I have a strangely intimate connection to Berlin, for reasons I don't totally understand or can really explain. Yes, of course, this probably has a lot to do with its unparalleled techno scene, which is what attracted me to Berlin in the first place, but I feel that is only a small part of a really diverse, creative, and open city. Artists, musicians, party kids, wannabe modern day bohemians, vagabond street punks, and starry-eyed young techno producers all flock here to partake in the hedonistic club culture and take advantage of the cheap rents. And why not?- Cosmopolitan American cities like San Francisco are becoming increasingly less accessible to young people and artists, who can barely even afford a microscopic one-room apartment in the ghetto. San Francisco rents often require serious devotion to a full time job, (most likely in the tech industry) leaving little time for creative pursuits. Berlin, on the other hand, has a low cost of living and high unemployment rate, perfect for those who would prefer do their own thing rather than commit themselves to joining the "real world" by sitting at a desk during their waking hours. The financial accessibility of Berlin fosters an extremely diverse and fertile environment, where seemingly (at least to wide-eyed and naive travellers such as myself) anything can happen. Want to open your own club, form an artists' collective, start a record label, throw renegade parties in abandoned buildings, open an organic juice bar, create a fashion line for dogs, or dance to minimal techno for 48 hours straight...? If it can happen anywhere, it can and does happen in Berlin.

Like so many others, I came here for the music. In 2002, rumours began to spread that Tresor was closing its doors, and I made my first trip to Berlin to see the seminal techno club. I initially came to experience the nocturnal playground of clubs and parties, but ultimately I fell in love with Berlin's obsession with personal freedom, and stubbornly rebellious spirit. And then there's the drinking-beer-on-the-train thing. Who can argue with that?

There is a lot to see and experience in Berlin beyond what city guidebooks (even the 'cool' ones) will tell you. Dig around, be creative, learn a little German, and be humble and respectful towards the culture and the scene, and you'll find a whole other world open up to you. Below is my very personal and biased (and by no means complete) guide to partying and playing in the Techno Playground, which I hope will help you find your own Berlin adventure. Viel SpaЯ (have fun)!

A few Neighborhoods::::

Mitte - Mitte means "Center", and is the hub of the city. Most of the major tourist attractions are here, as well as tons of clubs, bars, galleries, restaurants, etc. I've had some fun here, but for the most part, this is not really where I prefer to hang out. Gentrification is slowly creeping up on Mitte, not at the rate that San Francisco is being condo-fied, but it is still apparent. When I returned to WeinmeisterstraЯe in 2007 to go to a record shop I had checked out in 2002, I found it to be gone and replaced by an American Apparel store. A lot of the streets have been cleaned up in recent years, with the once-plentiful street art quickly disappearing. You can still find almost anything you're looking for in Mitte, but the place doesn't have quite as much personality as some of the other boroughs of Berlin.

Friedrichshain -This is my favorite part of town. Located in the East, north of the Spree River, Friedrichshain is cheap, dirty, colorful, and young. Graffiti and street art line nearly every