This Sunday, May 26th Laura and I decided to hop on the S bahn and head toward the borough of Pankow and into the neighborhood called Prenzlauerberg. We headed in this direction because earlier in the week May suggested that this neighborhood be one in which we visited because it is known as a hipster neighborhood full of life and people we might enjoy. Little did we know that on Sundays in Mauerpark in this neighborhood was a hustling flea market full of street vendors and food carts selling anything from vintage t-shirts, handmade jewelry, pierogies , and crepes. As we walked down Bernauerstrasse toward the park, we heard the sounds of beating drums and singing, and were drawn in the direction of the flea market. The market was packed full of people both young and old. Some were young children hitching rides on their fathers shoulders, while others had long gray beards. Everyone was walking and snacking on delicious street food from the vendors– Laura snagged a Nutella crepe from one stand. We also spent some time deciding which pieces of jewelry we wanted to buy from one vender in the market; Laura went with a pair of earrings that fit the hipster vibe completely, and I went with a small white and silver ring that had caught my eye. We then decided to exit the market and into the open grassy field full of people sitting, eating, and drinking. A lot of people were just hanging out and soaking up the day, while others were banging on drums, singing, dancing, blowing bubbles with a giant piece of string, and flinging hula hoops in the air. We sat high up on the hilly part of the park for a while just soaking everything around us in, and then decided to get up and walk down to an area full of people dancing to the sound of large drums being played. We sat down on a rocky bench and watched as people danced around and cheered along to the beats of the music. Everyone around us, whether they were sitting, dancing, singing, drinking, eating, were smiling and encouraging those around them to join in on the celebration. As I sat on the rocky bench and watched the young children no older than three years old dance with the young twenty-year olds with dread locks in their hair, baggy pants, and puffing away on a funny cigarette, I felt completely content with life. Everyone around me was happy and smiling and enjoying this Sunday celebration, all the while living up to their reputations as ‘hipsters’. The crowd of people surrounding me did not have a common theme– some were old and young, playing instruments and drinking beer, wearing some of the oddest outfits I have ever seen in my life, and dancing as if they had no worries at all in the world. It was an amazing experience and an amazing place. After a few hours we decided to leave the park and head across the street to a Thai restaurant and feast on rice and curry while discussing the market and park we just left.
