Vote for your favorite finalist in the Berlin dream trip giveaway!
EuroCheapo and airberlin are sending one of the lucky contestants below on a memorable trip to Berlin this summer! Now, we need your help.
We posted our contest last month and more than 1,500 of you entered! Of the 25 finalists we randomly selected two weeks ago, the 14 contestants below responded. We asked them to answer one simple question: Why would you like to go to Berlin?
They responded with essays (long and short!), photographs, videos, illustrations and even a “Top 10” list. It’s a fascinating and original set of answers, illustrating a very diverse group of Cheapos out there!
Next week our panel of celebrity judges (including Johnny Jet, Nomadic Matt and Gadling’s Grant Martin) will join me in selecting one of these finalists as the winner. We will send them (and a guest) on a free round-trip to Berlin from the United States on airberlin, along with five free nights at the A&O Hostel and Hotel and free sightseeing vouchers courtesy of Visit Berlin.
Question: Why would you like to go to Berlin?
Here are the 14 entries, in no particular order. After you’ve read them, help us out—vote for your favorite at the bottom of this post and let your voice be heard!
#1: Cheryl
Top Ten Reasons I Want a Trip to Berlin
10. I’m a fact checker for EPCOT, and I want to get clear on a few things.
9. In 1975 I drove a Volkswagen Beetle, and I have a bone to pick with the guy who designed the heater.
8. Like JFK I am a jelly doughnut.
7. I need to get a pin from Hard Rock Berlin to complete my collection.
6. I’m a huge fan of Black Forest Cake and want to do a pilgrimage to its birthplace.
5. I just love saying “schnitzel.”
4. It’s always Oktoberfest somewhere.
3. I want to drive 110 mph in the left lane and have someone flash their lights because I’m driving too slowly.
2. Someone needs to explain David Hasselhoff to me.
1. I’m pretty sure in my past life I was a German Shepherd and I want to find my way home.
#2: Valerie
#3: Richard
Thank you. Was born 79 years ago and am as active as many who are 49 (I run, bow hunt, canoe, do wilderness camping, etc.). Both my ancestors and my wife’s are from Germany, and we’ve never had the opportunity to visit “the Fatherland.” We want very much to go, and know that unless we win something like this we never will be able to go. Please keep us in consideration!
#4: Chelsea
#5: Cindy
“Your email was chosen as a finalist in the EuroCheapo / Airberlin “Summer in Berlin” giveaway that you entered.
Can you believe it!? You see, I have been to Berlin before! In fact, I was there in the dead of winter, when I could barely step outside to see the sights, sounds and smells that are Berlin. At that moment, I decided that I did not like Berlin! It was too industrial and cold for me. I said something along the lines of “What a cold, dark place Berlin is. Dull grey is its color.”
Yes I said those words… gasp! I know, but there is more…
“Love and Berlin do not go in the same sentence for me.” “I have heard there are some beautiful places in the countryside to visit in Germany, and even world renown traveler Rick Steves says that the most beautiful castle in Europe is in central Germany, so I haven’t given up on Berlin or Germany yet, but Berlin it is not my cup of tea.” And now karma is here to offer me a “Summer in Berlin”?!
How ironic! It could be the perfect test for me to see if I really do not like Berlin.
Could it have been the weather? Cold and bleak nights.
The mood? Stuck in my hotel room at night with spotty internet!
My company? Alone.
The architecture? Industrial and cranes/construction everywhere.
Even more irony is that while there, protestors were in full force to keep the Berlin Wall UP! That’s right, UP. Not DOWN! Oh, the complicated life of this unlikely tourist attraction. Since its fall in 1989, Berlin was in a hurry to get rid of The Wall. After it came down, Berlin sent pieces of The Wall everywhere. Now, there are only sections of The Wall left standing. A luxury apartment building was trying to be built where one section of the wall stands today and that was just too much for Berliners to take.
Since it will be Summer and the weather warm, now I am ready to try a few things I missed in the dead of Winter:
• Eat al fresco on Potsdamer Platz at cafe PS-ZWO!
• Go biking around Berlin, for a fast and easy way to get around!
• Take in all the sites using my Berlin Welcome Card!
• Take a tour inside of Berlin’s secret abandoned sky station!
