Off to Berlin
A long weekend away in Berlin in September 2013. It was a bit of a flying visit (literally), but for a good reason — the wife was running the Berlin Marathon. First time either of us had been to the city, so we squeezed in as much sightseeing as possible between running logistics and refuelling stops.
Travelling and Staying
We flew out with good old British Airways, taking a slightly roundabout route from London via Düsseldorf. Not the most direct of journeys, but it was smooth enough — no drama, and the layover gave us time for a decent coffee.
I can’t remember the name of the hotel we stayed at (it’s long since been buried by booking confirmation emails), but it was somewhere central and fairly anonymous. One of those modern places where everything works but nothing stands out. Comfy bed, warm shower, and a breakfast buffet that made up in volume what it lacked in imagination.
Transport around the city was easy enough — Berlin’s public transport system is impressively efficient, even if the ticket machines occasionally required a bit of educated guesswork. We didn’t bother with taxis. Trains and feet did the job just fine.
Activities
The weekend was mostly marathon-centric, but we managed to tick off some of the classic sights. The Marathon Expo was held at the old Tempelhof Airport — now a huge, open public space that still feels faintly surreal. The start/finish of the race was close to the Brandenburg Gate too, which was buzzing with runners, tourists, and camera crews.
We also visited the Berlin Olympic Stadium and the Charlottenburg Palace, both of which were suitably imposing and steeped in heavy history. Lots to take in, and not just for the architecture. The rest of the time was mostly about carb-loading and soaking up the atmosphere.
Weather-wise, it was decent for September. Mild and dry for the most part, which made both sightseeing and running considerably more pleasant.
The Marathon
The reason for the trip. The wife ran the Berlin Marathon, and ran it well. The course is famously flat, fast and packed with supporters. I spent the day hopping on and off the S-Bahn and walking round the streets. I was alternating between finding geocaches and trying to get cheering spots. I managed a few photos, a bit of shouting, but only managed to spot Kas once. At every other spot I think she’d already gone past. I don’t really know, because the online tracking app wasn’t working.
Individual Posts
Here are all the individual posts from our Berlin Marathon weekend in 2013:
