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available surface, in an explosion of words, color, and images. This is probably the best place to do some record shopping, as little independent record stores can be found on almost every block. Whether you're looking for techno, punk rock, drum & bass, dub, soul, electro, or some Neue Deutsche Welle, you can probably find a shop that specializes in it. Friedrichshain is probably the neighborhood most saturated with clubs (Berghain can be found here), and is also home to the major bar-hopping hub, Simon-Dachs-Straße. During the day, F'hain is pretty chill, with young dreadlocked mothers taking their babies out in the stroller, street punks hanging out with their pitbulls in the park, and people relaxing at cafes having some coffee or a beer. At night, Friedrichshain takes on an almost festival-like atmosphere, with leagues of people commuting to and from clubs and bars, most likely downing a beer and some Jäger on the way. (Spent Jägermeister bottles and beer bottle caps are probably the most common litter items on the street, besides dog shit) Just walking around town at night with a beer in your hand is an adventure.
Kreuzberg - South of Friedrichshain, on the other side of the Spree, Kreuzberg was technically part of old West Berlin. Today it is home to a huge Turkish population, as well as a good chunk of Berlin's alternative community; punks, squatters, junkies, radicals, artists, and other people on the fringe of society. Kreuzberg has a rebellious heart and loves a little confrontation, and is generally the center of the action during the annual May 1st riots. Many bars and clubs can be found here, not quite to the same extent as Friedrichshain, but it's still a very lively and fun area. Watergate and Hard Wax can be found here, as well as tons of cozy cafes, homey dive bars, and the best falafel you've ever had in your life.
Clubs:::
Berghain/Panorama Bar, Friedrichshain ::: (Berghain on Youtube)
The notorious Berghain is one of the more surreal clubbing experiences to be had. The huge club is built inside a former power plant, with supposedly the largest club soundsystem in Europe. The massive size of the building and cement interior give it the feeling of an industrial cathedral, with huge grey pillars and long, tall windows. Berghain also doubles as a gay sex club, which might make the average nerdy techno guy a little nervous, but it's really not as intense as it sounds (just don't stumble into one of the dark rooms unless you want to be a participant in the action). The upstairs room, known as the Panorama Bar, is generally a good spot for minimal and electro, whereas the main dancefloor tends to veer towards harder techno. It's easy to be a little intimidated by this place, with the scary door guy and the seedy atmosphere, but if you let go of your inhibitions it's pretty hard not to have a great time. The door policy is notoriously strict, with a good quarter of the people in line being turned away. The door loosens up a little in the morning, so if you're still nervous about getting in, show up at 7am and it shouldn't be a problem. And don't think that 7am is the end of the party - this place stays open pretty much continuously all weekend. Though this is probably the most well known and popular club in Berlin, it is definitely worth checking out; they bring out major headliners almost every weekend, and the music is generally of the highest quality.
Watergate, Kreuzberg ::: (Watergate on Youtube)
Watergate is a little place right on the Spree, next to Warschauer Bridge in Kreuzberg. The sides of the club are covered in
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