They dined at Nobelhart & Schmutzig, a trendy restaurant in Kreuzberg. With their American self-confidence, they described it as an 'up and coming city,' with its intriguing club scene, ambitious startups and good restaurants. They visited the East Side Gallery, the Wall Museum and the grocery department at KaDeWe, Germany's answer to Harrods.

They liked the city: It was green, people were friendly and nearly everyone spoke English. They landed on the evening of June 21, a Wednesday, with plans to spend four days - and four nights - in Berlin.

Rob is gay, and Jenifer and Carlo had the feeling they were the only heterosexual guests at the hotel, but it matched their impression of Berlin, of being in a different, freer city where everyone lived how they wanted to. Rob, their Californian friend from the Netherlands, booked a hotel in Berlin's Charlottenburg district. Modern air travel had made the world small for Jenifer and Carlo. The Easyjet flights from Nice to Berlin cost them only 80 euros ($98).

SPIEGEL Media Menü SPIEGEL Media aufklappenĬarlo was no American hockey dad, and Jenifer was no soccer mom - not yet, in any case.

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Formel 1 – Liveticker, Kalender, WM-Stand.

Berghain bouncer memoir