And so begins 2009

With hopes and dreams. Higher hopes, same dreams. We finished off the year, as mentioned previously, at Café Wendel. But there was no time to drag our tired feet and party fingers over to Watergate. Well there was time but by 9am on the first morning of 2009 we were exhausted…

It was full. In fact it was so full that you could hardly move, the line for the toilet was at times ridiculous and the bar owner must have been counting the euros with a grin. At some point even there was a long queue to get in, the doors closed and party people poured in through the windows that also had to be closed. Ah don’t you love how desperately bad Berliners wants to party? And as the new masses sipped through, one of my cousins could only remark upon how beautiful the new arrivals were (which was also her comment for the whole crowd already there). Superficial thinking? Probably. But also one of the simple Berlin realities …

All in all the music was great, the atmosphere fun, the people silly and the time partying was cool.

So what next? When the sun was up and we hopped into a taxi I realised that, as the scheisse year that 2008 had been died, there is much to be achieved in 2009. This is the year that I will master the German language, ja?! And the Berlin club scene. Berlin was still recovering on the first weekend of the year but soon it will all begin again. Bring on the Spring and the Summer times, because, however beautiful white Berlin may be, it’s cold!

Welcoming 2009 in Berlin

It’s this time of the year; when you are trying to get over the near-explosive state of your bloated Christmas stomachs, when a year dies and a new begins with hopes and despair, when you don’t know what to wear and where to party. If you are in London or Paris you will most likely splash out many Pounds and Euros to get in somewhere over-crowded where you’ll spend more to try and enjoy the stuffed feeling. In Stockholm you’ll see fireworks illuminate the sky. If you happen to be or go to Berlin you can find great nights. Maybe at the Brandeburg Gate where yes it will probably be pretty and special with fireworks, bands playing and lots of people to help you forget how cold it really is. Or head to one of the many excellent Berlin clubs to dance the New Year in to some of the best Electro DJs.
I am really looking forward to Silvester. The night will start off with my Swedish cousins from Stockholm with some Champagne and food then head to Schlesiches Strasse to Cafe Wendel for a privately organised but open to all party with boyfriend and friends DJing for several hours. And the best is that it is free, drinks are not expensive and Wendel is one of those Berlin bars that I love – casual, scruffy and friendly. Then pop over to the ever so great Watergate where some (many?!) of Berlin’s best Djs with be mixing the whole night and, I am sure, the whole first day of 2009! Not much sleep in the program but hey, I can sleep when I am dead! Or at least the following day…