Life coming out of lockdown: week 13

When you’ve spent weeks or months indoors, the relaxation of the lockdown measures (Corona-Lockerung, as it’s called in Germany) generally feels like a positive development. However, it might take some time before you can relax and start to enjoy life again. On the one hand, you might be feeling worried about Covid-19, even if the number of infections has dropped. On the other hand, it might feel strange to be outdoors going about your daily life again. You might feel anxious or less confident about certain things, like taking public transport or meeting other people.  This is not surprising considering that for the past months we’ve been told to stay at home, not to meet anyone and to keep a distance from others.

 

Is it safe?

 

The question I often ask myself these days and I’ve been asked by several of my friends is - is it safe? Is it safe to send our children back to school? Is it safe to take the underground? Is it safe to meet friends? Is it safe to have a coffee in a café? Is it safe to go to a restaurant? Is it safe to travel by plane? Is it safe to go to the gym?

 

Small steps

 

If you are feeling worried and anxious, my advice would be to take small steps. You don’t have to do everything at once. Try one activity at a time and see how you feel about it. If you don’t feel safe or if you’re not comfortable with something, you don’t have to do it. In general, being outdoors is safer than being indoors. Try to avoid crowded places. Try to avoid stuffy places. If you have to travel by public transport, try to find a carriage that is not too full, preferably with an open window. Only meet people that you trust. Always carry hand sanitiser with you so that you can wash your hands. Always carry your own pen in case you have to sign a document or write down your contact details. Pay contactless if you can.  

 

Exercising with a group of people

 

This week I went back to my yoga/pilates studio for the first time since it closed in March. As everywhere else, there were strict hygiene rules. Class sizes have been halved so that we were spread around the room at a 3 m distance. I was asked to wear a face mask, but I was allowed to take it off while exercising. I was also asked to bring my own mat and drink and not to use the changing rooms, except for leaving my bag and jacket. Although I was really grateful for the digital lessons during the lockdown, I definitely prefer being in the same room as my teacher and exercising with a group of people.

 

Enjoying life outdoors

 

At the weekend, as the weather improved, I decided to test the open-air swimming pool with my family. I don’t think we’d ever seen Sommerbad Pankow so empty. There was plenty of space to lie on the grass and to swim in the pool. We bought our online tickets for the afternoon slot the day before. You need to purchase an online ticket in advance for all lidos in Berlin this summer. Once again there were strict hygiene rules to follow and certain areas, such as, the paddling pool, the slide and the indoor showers were closed. As there were so few people, it was much more relaxing and quieter than usual. Boosted by this positive experience, we decided to try out the lido (Waldbad) at Liepnitzsee, about 40 Km north of Berlin. Even that was surprisingly empty. The man at the entrance wondered whether people have no money left to spend on leisure activities (€10 for a family of three). We were asked to leave our contact details and were given a card to return when we left, so that they could count the number of bathers (300 is the maximum). If you don’t have the sea nearby, swimming in a lake surrounded by trees is the next best thing and the water isn’t even that cold at the moment.

 

Berlin with kids

Berlin is a great city to visit with kids. You will find plenty to do whatever the weather. With hundreds of playgrounds, two zoos, two aquariums, leafy parks, lakes and great museums, your kids will not be bored! 

OUTDOORS

Playgrounds (in German Spielplatz or Spielplätze plural)

Berlin has hundreds of playgrounds scattered around the city.

If your child needs a break from sightseeing or shopping, you will not need to search long to find a playground. Type in Spielplatz into an online map service to find the one closest to you.

Spielplatz am Heinrich-Lassen-Park

Some of the best playgrounds in Berlin are

Hirschhof Spielplatz (Prenzlauer Berg) – close to the Mauerpark.

Spielplatz am Wasserturm (Prenzlauer Berg) – it’s very close to Kollwitzplatz; green and child-friendly neighbourhood with lots of nice cafes.

Spielplatz am Kollwitzplatz (Prenzlauer Berg) – visit the market on a Thursday afternoon or on a Saturday.

Blauer Spielplatz (Mitte) – inside the Weinsberg Park, where you can get a bite to eat of a proper meal at the cafe/restaurant in the middle of the park.

Spielplatz am Monbijoupark (Mitte) – close to Museum Island.

Tiergarten – there are several playgrounds at different ends of the park; you could combine it with a visit to the Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz, the Zoo or the Aquarium.

