Berlin is a city that does not conceal its history. It puts it on, openly and uncomfortably, and that is what makes the process of exploring it so powerful.

When I made my first steps in Berlin, I got the impression that I was travelling through alternate worlds simultaneously. One day, I found myself standing in front of a gate nearly as old as the whole building, and the next day I was drinking coffee in a minimalistic cafe full of laptops and people speaking five languages.

Berlin is not polished in the old fashioned way. It's layered. And those are what make the city come to life.

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Past Walking through History That Still Speaks.

The history of Berlin is not in the museum case. It is out in the streets, in the buildings and even in the empty areas. One of the most inspiring experiences of traveling I have had was walking along the remains of the Berlin Wall.

Concrete fragments, which were the symbols of division, are now covered with art and messages of hope. Photos are taken by people but there is also a respect that lingers.

Another history-approximing place is the Brandenburg Gate. One day I went early in the morning when there were few people present.

To be there was difficult not to consider the amount of royal processions and war and reunification that this monument has been a witness to.

But it was surrounded by cyclists who went by and commuters on their way to work. Life went on, and history went on.

Museums Which Tell Not Facts.

The museums in Berlin are effective since they do not make the past sweet. These museums are spectacular on Museum Island, however, it was the smaller museums that were more focused and remained with me.

The Holocaust Memorial and the information center which is located nearby require your presence and consideration. It was personal when walking through the concrete blocks and being disoriented and quiet.

The City of Berlin in the Twenty First Century and the Creativity of the Everyday.

Get out of the historical sites and you find a very different Berlin. Such areas as Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg are humming with contemporary life. The art in the streets lends some color to the buildings. Cafes spill onto sidewalks. The music passes out of open windows.

I spent one afternoon strolling around Kreuzberg, having a coffee, then a snack, then simply sitting somewhere in a park and watching other people pass by.

Berlin is creative without making a huge effort. Fashion is expressive. Conversations are open. One gets a feeling that individuality is not only accepted but even expected.

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The New Berlin, Food, and Coffee.

Food in Berlin represents personality. Kamprad German cuisine is quite comfortable next to Turkish bakeries, vegan cafes, and international street food. One day I had traditional currywurst in a street stand.

The following day, I was having a well-prepared brunch in a modern cafe that could not be found out of place in any large city.

Berlin Coffee culture is more solemn and yet casual. I also spent hours in cafes, not in a hurry, I was simply watching. People consider cafes as the extension of their homes and offices, and visitors can do it as well.

The coexistence of the Past and Present.

It is not only the fact that Berlin recollects its past and remembrance is the reason why it is so special.

Abandoned factories are turned into areas of art. Startups are located in historic buildings. Memorials are silent and situated close to playgrounds.

Berlin does not make an attempt to be beautiful in the conventional sense of this word. It is considerate, crude, and ever- changing. It is like a dialogue between past and present by visiting it.

When I had to go I knew that Berlin was not a city to visit. It's a city you reflect on. It makes you remember, see, and live in the present simultaneously.