As the lockdown measures continue to be relaxed (Corona-Lockerung, as it’s known in Germany), life in Berlin is slowly returning to something resembling normality. At the same time, the number of infections continues to rise, so there is some concern as to whether the restrictions will have to be brought back. There have been reports of outbreaks in Neukölln and Friedrichshain, where entire apartment blocks have been put in quarantine, but at the moment the situation is said to be “under control”.
Lockdown relaxation
As of 27 June, there will no longer be contact restrictions (Kontaktbeschränkungen), meaning that Berliners may meet an unlimited number of people. However, social contacts should be kept to a minimum. The 1.5 m distance and other hygiene rules still apply. Generally, things are a lot more organised, efficient and not as crowded these days. Still, as I found out waiting outside a shop this week, some people here still have trouble understanding the concept of queuing. Also, as restaurants and cafes have been allowed to spread their tables out onto the pavements, getting by can be tricky, especially if you are cycling with a child.
Cycling with children in Berlin
On Monday 22 June I became, in my husband’s words, «a true Berliner», i.e. I shouted back at someone on the street. In Berlin, road rage is a local pastime. Whenever I am out and about, I often hear someone shouting, be it a motorist or a cyclist or a pedestrian. Sometimes it’s justified, while other times it’s unnecessary. Well on Monday I was told off by a man for cycling along the pavement with my son. He pointed to the cycle lane on the road and told me in an arrogant tone: «Das ist der Radweg!» (That is the cycle lane). So, I shouted back: «Und das ist ein Kind!» (And that is a child). I’m really fed up of people telling me off for something that is permitted by law. In case you don’t believe me, this is the link. In Germany, parents are allowed to cycle on the pavement with their children, if they are under the age of 8. Moreover, children under 8 are not allowed to cycle on the road so they have to cycle on the pavement. Thus, they can use cycle tracks (where cyclists are physically separated from traffic), but they can’t use cycle lanes, which are on the road.
Fines for not wearing masks
Despite the popular notion of Germans being law-abiding, not everyone follows the rules. In Berlin there have been reports of illegal parties in parks and fewer people have been wearing face masks on public transport. The Berlin Senate has thus responded by introducing fines between €50 and €500 for violations of the mask-wearing requirement, effective from 27 June. There will also be fines for violations of the hygiene rules.
Corona warning app
The Corona-Warn-app was introduced in Germany last week and since 16 June can be downloaded. The idea is to warn people if they have been in contact with an infected person. Use of the app is voluntary but is recommended to “break chains of infection”. I decided to give it a go and after 8 days of tracking, luckily my risk is defined as low.
Germany reopens its borders
On 15 June Germany reopened its borders to other EU members. As a result, air travel has picked up and we’ve started to hear and see more planes in the sky over Berlin. Nevertheless, airlines continue to cancel flights using the coronavirus as a reason. Almost everyone I’ve spoken to has decided to drive to France, Austria or Italy for the holidays. As one mother at school pointed out: «I have so many airline vouchers, I don’t know what to do with them». We are supposed to be getting a full refund from Lufthansa for a flight that was cancelled only 12 days after we booked it, but we were told we would have to wait 3 months rather than the standard 7 to 10 days.
A trip to the Baltic Sea
Last weekend we went on our first trip away since February. Destination: the Fischland-Darss peninsula on the Baltic Sea, one of our favourite weekend escapes. It’s a great place for walking, cycling and enjoying nature, due to the combination of long white beaches, sand dunes, green forests and lagoons. Hotels in Germany have been gradually reopening since the end of May. In the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where we went, hotels are restricted to 60% of capacity and staff are required to wear masks. It was difficult to find a room, as most places were fully booked, so we ended up paying more than usual. Still, after months of lockdown it was worth it. We could even enjoy a buffet breakfast at an allocated time slot. When we checked in to the hotel, unfortunately only 8 am or 10:45 am were available so we opted for the earlier time. It wasn’t a typical buffet, as we had to wait in turn at a distance for someone to serve us behind a plastic barrier and hand our plates over at the end. I’m sure people end up eating less when they have to ask for food rather than help themselves. Perhaps this buffet-style breakfast is here to stay. We enjoyed our first swim since the winter holidays; the indoor pool was open, but surprisingly quiet. There were plenty of people on the beach and a handful of very brave swimmers in the sea, naked naturally. In Eastern Germany nudism or FKK (Freikörperkultur) is very popular when swimming in lakes or in the sea, whatever the weather.
