In December I spent a short time in the German capital to take care of a few things. We stayed at the Motel One at the KuDamm, a place where I had stayed once before. I really like the design of that hotel. It has a modern and stylish feeling, and it is located right next to the famous Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. This church is also known as the damaged church because the original tower was partly destroyed during the Second World War and left standing as a reminder. Right next to it is the Breitscheidplatz, where the Christmas market takes place every year.
In the evening we met up with a friend who lives in Berlin. He brought his young nephew who is eight years old. Together we walked across the Christmas market and then moved up the KuDamm a little. The Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz has a very warm and cozy atmosphere. There are lights everywhere, music, and the smell of food like bratwurst, roasted almonds, and hot chocolate. It is one of the better known Christmas markets in Berlin.
Because we were guests at the hotel, we could take our friend and his nephew into the hotel bar and the outside terrace area. From there you can look down directly at the Christmas market from above. The view was really cool. You see the lights, the people, the small huts, and the church all in one picture. The little nephew was extremely happy and excited. It is not every day that a child gets to see a Christmas market from that angle.
One thing that really surprised me on the Christmas market was the price of food. I knew that Christmas markets in big cities can be a bit expensive, but the prices in Berlin shocked me a little. For example, 200grams of roasted almonds cost 10,50€. That is a lot for a small snack. Roasted almonds are a classic German Christmas market tradition and normally you expect them to be a treat you can buy without thinking too much. But at this price you really stop for a moment and ask yourself if it is worth it.
