Feel thank to Anggara Rhabenta (an old friend who stay in Netherlands to study) to share this story and allow me to adopt his story on my blog even i had to refer from Indonesian to English language :). He said "Ryza...want read my story" last morning on messenger, i reached his email and read directly, in a minute after read i just think to post on my blog. I am quite interest with his story because he had showed me how the Berlin looked alike after the regime Berlin Wall and off course his perspective about Asian and European girls. Can't wait to other stories Gar, take care ... see you ... even on messenger. Note : if i had missed-spell, please let me know.
Dear reader,
This story happened while I was waiting boarding time at Tegel airport Berlin.
Berlin on Saturday Night,
After enjoyed a fine coffee with nice live piano in Westin Grand Hotel Berlin, my mission already completed tonight. Raining still run over Berlin, in hurry I stepped the S Bahn station stairs placed in front of Westin Grand Hotel.
Without waited too long, an old S bahn S 75 to Ostkreuz. Seems Berlin became sleep city that night, even I couldn’t see night live alike other metropolitan cities as like Paris or Madrid. The temperatures reached 2 degree that sneaked bones because rain run over Berlin for 3 days made billion Berliner got sleep. That night I was the third passenger who went up into the old railway coach. I saw an old homeless drifter slept tightly while on his hand holding a bottle of whiskey chivas regal, even I did not have any idea to guess what filled in. In the end of other railway coach I saw a young man with slipknot hairstyle.
S Bahn 75 took me to East Berlin fast, gleaming downtown Berlin already changed into disorderly graffiti and dirtiness cities in East Berlin. I can see clearly how cold and cruel the regime communist socialist DDR in their victory. To inform, East and West Berlin separated by Berlin Wall. East Berlin which place I will spend night under control DDR Regime and West Berlin under west government alliance, USA, UK and French. Seems 18 years old long was not enough to rebuild Berlin City.
Right at 2 o’clock, I arrived at Station transfer Ostkreuz, my hotel was placed 6 stations from Ostkreuz station. Quite strange that night, there was only I and young Berlin girl who waited S Bahn. Station transfer Ostkreuz was placed where 8 S Bahn came and the biggest station in East Berlin. I felt no worry my train will not operate that night, because I saw that girl waited same train. I started to guess that girl, who was she ? her clothes fashionable, hat alike an artist with blazer reach to her knee, medium boot shoes, thick legging cover his legs and of course long shawl twist her neck. All of them mixed in harmonized and matched color. What I saw was really contrast to western Netherlands girls who always wore tight jeans with short jacket … sometimes showed their underwear.
My fantasy started while I was listening Beatles music from IPod, she might be a sales girl who worked until late or could be a student who just back from her BF’s home. From her neat clothes, I thought she couldn’t be a sex worker that usually found at corner of Berlin or could be she is a bar worker. Suddenly a German man stood front of me and said something in Germany that hard to understand. “No train Landsberger Alle, taxi or walking … walking” he talked haltingly, he was a DB worker. Landsberger Alle located where Novotel Hotel placed. After that, I saw he walked into that girl and could be said same info. Directly, I stood up and walked to leave the Ostkreuz station. My experience lost in Europe cities and ability to read a map had enough to make me far away from worried. It was my third visited to Berlin, I had known this city. I thought the far from Oskreuz to Langsberger Alle about 10 Km which can through by walking.
In silent of night, suddenly a girl greeted behind me, turned out she was a girl that waited S Bahn at same station. “Hallo, good morning Sir” with her German accent. She told me that a German man had said to her that there was a tourist had same direction to Lansberger Alle. Ya, the tourist was me. She asked me whether I was mind if I walked with her ?. I think it was not a wise for a girl walk alone through East Berlin stress in late of night. Occasionally, East Berlin quite safe but the condition was dark and many people got drunk made East Berlin wasn’t too pleasant. So, I agreed to walk with her.
