290/291//356: Berlin

Little trip for tattooings.

As always when I travel to a different city it is very easy to do new things. It's a little harder when you arrive late on friday, got a full saturday and then leave again early on sunday. Still, there is so much new stuff around that I don't have to think a lot to find something.

I tried two new coffee places, a new restaurant, was at a "new" metro station, bought something at a new shop and so on. Nothing much to say about the coffee places but the restaurant was really good. I randomly walked past that ramen bar and decided to go in to try it. It was pretty good I have to admit! Since I like making ramen myself, I always like to compare. Mine are good ( I like to think) but these were really good. If I get the chance next time I am in Berlin, I will go there again. Since it will be probably in autumn and my project will be done by then, I won't feel like I need to try a new place.

I have one more session left on the tattoo so I will be back in Berlin soon. I think this time around I will stay another day or two to really take in the city. It is such a cool place that it is a shame I don't get to do much when I am there. Bad planning on my part.

127/356: Coffee And A Reflection.

I know food posts are not exciting to read and believe me, they are not exciting to write but in the end, the whole point is changing my habits. Therefore however small that change in my daily behaviour is, is still a change. Something that I am doing different on purpose. Not because I have to,  or because the same old same old isn't available, but because I want to try something new.

I think a good analogy is my behaviour when I was travelling around the world. Especially in the countries that I didn't know the local language I had a hard time to have something to eat. What if I don't understand the menu? What if the waiter doesn't understand what I want to order? What if the food is not to my taste or the hygienic conditions in the restaurant are bad? I went hungry for far longer than need be and on many more occasions that I would like to admit.

After I finally settled for a restaurant, it would often be the case that I went back to that restaurant on a few occasions. Why? Because I know it, because it felt comfortable, because it was easy.

I think I have that impulse even while living Switzerland and on many different levels. So even picking a place for a coffee to go instead of my daily routine of having a coffee at work is a way to break away from the known. A way to challenge myself.

I can honestly say that I have changed my behaviour but it is not always as easy as you would think. Especially when I am thinking about getting take away for dinner or going to a restaurant to have something to eat, I still have the impulse to go to one that I know. But this is silly, I have never regretted to try a new place.

So having said all that, today I had a coffee on the go while on my way to work. That was new!

Cheers and thanks for reading.

43/356: Starbucks Double Shout Espresso

I got this coffee as a freebie at the train main station in Bern. I have had it in the fridge for some time now. I drank it yesterday because I wanted to do some workout but felt so tired that I didn't feel up for it. Since there was nothing else around that Starbucks Double Shot Espresso was it.

It reminded me a lot of Japan. They have many kinds of coffee in small cans like that. If you ever walked past a drinks vending machine in Japan, I am sure you have seen them. If you have never seen on of them, let me show you:

 I liked it but not enough to go out and actually buy one myself. Probably way overpriced anyhow. Tonight I am off to London for the weekend. Let's see what new thing I can come up with.