20th January: The last supper.

Gypsy Ballroom.

As a course we decided to have the last evening together, we went to this restaurant, apparently it isn't called Gypsy Ballroom, but that's what we called it and the taxi driver took us to the right place!?

It was quite a traditional menu and some people were a bit unsure at first, but me, I eat anything and really enjoyed there meatballs, mash and beetroot.

A lovely last thing to do for the trip.

20th January: East Side Gallery.

Our Visit to the East Side Gallery


I think the pictures all speak for themselves. What an incredible place, a wall with some really beautiful, thought-provoking sayings. The Berlin wall made Berlin stronger and they really, truly have come out the other side and turned it into a symbol of freedom.

20th January: Do you read me?

Inspiration. Inspiration. Inspiration.


Expensive but oh so many books and magazines for inspiration for all different aspects of my work in uni!!


Due to my tight budget, I couldn't actually afford to buy anything.. But being savvy, I took the titles, authors and ISBN numbers. Got back to the hotel and Amazon'ed them!


Hey Presto! Half the price, and due to Birthday, I have amazon vouchers, so didn't even spend a penny on the book I wanted. Typomag.

20th January: Lunch.

Currywurst by the River: YUM.


Time to get well rested before heading on with our day!

20th January. Tachelles.

A Hidden Treasure: Tachelles.

People who had taken an alternative tour had told me about a place called Tachelles. Tachelles is an abandoned building that has been taken over by squatters and had been turned into a graffiti/street art masterpiece.

Floors and floors of cool motifs and people and characters and whatever else graffiti artists like to draw!! A couple of floors up, we arrived at some artists studios.

The art was very provocative and modern, mostly multimedia based. But totally went with the cool, Berlin vibe of anti-authority.

Some allowed us to take pictures(ish) and others not.

Unfortunately the government want to take over the building, for whatever reasons,

·      not safe?!

·      they would rather have a share in money by charging entry?!

I think its so outrageous, the building is perfectly safe(ish) for a non-official tourist attraction. It’s on everybodys own wishes whether they want to enter the building, and yes, the putrid smell of urine really would put some people off! But these artists are special and I don’t think this place should be taken away from them!

So, there is a Save Tachelles campaign going on where they ask you to hold up a plaque with Save Tachelles on and take a photo of you and send it back: More artistic, creative and interesting (and hopefully effective) than a petition with signatures. Keep posted for my image of me, helping to Save Tachelles.

The view from the top of the 5 story building.

20th January: Cinema Cafe.

Rain = Hot Chocolate Stop!

The rain had started falling heavier and more and more unbearable! So we quickly headed to a café. This time, instead of going to the usual Starbucks, we headed to the cute, quirky, independent, Café Cinema. It had film memorabilia inside and was dark and ever so cool. It was also a very cool hang out for those who smoke as for some reason, they have managed to twist the No smoking in Public places law and allow smokers inside to have a cigarette.

Anyhow! This is my gorgeous Hot Chocolate; doesn’t it look lush? It was quite cool to drink out of this particular mug as it had no handles so was a bit like drinking soup!!

MILK MOUSTACHEEE!!

19th January. Graffiti Alleyway.

Jack directed us to an alleyway in the area we were, which was full of such colourful graffiti wall art.  I was a really beautiful in an ‘oh so urban’ way! The overgrown plants, cobblestones, old buildings but then this modern art was totally juxtaposed to make fabulous contrast! The metal sculpture at the end just added to the urban feel, using scrap industrial metal into animal/monster figures!