• Eat at this tiny eatery called W Der Imbiss, a favorite among the locals.
• Go dancing at a dance hall that survived the world war, maybe even do a little Swing, or Cha Cha Cha.Thanks Berlin for giving me another chance! In the end, I know that I will be glad to go back to Berlin. I didn’t see what the fuss was about the first time I went, but after this visit in the Summer, I just know I will enjoy you!
#6. Arthur
It has always been a dream of my wife to visit the Olymplastadion in Berlin. Her father, Archie San Romani, competed there for the United States in the 1936 Olympics. He placed 4th in the 1,500 meter race. He spoke about the beauty of the German countryside and it’s people.
This is a dream that, with your and airberlin’s help, I can fulfill for her.
#7. Kris
Why would I like to visit Berlin? I have been a fan of history my whole life, and European history in particular, yet I have never been to Europe. I have visited Berlin in my mind through the pages of history books, yet I have never been able to walk its streets in person. I have seen photos and video of the Brandenburg Gate and the fall of the Berlin wall, yet never stood in its shadow and contemplated how it would have felt to be there at the time. The museums of Berlin hold historical treasures from all over the world. To be able to see the reconstructed Ishtar Gate of Babylon in the Pergamon museum would alone make the trip worthwhile. The Egyptian museum with its completely unique pieces that you cannot see elsewhere would be another highlight. Coming from western Canada, local recorded history does not go back much beyond one hundred years, so a city dating well over a thousand is something I long to see.
My beautiful wife is excited to see the modern, artistic, architectural side of Berlin. A stroll through the Tiergarten is definitely on her list as is a visit to fairy tale Pfaueninsel island and the Prenzlauer Berg with its funky shops and cafes. She is particularly intrigued by the unsicht-Bar where blind waiters serve you in the dark to give you a taste of what it feels like the be sightless.
We may be biting off more than we can chew in just 5 days, but this trip would fulfill life-long dreams for both of us. It would be a great first taste of Europe, a place we dream of seeing again and again.
#8. Anna
Hi! I’m Anna! Traveling to Berlin has always been a dream of mine. If I had the opportunity to go I would enthusiastically explore every inch of Berlin! From all of the history that has taken place in the city to the incredible street art. I love how Berlin has transformed to a place where a diversity of people come to enjoy life. I’ve imagined taking a cruise down the river Spree, the stunning architecture of Sanssouci Palace, the many museums, the magnificent elephants at Tierpark Zoo and trying the best bratwurst from a local street vendor. I not only want experience everything Berlin has to offer but I want to share this great city with the world through my photography on my travel page The Legendary Adventures of Anna!
#9. Lynn
Nothing particularly original here, but like most people, I’ve waited my whole life to do things (like go visit Berlin and other parts of Europe) thinking “I’ll go later when it’s more convenient”. I’m now 66 years old and running out of all that time I thought I had so much of. This is a “Cheapo” way to get there, but I’ll take any way I can at this point.
#10: Ken
I’ve always wanted to visit Germany in general and Berlin in particular! My aunt was a Berliner and met my uncle during WW II. My aunt, as well as her mother who moved to the US, were great cooks and I loved visiting them. I’m an avid reader of WWII spy novels, and would love to see the remains of the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, and other sites that feature prominently in those novels.
Berlin will be a great place to eat, drink, people watch, and take in some gay clubs. I might even become a temporary Freikörperkultur. That’s something you don’t get in the US! And I promise to tell you all about it!
#11: Julie
#12: Melinda
The Whispers of Berlin
What drives me to want to travel to Berlin? I don’t have family, or lineage from there. I am not exceedingly connected to German culture. I don’t speak German, watch German films, or know much German music.
But as an observer of people, a cultural artist and travel writer, I am fascinated by the possibilities that Berlin holds. It brings up questions for me; some of which are uncomfortable and provocative. As I travel around the world, and certainly since my relocation to South America, I seek out the answer to the question of culture? What makes community? What encourages loyalty? What supports feelings of unity within a group. Berlin is ripe for this kind of questioning!
