The Beauty in Being Lost
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It should have been simple – I plugged the address into Google Maps on my phone and the Strudel Factory was immediately identified. I zoomed in and realized that it was close by so I grabbed my camera, packed my backpack, and went out to get some strudel and hopefully sit and enjoy the ambiance.
Oh yes, one other important piece of information – I was starving. A starving Sherry turns a normal outing into an emotional roller coaster adventure fueled by low blood sugar. But really – it was on Google Maps, it was 6 blocks away from my apartment, I could walk fast, I would be eating warm, homemade strudel in no time – how difficult could it be?
The Wiener Strudel Manufaktur (or the Strudel Factory for the German language inept like me) is more of a wholesaler to other outlets than it is selling to the public. But according to their website on Thursday and Friday, they open their doors and sell from their factory for limited hours.
I was hoping to get there early while old women dressed in simple dresses and scarves on their heads were making batches of strudel so that I could have the perfect photo op. I envisioned being led inside by my nose following a visible little trail of apple aroma like in the cartoons. My hunger had fueled quite a vivid imagination.
Instead, I walked down the snowy streets of Friedrichshain and paced back and forth by the address that Google Maps directed me to. I looked at the old building filled with graffiti and questioned if I was in the right place. I checked the map again. I checked my GPS. I heard my stomach rumble, and I winced in hunger pain. I checked the map again wishing that it would tell me something different this time. Nope – I was in the right spot.
My hunger makes me irrational at times, ok…all the time. I dug in my emotional heels, determined to find the place, circling around the abandoned-looking building trying to discover any sign of strudel – but there wasn’t even a smell of baking strudel in the air.
Mildly frustrated, I went further down the rabbit hole of hunger and continued to walk through the whole run-down area around the train tracks. I had heard about this area of Friedrichshain called RAW – formerly the Reichsbahn (former German national railway) repair workshop.
Today the area is populated with associations in the field of culture, music, theatre, and more. But it’s mainly known for its nightlife, it’s a hot spot when the sun goes down. The name RAW is appropriate since the area is pretty gritty – filled with graffiti-covered buildings, bars, warehouses, and factories.
Completely frustrated, cold, and so hungry that food barely even sounded good to me any longer – I gave up. I saw a beckoning neon sign – sputtering iPhone – and decided to go eat some pho and regroup. It wasn’t strudel, but Pho was a pretty good substitute.
Sometimes, even when you have all of the information you need, things still don’t work out in foreign cities. This was one of those times. When you decide to forgo the typical tourist tours and sites and wander a bit off that path – you run into roadblocks. As a visitor who doesn’t speak the language – things take longer, you get lost, and you misunderstand information. But hopefully, you end up finding a unique experience in the end – making it all work out.
After warming up with a bowl of pho I decided to continue to walk to the Oberbaum Bridge – a historical landmark in Berlin separating East and West Berlin – Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. As I walked towards the brick bridge the sun started to show itself for the first time in 3 days.
Playing Skat in Altenburg, Germany
Excited by the new ray of sunlight in my life, and a full stomach, I ended up going to the river Spree and taking photos of the bridge from further vantage points. I walked along the river and all of my frustration about my strudel hunt disappeared as I started to discover a new area along the river bank. There is no quicker way to happiness for me than calories and the delight of discovering new things.
Along the river, I was amazed at the modern architecture, the building patterns, and the street art. It was a fascinating mix of design, art, and business.
Even though I missed out on strudel – I did luck out by finding the river walk and seeing yet another side of Friedrichshain. I finished my strudel-less afternoon with a walk along the East Side Gallery. The Gallery has been the home to controversy lately, so I was happy to get to see it as it’s unclear what its fate will be.
When you go off the tourist track, you end up spinning your wheels and not always accomplishing what you set out to do. And sometimes, it’s worth it to be a little lost.
During my stay in Berlin, I was a guest of Go with Oh, who furnished my apartment in Friedrichshain. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.
Great photos Sherry! Isn’t it funny how most of the time the most memorable moments on the road are the ones unplanned. Kinda makes you want to through away all the guide books and just go! but only kinda… 🙂
Lovely photos. I’m a bit of a compulsive planner, but still like when you find something unexpected and different like this.
Doesn’t being lost bring some of the best memories. Fine photography as always.
We have a word for this – ‘hangry’. LOL. I know how you feel but I love that you made the most of the situation and look at the awesome photos you took! Did you ever find where the strudel factory got to? And have you tried the strudel in Austria? Yummmmm
We had the same kind of experience when we first arrived in Taiwan! I’ve lost count of the restaurants we have set out for but never found. But you do find all the cool stuff wandering the back alleys of Taiwan.
Sherry, that’s awesome. I have found more interesting things while “lost” than I ever did when on the path or on schedule. I like to say that I’m never lost, just sometimes I go a different way. 🙂
Great photos! A hungry photographer is Best Photographer!
I have added another thing to the already heavy bag I carry around with me all the time: “Emergency peanuts” – but even they just give me a tiny break when I am expecting food and then can’t find it. I’m impressed you still managed to take all these awesome photos! Also: the photo automat seems to be suspiciously located in the middle of nowhere – pretty sure it’s a secret entrance to… something. Although it couldn’t have been the Strudel factory – you would have smelled that.
Emergency peanuts…love it! Yes – I normally carry 3 emergency Cliff Bars with me – it’s necessary!
That’s when I find the best memories is when I get off the tourist path and just wander around and explore the area. Amazing things can be found.
Wow you’ve taken some AMAZING pictures here! The graffiti really works on the buildings and totally complements the modern contempory.
I really liked your photos (especially the graffiti ones, and modern architecture). Also who said, being lost is not good? You can discover new places!
These are lovely photos and a good price for being lost. I think we all need to see a brighter side of the path even if we lost our way. There are good things to find too in these unknown places.
Loved the photos – so vibrant! Thanks for sharing.
That modern architecture building along the Spree is insane! Wish I could see that up close…looks like the building is about to teeter off the top of the other one. Wow.