Volkspark Friedrichshain (Prenzlauer Berg/Friedrichshain) – there are three playgrounds; this park gets very busy at the weekend.

Gleisdreieck Park (Kreuzberg) head to the Museum of Technology first and the stop off for lunch or dinner at the Brlo Brewery.

Spielplatz am Heinrich-Lassen-Park (Schöneberg) – brand-new playground with a castle. It’s right next to a swimming pool with a small outdoor pool and close to Volkspark Schöneberg-Wilmersdorf. It’s only a short walk from Rathaus Schoeneberg, where John F. Kennedy gave his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner speech”. Meanwhile, David Bowie fans might like to head to Hauptstraße 155, where the great artist lived between 1976 and 1978. There is a memorial plaque outside the building.

On a hot day, look for a Wasserspielplatz, a playground with water.

Swimming pools and lakes 

Some of the best outdoor pools (in German Freibad or Sommerbad) and lakes are

Kinderbad Monbijou (Mitte) – best for small children.

Sommerbad Pankow (Pankow) – good for all ages: there is a paddling pool for the little ones, a swimming pool for older ones and a leisure pool with slides and diving boards; it can get very crowded on a hot day and at the weekends, but there’s plenty of space on the lawn. 

Freibad Orankesee

Strandbad Weissensee (Weissensee) – good for swimming, sunbathing, having a drink and hanging out with the locals.

Freibad Orankesee (Hohenschönhausen) – good for swimming, sunbathing and avoiding tourists. There is a spacious and shady Biergarten nearby.  

Schlachtensee (Zehlendorf) – beautiful lake surrounded by trees located in the posh area of Berlin. There is a large beer garden and adjacent playground. It gets crowded at the weekends, especially close to the S-Bahn station.

Parks

Tiergarten – the city’s green lung. There are plenty of paths and hidden treasures to discover, as well as two nice beer gardens where you can stop off for lunch or a drink: Café am Neuen See and Schleusenkrug.

Volkspark Friedrichshain – large park with playgrounds, cafes and a beer garden but gets very crowded with local Berliners at the weekends.

Gleisdreieck – former wasteland converted into a park. I’ve written about it in the past.

Tempelhof – the old airport runway has been transformed into a huge park; very popular with the locals. Read my previous entry.

Mauerpark – get there early on a Sunday to avoid the crowds and visit the flee market; the karaoke starts at 3pm and will keep your older kids entertained. I’ve also written about this in the past.

Schloss Charlottenburg – visit the castle and/or walk, play, run in the grounds. 

INDOORS

Labyrinth Kindermuseum

Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History Museum)

Don’t miss the dinosaurs! Tristan Otto is the only original skeleton of a T. Rex in Europe to date.

Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology)

The museum has a huge collection of steam engines and is also a great place for plane and boat lovers. Don’t miss the Rosinenbomber on the top terrace!

Spectrum Science Centre

The Science Centre makes science fun for children. It is just across from the Museum of Technology and tickets are valid for same-day visits to both the museum and Spectrum.

Labyrinth Kindermuseum (Wedding) – the former factory has been converted into a spacious children’s museum, with a special focus on diversity. There are different areas and lots of things to discover and to play with. Aspiring chefs will love the large kitchen area.

Kindermuseum MachMit (Prenzlauer Berg) – housed in a former church, the large museum offers endless opportunities for playing, climbing and learning through play. There is also a cinema. The current exhibition, which has been extended to June 2019, focuses on Native American culture.

Legoland – housed in a basement on Potsdamer Platz, it’s noisy and expensive, with only artificial light. Parents hate it, but kids love it. Best to avoid at the weekend.

Zoo – it’s one of Berlin’s most popular attractions both with adults and children so it gets very busy, especially at the weekends.

Tierpark – not to be confused with the Tiergarten. The Tierpark is Europe’s biggest animal park and is in the Eastern part of Berlin.

Aquarium – the entrance is next to the Zoo. It’s a good place for the little ones and for fish and/or reptile lovers. Don’t miss the sharks! You can get a combined ticket for the zoo and the aquarium.

Sealife – it’s smaller and narrower than the aquarium. The best part is the lift that takes you into the AquaDom at the end: the massive aquarium inside the Radisson Blu Hotel lobby. It’s cheaper if you buy tickets online.

Berlin boat trip – the one-hour boat trip along the Spree is probably the best option for smaller kids. They tend to get bored after a while!