12 Days, 2 Countries, and a Tree That Knows Us Now
What started as a Berlin reunion with my cousin turned into a spontaneous 12-day run through Germany and the Netherlands, planned itinerary optional, good energy required.
📍 Days: 12 | 🌡️ Vibe: Chaotic good | 🎟 Best surprise: Germany’s honor-system trains
A trip from summer 2023, finally making it onto On Hols – better late than never.
1. Landing, then straight to a nightclub
We touched down late, checked into Lindner Berlin Ku’damm, World of Hyatt right on the Ku’damm. Even so, somehow still had it in us to hit a nightclub before midnight. No jet lag rules applied.
2. Realizing we packed all wrong
Berlin was colder than we’d planned for – turns out we’d packed for summer weather, not for reality. So, before doing anything else the next morning, we went downstairs to Free People and Urban Outfitters and bought pieces to actually keep warm. Lesson learned, wardrobe fixed.
3. Scooter hunt for a “Stand By Me” tree in Tiergarten
The next morning we rented scooters and went full detective mode trying to find a specific tree in Tiergarten, Berlin’s sprawling and most famous park, one etched with lyrics from “Stand By Me.” Found it, hugged it, took the photo. 10/10 morning.
4. Vegan food and cocktails in East Berlin
An Uber took us to East Berlin for a meal at 1990 Vegan Living in Friedrichshain, then cocktails at NYOM, the restaurant and bar right across the corner. Simple, good, no notes.
5. Accidentally riding Germany’s honor-system trains
My cousin was convinced German trains were free, “ha, ha”, no gates, no ticket checks, nothing. Turns out it’s all trust-based, and someone at dinner had to break the news that he’d been riding on faith the whole time.
6. Sanssouci Palace’s edible UNESCO gardens
Another excellent vegan meal, then hopped on a tram to Sanssouci Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site with gardens growing actual tomatoes and herbs you could touch. Underrated day trip.
7. Cutting the trip short – for Amsterdam
We shaved two days off Berlin for a last-minute flight to Amsterdam: Heineken Experience (genuinely interactive, worth it), breakfast at the decades-old Pancake Bakery, a graffiti park quick visit, and a detour to Rotterdam for the Zomercarnaval and a reggae festival.
Closing:
Would go back for the trains and the trees. Would maybe plan the Amsterdam leg with more than 48 hours notice next time.
🧳 BAGGAGE CLAIM · TRIP RECEIPT — GERMANY (BERLIN)
Self-planned, self-blamed. Cut a few days short — still paid for all of them.
• Flights — $748 (FLL → LGW → BER, Norse Atlantic + EasyJet connections, round trip) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Hotel (Lindner Berlin Ku’damm, World of Hyatt) — €925.11 (booked 7 nights, left early, still charged 90% — the golden rule: cancel with more than 48 hours’ notice) — ⭐⭐⭐ gorgeous room, brutal cancellation policy
• Berlin–Potsdam day trip — ~€7.60/person round trip (honor-system regional tickets — no gates, no one checked) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ somehow the best value of the whole trip
• Holocaust Memorial & Checkpoint Charlie — Free (minus ~$20 in gift shop magnets we absolutely did not need) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Rooftop bar (Klunkerkranich) — ~$50 — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Other activities — Berlin Wall Memorial, river pool bar, street art tour, museum — $50
• Total trip cost: ~$1,950
Note: Would go back for the trains and the street art. Would NOT skip the fine print on the cancellation policy again.
🧳 BAGGAGE CLAIM · TRIP RECEIPT — NETHERLANDS
Plan A fell through. Plan B involved a veggie burger at 11pm.
Flight (Berlin → Amsterdam) — €177 (EasyJet, booked last-minute after cutting Berlin short) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hotel V, Amsterdam — €376.72 (2 nights, Deluxe Room) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hilton Rotterdam — €497.36 (3 nights, partly paid in AAdvantage miles) — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Activities — Amsterdam museums (x2), Reggae Rotterdam festival at Ahoy — $125
Total trip cost: ~€1,175
Note: Zero travel agent, zero guide — just a change of plans, Google Maps, and 48 hours’ notice on the flight to Amsterdam.
Reading this travel diary made me feel as if I were there! LOVE!!!
An excellent no fluff, to the point(s) blog…and of course, I love the pictures!! Now, on to the next read!