Identified as a hub for culture, art, and fashion, Berlin is becoming the “go to” place in Europe. But I wonder what kind of whisperings are going unheard under these louder, albeit true, pronouncements? More than twenty years after the destruction of the wall and the reunification of a country and a city, I want to pay attention to the subtleties of this place. I want to hear the music, witness the art, wander along the line where the wall once stood and see what I can learn from this remarkable experiment of a once strong culture divided and reunited.
Has it healed? Is it still in process? Is Berlin transformed? Five days of getting to know Berlin as a curious tourist, I may be lucky enough to hear the whispers.
#13: John
A dozen years ago, I began my love affair with European travel. Teaching high school in my early 20s, I escaped to Europe and traveled on the cheap for 4 consecutive years. I spent most of my time in Italy, but also went through Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany. And then I met that special someone and life became more complicated. I’m sure that she was drawn in my by air of well-traveled sophistication, and we planned to travel together, but as our lives became more and more entwined, we were never able to go abroad. Now, my wife is not the jealous type, she’s never batted an eye when I’ve spoken of past girlfriends, but she has obviously always been jealous of my travels abroad. She’s seen me give postcards of curvaceous Italian hill-towns a knowing look that lingered just a little too long, and her jealousy has been palpable. Our first child seemed to spell the doom of our travel hopes, and our second put the nail in the coffin, which has only caused the jealousy to fester.
But then, just this spring, we resolved to perfect our marriage by getting this contentious subject behind us, planning a trip to Italy. As we are not only parents but also recently took on a mortgage, it went without saying that they only way this would happen would be on the cheap, and it turned out that a flight from Chicago to Rome could actually be had quite inexpensively… as long as you didn’t mind flying one airline from Chicago to Detroit to Paris to Istanbul, and then pausing for 11 hours before taking a different airline to Rome. The price was right, so we booked it.
My in-laws graciously took their grandkids for the 11 days we would be gone and off we went. As we exited our Chicago to Detroit flight, the bag we’d had to gate-check was the first one brought up and I thought “This must be our lucky day!” Which, of course, meant that it wasn’t.
The shortest version I can manage is this: a woman on our flight had a heart attack over the Atlantic, so we had to fly 40 minutes back to a remote outpost in Newfoundland, sit there for two hours while they got her to medical treatment, rummaged through the cargo for her bags, refueled, and, since all that took so long, de-iced the plane (we heard later that the woman, who was traveling alone with an infant, was okay). Hours later, as we approached the mainland of Europe, perhaps another 40 minutes out from Paris, our flight crew told us that there was “good news and bad news.” The latter was that, as they were over their allowed flying time, we would be landing in Brest rather than Paris, and getting a new flight crew. I can only guess that the good news was that they were getting the hell off the plane, but that was never made explicit. We never heard anything that sounded like good news. Two hours and no further communication later, we were allowed to get back on the plane and head to Paris, where they had an exhaustingly-long queue formed up just for us to receive hotel rooms and meal tickets for the night, served up by Air France employees who seemed to understand neither our language nor our country’s work ethic—I’m not making this up: with no explanation, when their shift was over, the entire group of what I hesitate to call customer service representatives got up and left without a word, while their replacements took 10-15 minutes to filter in. Realizing that night that we couldn’t possibly get to Istanbul in time for our flight, we contacted our other airline with great difficulty and, with no sympathy for our situation, were allowed to pay $350 to change our ticket to something we actually could, theoretically, catch. When we got to the gate in Istanbul, however, we were informed that we did not have tickets. Boarding passes, yes. Tickets, no. Because our credit card, representatives of which we had informed that we were traveling abroad, had flagged the ticket purchase as possibly fraudulent and declined the charge. So now we would have to pay in Turkish lire instead of US dollars, which would incur a foreign transaction fee. Also, the travel rep we spoke with had misinformed us: it would be $350 each. But hey, it was either that or spend our entire trip in Istanbul. Despite the appeal of, perhaps, finding out why they changed the name (ignoring, of course, the advice that it’s nobody’s business but the Turks’), we decided to pay up and head out. In case you’re curious, the flight was still cheaper than a direct flight would have been, but only just barely. When you factor in the headaches, not so much.
