Through Berlin’s arty lanes

It was a trip by chance for actress Sushma Reddy when her sister Meghana, who stays in Greece, suggested a vacation in Berlin.

“I’m not a huge fan of the city but the idea of meeting my sister, who I do not get to see very often, was just too enticing,” says Sushma who had always used the German cities as transits for her flights or trains during every Europe tour. “I had heard a lot about Berlin and I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.”

Her first impression of Berlin was that of a city peopled with young crowd, immigrants and artists.

“That is an incredible melting pot… the neighbourhood reminded me of the old NYC, and the way the East Village used to be. Berlin has to be one of the most affordable European cities,” she says.

Sushma had a gala time exploring the city’s neighbourhoods, restaurants, bars, clubs, museums (especially Museum Island with its fantastic Egyptian, Greek and Assyrian collections), and of course the galleries!

“The art galleries in Berlin are to die for… It is a gallery city that is a treat for art lovers.” She reminisces the East Side Gallery as one of the most incredible open air galleries: “The Graffiti art on the remnants of the Wall is an arch rival for contemporary art globally. We did laud the Kunsthaus Tacheles as an amazing experiment on the purity of art.”

The architecture of the old Jewish Museum fascinated the two sisters, thanks to its great history and symbolism. “Checkpoint Charlie, parts of the Wall strewn around the city, as well as the Jewish Museum are a painful reminder of how much the city and its inhabitants have gone through,” says Sushma.

The actor also fondly remembers the Unsicht restaurant. “It has blind waiters, and you enter in complete darkness for your gourmet meal. We were shocked that the waiters found us effortlessly. Surprisingly my soup spoon found my mouth, and I realised how much my eyes matter to my appetite, since I couldn’t eat much as I couldn’t see. It really was an experience!”

Both Sushma and her sister found Berlin to be too noisy and busy, but interesting. However, she regrets that they didn’t have enough time to catch the nightlife and the underground scene. “Berlin is a city I will return to for sure,” she asserts.