significance of the bike lanes. Biking is extremely popular in Berlin and therefore designated bike lanes populate most streets and/or sidewalks in Berlin, more so than in America. Also, the bike lane is a very respected construct in Berlin and if you are found walking in it you will get yelled at by angry bikers. 

Our tour guides were an American man named Andrew from Wisconsin and a lady named Hannah from Scotland. Both had been in the city for a few years and were a tremendous help in guiding us through the former East and giving us insight and advice into the culture of Berlin. We traveled all over the city in those few hours on bikes.

We visited RAW-Gelande, a large area full of defunct factory buildings that are now used as clubs, bars, cafes, an indoor skate-park and a rock-climbing place. 

We also were able to visit the Tempelhof Airport, which is a former East Berlin airport and the center of the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949. Today it is a large community park and refugee camp. 

Biking through it was an experience like no other, as there is almost no other place on Earth quite like the runways and camps of Tempelhof. 

On the bike ride, I passed by a large community garden, one that was overgrown with vegetation and had multiple structures made out of scrap wood and metal that included benches, tables, garden plots, a play castle and a giant jungle gym. I could see several children playing among the plants and junk structures. It was an interesting and unique area, where people came to garden and relax. It was unlike other community gardens I had seen, with a more wild and "improvised" feel to it. 

We also had a chance to see several of the murals and paintings that adorned the city's building walls. My favorite of these was a giant mural painting of an elephant that was made up of several symbols of the different religions of the world. In front of the mural, there was a small court where two boys played soccer (or football I guess). It was a beautiful sight to see something that complicated imposed over something so simple. 

The elephant mural was one of the last things we saw, but it was one of the most beautiful. It helped conclude a long and arduous, yet absolutely fantastic, day. I'll say this: if you are ever in Berlin, look up Fat Tire Bike Tours and take one. It will change your life.