We walked together along Stralauer alle, wild graffiti cover over the left way then the right way was full with buildings. That night was really silent and smoky. Street lamp wasn’t light enough along the way. Because too dark, I just can see her face in blur. Only sound of the foot step and rain felt down. Sometimes we passed the homeless hidden under the trees. Once I had bad fantasy about this girl, she could cooperate with Berlin gangster, they could kill me, even I screamed load, no one would hear. But I have light pepper spray given from my friend in Berlin could less my adrenaline.
I asked my first question, what did she do in this late in East Berlin ?, so … what I guess was right. She was a collage psychology student on the second year form one of University in Berlin. That night she went to her friends to do some college work, but S Bahn didn’t operate in 24 hours. The conversation was about Berlin and tourism, beside that she seems interesting with my presentation about sustainable architecture in Berlin.
3 o’clock in the morning, time run so fast. Stralauer Alle, smoky street at least reach the end. Main Street seems more crowded and lively. Warchauer Srasse, the rain more heavy, cold and more sneak my bones. Each breath that I was exhale made dew on my glasses. The fine jacket mangga dua got wet, while she wore the quite thick jacket. She looked me in pity, until she asked to stop by into a 24 hours café until rain more calm. I am crazy to coffee so I agree with her asked that took us to 24 café which serve real milchkaffee ala Berlin.
After walked 45 minutes long, we finally found 24 hours cafe which served hot snacks. Without doubt, I ordered milchkaffee ala berlin, milchkaffee was alike a coffee with 20 to coffee and 80 for milk. The coffee was served in a big cup, usually I seldom to order this, but tonight I need more calories to take me into my hotel by walking. She ordered Choco lade truffle cake for me that rightfully special from the café. The air in the café was comfort enough even simple. Panel of wood dominated the interior. We were the only guest that night. For the first time, I can see her face clearly. We had shake hand, her name was Sabrina (cute right?). We talked and talked almost 1 hour. Sabrina was really German name with small face, sharp nose, not too big enough alike South German and Netherlands girls, natural make up, fashionable clothes, neat tail hair under her hat, talk style describe her passive and cold characteristic but care with her look. I could conclude that way before we had conversation. I thought, was it set default East European girls? Or just coincidentally, but her coldness was down whenever we had shake hand.
I hung my jacket beside me and took out all important documents including my USB. Alhamdulillah, everything was on dry condition. The conversation started to her opinion about Berlin. She said that Berlin was the most dynamic city in German, there were many students lived in Berlin. Art, tourism, architecture, and politics were the engine machine in German. Poorly, the industry was unwilling to run in German. Berlin government tried the best to change Berlin’s image with built prestige many projects alike Reichstag, Sony Centre , Postdammer plaatz, Alexander plaatz, Jewish Museum and other sites architecture. Those step were succeed, million tourist came each year to Berlin, but those step just make Berlin came down to much Debt about 60 billion Euro wow....what a fantastic value. “Anyway Sabrina, I like this city so much, even I like Madrid to live in. But this city could tell from architecture as media, Interesting”. At least for the first time, she asked about Indonesia, what I did in Netherlands and off course asked about Bali.
The waitress came brought our order, she ordered the same coffee and cake with me. For cake and coffee looked quite good. The topping looked fine, but taste of milchkaffee was standard too different with milchkaffee’s Westin Grand Hotel. The cakes taste unexpected, it was so good. The chocolate was dominant which melt and soft in my mouth. I could say this was the best Choco lade truffle in Berlin. She also agreed with me. She enjoyed the cake with awesome table manner made me more curious about her background. Her hands never touch end of table even bit, her straight seat position, down her chain while she was drinking the coffee and her eyes always forward me while we talking.
At least I asked about her background ; are you born here ?, the history about the collapsed Berlin Wall made me more easy to take more info about who was she?. For most people in Berlin, the collapsed Berlin wall was one of the traumatic happened in Berlin, but usually they happily to re-tell, I thought it can less their cross bad feeling about their past. When Berlin wall re-build, Berlin was a city which wasn’t bright prospect. But that assumption had changed after Berlin became the capital city of German. Thousand hundred young people are interested to take study in Berlin. Sabrina is one of them. She came from small family but well known enough in a coastal area of North German. The war already ended but had changed life and live her family.
