Berlin is not as clean, modern or pretty as Munich but it is a very culturally vibrant city. A-train in Berlin is one of the best blues bars I have ever been to.

munich i’ve been to many times. it is nicer to look at as a pretty planned principality – coloured by its peculiar, italian-style political history – and the energetic vibe of a university town full of young healthy undergraduate bavarians. more research organisations, patents & collaberations occurs in bavaria than any other part of europe. there are many magnificent buildings which survived WWII, and the heart of the old town is quite breathtaking. the preponderance of beer halls and beer gardens is particularly bavarian: if you went to city in bavaria you’d find the same thing. lots of healthy people being very formal and devoting their time to exercising, studying and drinking. theyre not too keen on outsiders but if its what floats your boat then you’ll love all of bavaria: munich is just more concentrated. after doing a couple of courses there i’m just as happy to leave it them to it.

my feeling when visiting berlin is that it was decimated by the war, and doesn’t have a concentrated heart of the city. so the buildings are less attractive and preserved, and there is no central old town – rather spread out in little communities for miles. what i found more appealing was the sense of massive rebuilding still going on and the obvious multiculturalism and pockets of restaurants devoted to a particular cultural group – like the turkish & russian parts of east berlin. the influx of immigrants from eastern europe and africa add a sense of excitement and being in a really foreign city. my favourite cab driver in berlin was an session musician from england who had come in the 70s and stayed forever. he said the drugs and party scenes and amazing underground music kept him captivated. there is also an electrifying fashion and art scene.
the vibe is much more cutting edge, we couldn’t walk for a day without stumbling across a show or installation of some sort. may not be to everyone’s taste but couldn’t get enough of it and was upset to leave – it reminds me of shanghai or my hometown, melbourne.