In case you missed our last post about flying to Poland, we are in Europe! After spending 2 weeks in Poland, we decided to continue our wandering westward to Berlin, and then aiming towards Scandinavia. We could’ve taken a ferry from north Poland, but I have been wanting to visit Berlin for a long time, so we took a train from Gdansk to Berlin.
Berlin is a youthful city full of grit, character, and a tumultuous history. We enjoyed our stay next to Hackescher Markt, which has a market, alleyway shops & cafes, and tons of food options. It was also well positioned near Museum Island where there are multiple museums to wander around, the Alte (old) Museum being my favorite since it contains a bunch of art.
Epic Art Scene of Berlin
The other main draw to Berlin is the high density of art, artists, and galleries. We took an a day to wander Auguststraße and all its wonderful contemporary art. I have to be honest here: contemporary art (i.e. art made since 1950 and frequently in the last few years) challenges my sensibilities. I adore modern art (made late 18oos-1950). I have a special place in my heart for the impressionist and art nouveau movements. Contemporary art pushes the boundaries of what I understand and appreciate. The abstract techniques, ultra- modern formats (multimedia), and controversial topics challenge me to rethink what art means in this modern world.
That challenge made enjoying the art difficult. And also? It opened my mind to what’s possible. As an artist, that’s important perspective to gain. It’s a gift I accept from the Berlin art scene.🙏🏻
And as a sailor? I’m not sure what it means in that space other than to keep my mind open to what’s possible. That’s really what we’re trying to do in this Loka🪷 phase of our life: expand our understanding of the world so we can ascend to the next realm!
Where to Next?!
Originally, we had planned to train to Copenhagen (Denmark🇩🇰), but the train lines between the cities were undergoing maintenance, and only regional trains were running. As usual, we go “with the wind” even when the wind is in the form of some other transportation. So we had to pivot.
I mentioned a ferry from northern Poland🇵🇱 earlier. While that was an option, once we were in Berlin, ferries from northern Germany made more sense. So we booked an overnight ferry from Travemünde, Germany🇩🇪 to Malmö, Sweden🇸🇪.
That meant taking the train from Berlin to Travemünde. Finding a taxi to the ferry terminal turned out to be a bit more challenging than we anticipated. We got to the check-in minutes before they closed the window! 😂 Maybe we’ll tell THAT story over sundowners if you ask us.
The Finnlines ferry to Malmö was very nice, much nicer than the one we took from Split🇭🇷 to Ancona🇮🇹 in 2024. We had a 4 berth room, so we had our pick of which twin bed to sleep in. The meal was a mixed buffet of German & Swedish food, nothing remarkable. We ate quickly, toured the boat as we shoved off, and then promptly went to bed to prep for our 6am wake up call and 7am arrival.
The ferry ride was great. The boat didn’t move much, which was strange for a sailor accustomed to movement when underway. My body definitely wasn’t sure what to make of the lack of motion. I would definitely recommend taking the ferry as an option for traveling between countries. It’s a unique experience (for Americans at least) that allows for comfortable beds, a decent night’s sleep, and no waste of a travel day.
More on Sweden in the next post!
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Love your post! Larry is in Virginia this week. I’m alone and getting projects completed…your post made my day! Keep adventuring!!! (And posting!)