Industry was main job for German people. She told me some stories about the Berliners lived among fear and limit. There was one from his family had been jailed in months just because had Beatles songs on old Cd's or one of her grandfather hidden a baby from East Berlin to West Berlin. She felt lucky because she grew up in a small city where far from fear of war between East and West Berlin. In her opinion, those entire situations were hard to tell to next generation. Sometimes, she too sad when tourist captured checkpoint Charlie with big smiled while Sabrina’s family was missing their freedom for what they dreamed or at least they could see their other families on the other side of Berlin Wall. There were so many sacrifices for one older generation Sabrina’s family had to keep just for live normally. It was her reason to love Berlin much. A city was filled with various memory and colors.
Finally she asked to talk other things. She asked me, “How about yourself?”. I talked about my life in Indonesia, my family and surely my GF (Nina, I showed her Nina’s picture) she looked surprised because we had through 5 years long distance relationship. Our conversation ended with last question that I offered “How you could decide to walk with me along the dark and silent night In East Berlin?”. Then she gave me simple and funny answered, she believed that I was an Asian tourist and as if I was Berliner or Western Tourist so she won’t asked me to accompany her whole night. Asian tourist had magnificent attraction than Western tourist, apparently.
4.30 AM. We ate Chocó lade truffle slowly. We continued our walked to Landsberger Allee. Right on 5 o’clock AM, public transportation already operated. The Berliner waited public transportation at bus stop. We said bye after I reached in front of my hotel. What the funny was, she said thank to me because I had been with her whole night. It should be me said thank to her because she had guided to home. We closed our leaving with shake hand.
When I reached my room, I found some of my colleagues drunk and had instant date with some Spain Girls (sexy girls and crazy Hollanders). On two nights I had seen two differences. Spain girls were too easy to open the gate to strange people and East Berlin girls were too cold. Ahhhhhhh, I miss Indonesia girls. One met seems funny but memorable and had changed my perspective about European girls who were neat, fashionable and good attitude. Wat een nacht.. Danke schön Sabrina un Auf Wiedersehen.
This story happened while I was waiting boarding time at Tegel airport Berlin.
Berlin on Saturday Night,
After enjoyed a fine coffee with nice live piano in Westin Grand Hotel Berlin, my mission already completed tonight. Raining still run over Berlin, in hurry I stepped the S Bahn station stairs placed in front of Westin Grand Hotel.
Without waited too long, an old S bahn S 75 to Ostkreuz. Seems Berlin became sleep city that night, even I couldn’t see night live alike other metropolitan cities as like Paris or Madrid. The temperatures reached 2 degree that sneaked bones because rain run over Berlin for 3 days made billion Berliner got sleep. That night I was the third passenger who went up into the old railway coach. I saw an old homeless drifter slept tightly while on his hand holding a bottle of whiskey chivas regal, even I did not have any idea to guess what filled in. In the end of other railway coach I saw a young man with slipknot hairstyle.
S Bahn 75 took me to East Berlin fast, gleaming downtown Berlin already changed into disorderly graffiti and dirtiness cities in East Berlin. I can see clearly how cold and cruel the regime communist socialist DDR in their victory. To inform, East and West Berlin separated by Berlin Wall. East Berlin which place I will spend night under control DDR Regime and West Berlin under west government alliance, USA, UK and French. Seems 18 years old long was not enough to rebuild Berlin City.
Right at 2 o’clock, I arrived at Station transfer Ostkreuz, my hotel was placed 6 stations from Ostkreuz station. Quite strange that night, there was only I and young Berlin girl who waited S Bahn. Station transfer Ostkreuz was placed where 8 S Bahn came and the biggest station in East Berlin. I felt no worry my train will not operate that night, because I saw that girl waited same train. I started to guess that girl, who was she ? her clothes fashionable, hat alike an artist with blazer reach to her knee, medium boot shoes, thick legging cover his legs and of course long shawl twist her neck. All of them mixed in harmonized and matched color. What I saw was really contrast to western Netherlands girls who always wore tight jeans with short jacket … sometimes showed their underwear.
