Berlin Nights

It's been a full week since I got back from Berlin and it already feels like it happened months ago! Nonetheless, what we got up to while we were there is still pretty fresh in my mind. I've already discussed what we got up to in the day, so consider part two of my Berlin diary as Berlin by night.

My main advice is to follow the suggestions of others. We lined up a few clubs before we went and then gauged the response of those staying at our hostel which nights were best for each. A couple of friends (and Google) suggested Berghain as the best club in Berlin, but we were put off by stories about the notoriously difficult entrance policy there.

So, on the first night, we instead opted to follow those we'd been drinking with in the hostel to a canalside development called Yaam.

Yaam is short for Young African Art Market and was a complete departure from what I was expecting from Germany. It's probably best described as a man-made beach party with a bit of inner-city sport thrown in. They have a campfire going and non-stop reggae until the early morning. I was sad to hear the next day that the plot is unfortunately up for sale. I really hope it's still there the next time I visit.

After Yaam, we headed for Cookies, which, unlike Yaam, was anything but mellow. Grimey, loud and dark, it was just like being back at uni, and exactly what we were after. If you're lucky enough to be with a German, let them do the talking. The guy on the door took particular offence to a number of our group for conversing in English. Naturally, he assumed we were American...

I imagine Cookies is the kind of place where a bad trip would be REALLY bad. There's lots of little rooms off the main dance rooms, which have strange shrines and decadent beds for 'lying down on'. Part of me wouldn't be surprised if there had been some kind of pagan orgy going on underneath the dancefloor. Music-wise, it's pretty similar to a good night in the UK. Lots of remixed rap and R'n'B to pretend you know the lyrics to.

Our second evening took us to Suicide Circus, a bit of a thrown together club next to the train tracks in the west of the city.

We didn't head out until gone 2am (post nap) as Berlin apparently doesn't get going until then. If you want to sweat your tits off, there's an indoor room not unlike a warehouse party. Outside, things are a little more relaxed, with pop up bars and a covered dancefloor.

I imagine it depends on what DJ is playing the night you're there but, on the Saturday we were there, it was mostly techno, which isn't my cup of tea. Still, Berlin's pretty accommodating and provided two very nice Swedish girls who liked to discuss Geordie (Yor-di) Shore. Who said culture is dead, eh?