You wouldn’t believe the incredible exhibition that had me in awe for days. I couldn’t wait to tell you all about it!

First, I would like to point out that Berlin is known for its buoyant art scene. If its antiques at the beautiful Museumsinsel in Mitte, contemporary art at the infamous Hamburger Bahnhof, or even the historical Jewish Museum, Berlin embraces art with both arms wide open.

The Martin-Gropius-Bau belongs at the top of the list of must-see museums. Located in the center of the city just around the corner from Potsdamer Platz, the large old building hosts various exhibitions simultaneously; right now there are two. On the top floor you’ll find Frida Kahlo’s Retrospective, and on the ground floor is the impressive installation that had me in awe: Innen Stadt Außen by the Danish Artist Olafur Elissaon.

Since my first Berlin-Blog post on Young-Germany.de, I’ve been excitedly waiting to write about one of Berlin’s particular events: the annual Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures).

The Karneval der Kulturen stands out of the slew of cultural events held here, combining multiculturalism with international foods and music for a spectacular must-see highlight!

Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station). The clock reads 10:27 am. My train is set to leave in three minutes, yet still I am disoriented in this maze of what seem like a thousand platforms. A sign tells me to head to the third floor, where the ICE (Inter City Express) is waiting for the last passengers to board. The door closes behind me. At last I can take my seat. A four-hour journey lies ahead of me before I can reach my destination - the birthplace of my father and the hometown of my grandparents, Essen, a city in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. My last visit was three years ago and I’m anticipating new impressions. Especially now, during this time, in this year. In 2010,  UNESCO puts the spotlight on the ingeniously designed industrial machines and centuries-old culture in Essen’s former Zeche Zollverein (Coal Mine Zollverein), honoring Essen with the prestigious title of “Weltkulturerbe“ (World Heritage Site).

Berlin is a marvelous city. The metropolis offers an endless array of cultural events and is admired by many for its international diversity. Every year, Berlin welcomes a large number of tourists from all over the world. And sometimes, they fall head over heels for Berlin, decide to stay and call this their new home. For example, the Turkish. Over the course of time, a large number of Turkish immigrants have settled in Kreuzberg, making this the second largest Turkish city by population after Istanbul. Or look at the Swabians, who’ve “invaded” the oh-so-loved Prenzlauer Berg, making it hard for Berliners to find an apartment there anymore. Nonetheless, most Berliners embrace their new neighbours, and in the future we’ll likely grow closer and all live together as one big family…

To all karaoke fans, this one is for you.

Having lived in Berlin all my life I thought I had seen everything worth seeing, but I was mistaken: Last Sunday I experienced the time of my life at the Mauerpark (wallpark), a park in my new favorite district, Prenzlauer Berg.

The former grounds of today’s Mauerpark were split by the Berlin Wall, but after the fall of the wall the area became the most popular “outside-in-nature-gathering-area.” Sunday at noon, I jumped on my bicycle and headed toward the park while enjoying the warm spring breeze.