Bike of the Week: Number 11

This "Bike of the Week" probably needs...

Seen better days mate!

...a bit of TLC.

The (Second) Best Kebap in Berlin

When searching for that perfect kebab in Berlin most people will tell you to head to Mehringdamm to Mustafas Gemüsekebap. If you want to get a similar döner experience but without having to wait in the queues that are typical at Mustafas then we know just the place for you.

The Nur Gemüse-Kebap stand on Hermanstrasse in Neukölln is, what has been described to us as, "the second best kebap shop in Berlin". That description was good enough to get me drooling so we took a little trip to Hermanstrasse to get our fingers greasy. The stand itself is right on the entrance to the Hermanstrasse S-bahn at the center of all the Hermanstrasse transport links so it's very easy to find. The staff are friendly and speak at least enough kebap-related English to make ordering easy for dummies.

A Dürüm kebap before it is wrapped.

We decided to try out a typical döner kebap and, my favourite, a dürüm kebap. The dürüm has the same ingredients as the döner but is rolled up inside a toasted flatbread called lavaş rather than being served in the normal bread roll. It is a little more expensive (normally about 1 euro more) than a typical döner but it's worth it in my opinion.

A döner kebap with a Turkish yogurt drink, Ayran.

I am no stranger to kebaps. In fact, I have spent many a drunken walk home biting into a spicy döner and countless Saturday afternoons curing a hangover with a tasty dürüm. I have eaten good ones and the truely terrible ones. I've experienced döners that have been cold, soggy and undercooked, with too little sauce or meat but I must say that the Nur Gemüse Döner has to be one of the best, if not THE best, kebaps I have ever eaten. I have not yet been to Mustafas and I do know that the Nur Gemüse style is a copy so I will have to wait till my next visit to Mehringdamm to compare the two.

 
I think what made this kebap different is that I could tell the meat was good quality. It was not as processed as other döner meat I have tried. Maybe the fact it is chicken rather than lamb makes it taste different too as most kebaps I have eaten have been lamb or a mixture of lamb and chicken. The addition of red peppers layered with the meat on the spit keeps the meat juicy and flavoursome. Also, it's the first kebap I have tried where they add roasted vegetables to the mix and a dash of lime juice at the end.

Not only are the ingredients good quality and fresh but the combination of ingredients is balanced with just the right amount of meat to salad ratio. The sauces are also good with a choice of spicy, garlic and normal sauce and their flavours are not too strong or light. I recommend trying it with a Turkish yogurt drink called Ayran. For me it was a little too salty but the cool drink is a refreshing compliament to the heavy flavours of the kebap.

If you want to try their kebaps for yourself I believe that it is open every day and closes at around 10pm.

Here is the address and contact details: 
S-Bahn - Hermanstrasse
U-Bahn - Line 8 Hermanstrasse
Hermannstraße 113 , 12051 Neukölln Berlin
Tel: 0163 7877 439
nur-gemuese-kebap@gmx.de 

Museum Island - Five Museums, One Place

The Museum Island, in the central Mitte district of Berlin, is a very pleasant area of the city and is home to, as you may have guessed, some of the major international museums in Germany. It is not actually a real island. It is located where the Spree branches off in two directions with one smaller branch of the Spree running down the west side and the main river down the east. (In fact, its kind of complicated to explain in words but easier if you see it on a map - "googlemap it" to see for yourself what I mean!)  

The 'island' itself was declared an UNESCO world heritage site in 1999 and the five museums located in this area contain an impressive collection of art and artifacts from many different cultures and ages. Amongst the collection are pieces from Egyptian, Persian, European, Middle Eastern and, obviously, Prussian origin, a collection of 19th century art as well as some reconstructed historic buildings. 

There are plenty of interesting things to see inside the museums and galleries including a bust of 

the Egyptian Queen, Nefertiti, the Berliner Goldhut (or Berlin Gold Hat) and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. There are a number of options for entrance to the museums including island day tickets, tourist passes, group tickets and guided tours. 

When we visited we decided to buy the day ticket which gives you access to all 5 museums for the whole day and includes a free audio guide in the museums. The island day pass is a good option if you have the whole day free and only have a short time in the city. You'll have to get up early to take advantage of access to all museums though as it is possible to spend at least a morning or afternoon in just one of the museums. Another option is a three-day museum pass which might suit you more if you prefer to take your time looking round museums. 

However, you don't have to go into the museums at all to enjoy the island. On a nice day it is worth just strolling around the island. The buildings themselves are interesting to look at and there are many sculptures around the gardens and green areas to relax in and have a picnic. 

Of course, you won't miss the sight of Der Berliner Dom or the Berlin Cathedral which is also on the island. In fact, It's probably going to be one of your first impressions of the site as it is dominates the southern end of the island. 

The Museum Island is a great day out in Berlin and there are plenty of terraces and restaurants nearby to complete a touristic day in Berlin. 

You can find out more information about the museums on the island on the State Museum Website as well as on Berlin.de which has lots of useful information for tourists in English.     

Bike of the Week: Number 10

This "Bike of the Week" is the...

Don't drink and drive kids!

...Best...Bike...EVER!!!

Parks in Berlin: Körnerpark

Ok, so the "summer" hasn't been that great so far in Berlin. There seems to be a stream of a few very hot and humid days, followed by ridiculously powerful thunder storms, a week of cool rainy weather then the heat gets going again and so continues the cycle. So, while it lasted, we decided to take advantage of the warm weather last week by visiting a very pretty park in Neukölln in the south east of the city.

We actually have some friends who live very close to the park and they recommended that we visited when we were in the area. The park is called Körnerpark and is located between Neukölln and Hermanstrasse U-bahn stations. 

The park itself isn't really that big but it has all the things you'd expect of a city park; green areas and, in this case, lots of half naked Germans!  It's a surprisingly tranquil place actually because all of the nearby roads are small side streets with very little traffic. 

It comprises of three separate areas. Two green fields which are connected by paths and the other area is more of a garden with flower beds, some well kept lawns and a terrace café. 

The garden is the first part of the park we came across and the view surprised us as walked up the steps from one of the main entrances. It reminded me of a garden you would typically find in an English country home equipped with a fountain and stone steps with balustrades around the perimeter. 

Although the park was busy with people sunbathing, families having picnics and children playing around the fountain there was still a lot of place to take a quiet stroll. The terrace café was a perfect place to enjoy a cool beer in the humid heat and to take a relaxing break to look out over the park gardens.

It looks like the café and the park organise regular cultural events including outdoor concerts and exhibitions. In fact there is a series of summer concerts planned throughout the summer and the building houses an art gallery which has regular exhibitions. You can find out more about the Körnerpark Café and the events on their website (in German). Also, here is a link to the summer 2012  schedule. 

I'll leave you with a few more photos of this very lovely park.