Third day in Berlin

It is our last day in Berlin. We knew there was no way to see even most of everything one would want to see in a city as large as Berlin, and we were okay with it. We saw most of the highlights during our walking tour and even if we didn't get back to the chocolate and dessert shops, we had special dinner plans for the evening.

We woke up late again and decided it would be a good idea to do some laundry. Jason brought mostly t-shirts, and I had been washing my same two tank tops inthe sink. It was time for a real cleaning. The laundry was just a few doors down from the Circus and would end up being one of our biggest cultural experiences yet! We walked in and a short German man wearing a white straw hat greeted us. He immediately asked us what language, we said English, and he proceeded to try to communicate with us. The machines were old, the language barrier was high, and we almost left the laundromat. Finally we just submitted to the man, handed him our money, and let him work the machines for us. Here's how it went:

Put clothes in washer. (What? Lights and darks in the same one?! Yes.) Put coins in the wall mounted machine. Press the button that corresponds to the number of your washer. Add money for soap. (Don't worry!! You will get change!) Push the button for the powdered soap. Take the cup of soap to the washer. Push more buttons. Put the paper soap cup back. Awww...now drink coffee until the laundry is done.

But pay attention! When your laundry is done someone will take it out and put it in a basket. Then when you check the number of your machine, you will think it's still going and end up sitting there for an extra half hour because hey, the machines are old. Maybe they take a long time.

Once you realize your clothes are done, take your basket of clothes to a dryer. Put the clothes in. Go back to the machine on the wall. Put in your coins. Press the buttom that corresponds to the number of your dryer. Hurry! Go back to your dryer and press the button to start it. Your time begins when you put the money, so you don't want to lose valuable minutes. These machines are old, and they DO take a long time to dry.

While you wait, help other travelers who are just as confused by this place as you were a few hours ago. Watch a strange German man spill a mysterious red drink all over himself and the floor and swear in German. Watch a young worker named Mark get trained on how to run the place while the man with the white hat leaves. This is an experience to remember.

After our laundry was done we went to our room and packed up to be ready for our train ride in the morning to Munich. It's amazihg how much stuff we can fit in just a couple backpacks! Then we went out to dinner at a place called "unsicht-Bar Berlin."

This was an amazing restaurant that is completely dark, and the waiters are all blind. I mean it is really dark. Think about the darkest room you have ever been in, close your eyes, and it's even darker. I had a slight panic attack for the first 15 minutes because there was so much I couldn't control- where I sat, what I was eating, or what I could see.

When you enter, you must pick a menu that is either vegetarian, beef, poultry, or seafood. That is all you really know about your meal because the food descriptions are in riddle. Then you wait for your blind waiter to guide you into the restuarant. Our waiter was Allen. I had to hold onto his shoulders, Jason held on to mine, and we were plunged into total darkness. I will cut and paste from the website because it has a nice description.

"When having dinner at the unsicht-Bar dark restaurant in Berlin your eyes will finally be able to take a well-deserved break. By voluntarily abandoning your visual impulses you will be able to experience what wonderful work your other senses are capable of. Feel a gentle breeze. Feel the things on your table. Let your nose explore unknown horizons and experience pure taste without any visual pretence. You will feel the presence of your table partners and will be pleasantly surprised how the simplest conversation will magnify in importance. A genuine sensory rush!"

The food was absolutely delicious! I ended up eating a lot with my hands, but Jason was more refined than I was and used his utensils. We had a crunchy salad with sprouts, nuts, beef tips, and a vinnegrette. Then we had the most amazing cream of broccoli soup (afterward we learned it was made of goat cheese. My mouths waters again just thinking about it.) For our main course we had beef with a port wine sauce, salty round potatoes, carrots, asparagus, and sweet potato pie. For dessert we had an eggnog custard with jello on top and fresh fruits, chocolates, and cookies. Everything was presented beautifully (yes, I know we couldn't see, but it was beautiful.) Some of the food was shaped in unusual ways, but cooked fairly simply so you could really use your sense of taste. This was the most wonderful meal we have ever experienced and recommend it to anyone visiting Berlin.