Days 119 to 121: Three Rest Days in Berlin

September 02, 2025

Days 119 to 121: Three Rest Days in Berlin

I’ve been staying at Sebastian’s place for three days already.

On Saturday, Sebastian and I rode bikes around Berlin. We went to all the places I had marked on Google Maps. They include the Victory Column, Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Reichstag Building, Berlin Cathedral, Berlin TV Tower, and Holzmarkt 25. By the time we came back to Sebastian’s apartment, we had cycled close to 18 miles.

The next day, I was so tired that I woke up after 10 AM. I didn’t do much because most stores are closed on Sunday. In the afternoon, Sebastian and I went to Han Sa Rang, a Korean restaurant that’s near us, for a late lunch. Then we decided to walk to Kulturfabrik Moabit to see the market there. The vendors sell a lot of Gothic things, which I’m not interested in.

Yesterday, I sent out my Heinz Stücke books via DHL and I biked to the Gesundbrunnen train station to purchase a train ticket to Kutno, Poland, for Thursday. There were only two cashiers working at the counter and they were very slow. What happened to German efficiency? I waited 45 minutes in line before finally getting my ticket. It was €48.50, or US$56.80, for the train from Berlin to Kutno, including a bicycle.

Not sure what I’ll do today since it’s raining. Sebastian allowed me to stay for two more days until Thursday afternoon when I’ll be taking the train. Tomorrow, I want to go into the city again and visit the inside of the Reichstag Building. Maybe I’ll do a bit more exploration before I leave the following day.

I’m enjoying some home comfort for a change. I notice my mindset also changed from being nomadic to a more settled state. I started to ask myself, “What would I do after cycling?” I still don’t know the answer.

So far, long distance cycling has caused me to lose some weight. I weigh around 160 pounds now, a 15 pounds less than when I started. My mood has been generally good. And I’m not bored as much. But the constant moving about can be tiring. Maybe I need to travel slower and take more rest days or just stay in one place for a while. I might do that when I’m outside of the Schengen area. Perhaps somewhere in the Balkans.