My fantasy started while I was listening Beatles music from IPod, she might be a sales girl who worked until late or could be a student who just back from her BF’s home. From her neat clothes, I thought she couldn’t be a sex worker that usually found at corner of Berlin or could be she is a bar worker. Suddenly a German man stood front of me and said something in Germany that hard to understand. “No train Landsberger Alle, taxi or walking … walking” he talked haltingly, he was a DB worker. Landsberger Alle located where Novotel Hotel placed. After that, I saw he walked into that girl and could be said same info. Directly, I stood up and walked to leave the Ostkreuz station. My experience lost in Europe cities and ability to read a map had enough to make me far away from worried. It was my third visited to Berlin, I had known this city. I thought the far from Oskreuz to Langsberger Alle about 10 Km which can through by walking.
In silent of night, suddenly a girl greeted behind me, turned out she was a girl that waited S Bahn at same station. “Hallo, good morning Sir” with her German accent. She told me that a German man had said to her that there was a tourist had same direction to Lansberger Alle. Ya, the tourist was me. She asked me whether I was mind if I walked with her ?. I think it was not a wise for a girl walk alone through East Berlin stress in late of night. Occasionally, East Berlin quite safe but the condition was dark and many people got drunk made East Berlin wasn’t too pleasant. So, I agreed to walk with her.
We walked together along Stralauer alle, wild graffiti cover over the left way then the right way was full with buildings. That night was really silent and smoky. Street lamp wasn’t light enough along the way. Because too dark, I just can see her face in blur. Only sound of the foot step and rain felt down. Sometimes we passed the homeless hidden under the trees. Once I had bad fantasy about this girl, she could cooperate with Berlin gangster, they could kill me, even I screamed load, no one would hear. But I have light pepper spray given from my friend in Berlin could less my adrenaline.
I asked my first question, what did she do in this late in East Berlin ?, so … what I guess was right. She was a collage psychology student on the second year form one of University in Berlin. That night she went to her friends to do some college work, but S Bahn didn’t operate in 24 hours. The conversation was about Berlin and tourism, beside that she seems interesting with my presentation about sustainable architecture in Berlin.
3 o’clock in the morning, time run so fast. Stralauer Alle, smoky street at least reach the end. Main Street seems more crowded and lively. Warchauer Srasse, the rain more heavy, cold and more sneak my bones. Each breath that I was exhale made dew on my glasses. The fine jacket mangga dua got wet, while she wore the quite thick jacket. She looked me in pity, until she asked to stop by into a 24 hours café until rain more calm. I am crazy to coffee so I agree with her asked that took us to 24 café which serve real milchkaffee ala Berlin.
After walked 45 minutes long, we finally found 24 hours cafe which served hot snacks. Without doubt, I ordered milchkaffee ala berlin, milchkaffee was alike a coffee with 20 to coffee and 80 for milk. The coffee was served in a big cup, usually I seldom to order this, but tonight I need more calories to take me into my hotel by walking. She ordered Choco lade truffle cake for me that rightfully special from the café. The air in the café was comfort enough even simple. Panel of wood dominated the interior. We were the only guest that night. For the first time, I can see her face clearly. We had shake hand, her name was Sabrina (cute right?). We talked and talked almost 1 hour. Sabrina was really German name with small face, sharp nose, not too big enough alike South German and Netherlands girls, natural make up, fashionable clothes, neat tail hair under her hat, talk style describe her passive and cold characteristic but care with her look. I could conclude that way before we had conversation. I thought, was it set default East European girls? Or just coincidentally, but her coldness was down whenever we had shake hand.
