Doing a fair bit of hiking in the area around the capital these days. So strange that my exploring of the world started in its farthest corner and only now am I discovering my backyard.

Went to see a premier league basketball game for - I think - the first time in my life. Berlin was playing Ulm in the quarterfinals. Such a relaxed and family friendly affair. I only have soccer as a comparison, where it’s usually a lot of drunk people and heaps of police, versus… this: Only 10,000 in attendance though, that makes a difference to the 50k+ you see in a Bundesligastadion.

The US’ recent efforts to pour more oil into the Middle East conflict were met by a worldwide outcry. Berlin’s Palestinian community too raised its voice. By the looks of it, very few Germans were among the protesters. I guess most of them don’t care much. Or automatically hate everything with a headscarf anyway.

Berlin police recently demonstrated at their Hamburg visit, that the capital knows how to party. Today it was the LGBT(etc.) community’s turn. Warm temperatures went along well with everybody’s desire to wear as little as possible. Somehow… animals were quite the thing this year. I don’t think it was that prevalent in 2016. And of course, lots of costumes and paint. What’s the church’s current stance on gay marriage?

Nakba is an Arabic word, translating to “Catastrophe”. It refers to the begin of the occupation of Palestine in 1948 and “Nakba Day” commemorates that event every year. Earlier today I joined a demonstration that had been organised by the local Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) chapter and a couple of other groups. The participants gathered on Richardplatz, surrounded by heavy police presence. A handful of counter-protesters showed their blue-white apartheid colours, but stayed behind when the march started.

There seems to be a pattern. I move into a new flat and then days later I’m on a flight out of the country. That’s how it was in 2014, and yesterday again I sat on an outbound flight, not even a week after receiving the keys to my new place. This time the destination is much closer than 2014’s Philippines though. It’s Lisbon, where Web Summit 2016, one of the biggest internet conferences of the world is taking place.

There’s a big change ahead! On the 31st of this month I’m expecting to receive the keys to my new place in the borough of Pankow. By then it’ll have been more than 15 months since I moved out of the last place in Stuttgart. Since arriving in Berlin, my priorities have changed a fair bit. Initially I was after accommodation in a flat-share, as I had grown quite accustomed to living communally.

Berlin is nice. I like the city, I like the people. Housing market is a pain though, still haven’t found a proper permanent residence. Taking a few days off, visiting a Danish island with my family. It was 34 years ago, that I first set foot on that island.

Final for now, no next move planned. Staying in the… alternative part of the city.

When travelling, a strict plan is really counter-productive. It takes away all the flexibility that makes travelling so much fun. Still, it is good to have an idea of where to go (and what to see). I had making plans for Myanmar on my list of things to do when I was in Berlin. However about the stay in Berlin I can say two things: It’s a cool city and: I’ve worked too much.

Every weekend, Berlin’s Preußenpark hosts the “Thaiwiese”. It’s a rather informal gathering of street food merchants who dish out amazingly good and authentic Thai food to the grateful public. With €5 a plate it’s a little more pricey than Thailand but still a very good deal for the capital. Oh and did I mention that it’s authentic and good?

Ok, that came a bit earlier than expected. Thought I wouldn’t be back in Germany before some time 2016… Leaving Jerusalem went smoothly this morning. The shared taxi picked me up right in front of the hostel and after a little sightseeing tour across the city, dropped me off at Terminal 1. Pre-Checkin-Security was curious about my Moroccan entry stamp but didn’t bother with asking me any questions about my stay in Israel.

There is a Kebab joint in Berlin that is supposed to serve the best Kebabs in the city. People wait for an hour and more (sic!) to get their fix. When a friend told me she did that, I told her I’d never wait an hour for food. Then came yesterday evening and dinner in Friedrichshain and we did exactly that: waited an hour for food. That wasn’t voluntarily though, the kitchen just completely crumbled under their load.

Big difference to the last trip in 2010: I fully intend to earn a living from day one on. Being a freelance website developer, I don’t need much besides a laptop and internet access to get work done. Following the local lifestyle, I set up camp in a cafe next door. Fitting in didn’t work 100%, as my Lenovo was sticking out of the Apple crowd and my beverage of choice was a black coffee and not some Latte Frappe Machiwhatever.

It’s the first time I’m coming to the capital to see the city itself. Previously the occasion was either a soccer finale or a departure from Tegel airport. But not this time! Although I’ll still depart from Tegel… The friend, who’s providing me with a couch, lives in Prenzlauer Berg which is a rather hip/gentrified part of the city. Might not be the best thing for the long-time-back residents but brings the advantage of countless bars, cafes and restaurants.

Wednesday morning starts early for me. I don’t want to take a gamble with the railway and decided to take a train that takes me a couple of hours early to Berlin. All connections are on time though and I arrive in Berlin around noon. The central station in Berlin is impressive, trains on two levels and heaps of shopping possibilities. I spend some time with my cousin and his wife at their place and it’s nice to see them again.