I hung my jacket beside me and took out all important documents including my USB. Alhamdulillah, everything was on dry condition. The conversation started to her opinion about Berlin. She said that Berlin was the most dynamic city in German, there were many students lived in Berlin. Art, tourism, architecture, and politics were the engine machine in German. Poorly, the industry was unwilling to run in German. Berlin government tried the best to change Berlin’s image with built prestige many projects alike Reichstag, Sony Centre , Postdammer plaatz, Alexander plaatz, Jewish Museum and other sites architecture. Those step were succeed, million tourist came each year to Berlin, but those step just make Berlin came down to much Debt about 60 billion Euro wow....what a fantastic value. “Anyway Sabrina, I like this city so much, even I like Madrid to live in. But this city could tell from architecture as media, Interesting”. At least for the first time, she asked about Indonesia, what I did in Netherlands and off course asked about Bali.
The waitress came brought our order, she ordered the same coffee and cake with me. For cake and coffee looked quite good. The topping looked fine, but taste of milchkaffee was standard too different with milchkaffee’s Westin Grand Hotel. The cakes taste unexpected, it was so good. The chocolate was dominant which melt and soft in my mouth. I could say this was the best Choco lade truffle in Berlin. She also agreed with me. She enjoyed the cake with awesome table manner made me more curious about her background. Her hands never touch end of table even bit, her straight seat position, down her chain while she was drinking the coffee and her eyes always forward me while we talking.
At least I asked about her background ; are you born here ?, the history about the collapsed Berlin Wall made me more easy to take more info about who was she?. For most people in Berlin, the collapsed Berlin wall was one of the traumatic happened in Berlin, but usually they happily to re-tell, I thought it can less their cross bad feeling about their past. When Berlin wall re-build, Berlin was a city which wasn’t bright prospect. But that assumption had changed after Berlin became the capital city of German. Thousand hundred young people are interested to take study in Berlin. Sabrina is one of them. She came from small family but well known enough in a coastal area of North German. The war already ended but had changed life and live her family.
Industry was main job for German people. She told me some stories about the Berliners lived among fear and limit. There was one from his family had been jailed in months just because had Beatles songs on old Cd's or one of her grandfather hidden a baby from East Berlin to West Berlin. She felt lucky because she grew up in a small city where far from fear of war between East and West Berlin. In her opinion, those entire situations were hard to tell to next generation. Sometimes, she too sad when tourist captured checkpoint Charlie with big smiled while Sabrina’s family was missing their freedom for what they dreamed or at least they could see their other families on the other side of Berlin Wall. There were so many sacrifices for one older generation Sabrina’s family had to keep just for live normally. It was her reason to love Berlin much. A city was filled with various memory and colors.
Finally she asked to talk other things. She asked me, “How about yourself?”. I talked about my life in Indonesia, my family and surely my GF (Nina, I showed her Nina’s picture) she looked surprised because we had through 5 years long distance relationship. Our conversation ended with last question that I offered “How you could decide to walk with me along the dark and silent night In East Berlin?”. Then she gave me simple and funny answered, she believed that I was an Asian tourist and as if I was Berliner or Western Tourist so she won’t asked me to accompany her whole night. Asian tourist had magnificent attraction than Western tourist, apparently.
4.30 AM. We ate Chocó lade truffle slowly. We continued our walked to Landsberger Allee. Right on 5 o’clock AM, public transportation already operated. The Berliner waited public transportation at bus stop. We said bye after I reached in front of my hotel. What the funny was, she said thank to me because I had been with her whole night. It should be me said thank to her because she had guided to home. We closed our leaving with shake hand.
When I reached my room, I found some of my colleagues drunk and had instant date with some Spain Girls (sexy girls and crazy Hollanders). On two nights I had seen two differences. Spain girls were too easy to open the gate to strange people and East Berlin girls were too cold. Ahhhhhhh, I miss Indonesia girls. One met seems funny but memorable and had changed my perspective about European girls who were neat, fashionable and good attitude. Wat een nacht.. Danke schön Sabrina un Auf Wiedersehen.
Nice engels...Zaaa
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