You’re probably also curious at this point why I’ve chosen to tell this long story, when I’m supposed to be writing about why I want to visit Berlin. Here’s the thing: I’ve been to Berlin, once, in a whirlwind day of sightseeing, in which our 70-year-old tour guide ran my 23-year-old self to exhaustion. But that means that Berlin is still one of the travel destinations I’ve been with that my wife has not. It’s still one of those places. At the same time, and perhaps contradictorily, I’m starting to fear that after our preposterously difficult trip, my wife may be starting to disbelieve the luster that always gilded my stories. To curb both the jealousy and the possibility that my wife doesn’t really believe that European travel is all it’s cracked up to be, it is more or less necessary for the sake of preserving our marriage that we get to Berlin, pronto. Sorry, schnell. And if we could do it without heart attacks, labor stoppages, or change fees, that would be sehr gut.
14: Greg & Emily
In our eight years as a couple, Greg and I have never gotten to really travel together. We’ve driven to our native Ohio for family visits many times – but that doesn’t count, does it? I used to be quite the world traveler. I loved meeting people from around the world, trying new foods, and soaking up the scenery of foreign lands. I was happy to work three jobs at a time in various restaurants to make that happen. These days, though, I have grown quite attached to my day job. I work at an international nonprofit that does HIV and AIDS education in Malawi. My job rocks but it doesn’t pay me enough to even consider international trips.
Greg moved to Asheville, NC with me last fall – for my awesome job. He took a big chance for the good of our relationship. And it’s paid off; just not financially. To help me pursue my dream, Greg left a great job that allowed him to illustrate for a living. That’s Greg’s dream.
Greg loves German culture. He took German in high school, had a close friend in a German exchange student, and had another really good friend who married a darling fräulein from the Black Forest. I would love to be able to offer this trip to Greg as a thank you: a thank you for taking the big leap that’s kept us together but separated him from his career. I would also like to share the experience of traveling abroad with Greg. Traveling offers opportunities for such profound growth and I would love to share those experiences with him.
Vote!
Although our judges will ultimately select our winner, they can be influenced! Vote below to tell them which of these finalists you think should win!
About the author
#8 Anna
Pingback: My Karma and Travel with Berlin, Germany | Pointsandtravel.com
I am voting for Kris and his wife. I am friends with the parents. From what I know about and what I know of them, they are very deserving of this trip. Best to you both and hope you win!
I vote for Kris – I think the Western Canadian Boy deserves a change of scenery! Not to mention he & Marlo are one of the sweetest couples I know!
Please pick Anna #8! I live my travel fantasies through her blog, Facebook page and Instagram! I’m planning my trips based on some of her experiences and would love to see all that she would see and do in Berlin! She likes to live with the locals and see the “real” places she visits, and not just live the tourist versions of locations as many do. I love to see all of the exciting things she does when traveling. Please vote for Anna #8!!!!
I am voting for Kris as they are friends with my landlords Guy & Val Steinborn. I am helping them out by voting for Kris, who I think would be a appropriate candidate to experience this beautiful trip with his wife. I am hoping Kris & his wife are able to experience this lifetime of a trip that would fulfill life-long dreams for both of them. It would be a great first taste of Europe, a place we dream of seeing again and again for them. Good luck Kris!
I vote Anna, I enjoy reading her blog and viewing all her photos doing her amazing travels and story telling. I live bicuriously with her wondering where she’s going to be next and what amazing photos and stories she has. Cause of her, it helps me to plan my next adventure…I am sure if she makes it to Berlin, she would make the most of it and help others in wanting to do the same from her photos and blogging…
I vote for #7 – Kris. His obvious love for history shows that he will make the most of this trip! He will definitely be visiting all the places he mentioned and more. Plus he’s an all around good guy and deserves to go!
I vote for Anna 🙂 why…because I like live vicariously through her, that’s why!
Hi
Exactly 5 years ago to this month i was alone in new york travelling – I’m from England – seeing the sights and fulfilling a life long ambition of mine…
I hadn’t travelled much and it was my first time in america. Anyway, one day whilst walking around i met a guy called al and we got along straight away – he invited me out with him and i ended up at his place where i met his flatmate Julie… We hit it off famously. With me being alone the complete kindness and generosity they showed toward a travelling stranger for the rest of my trip was just amazing – i didn’t actually end up staying at the hostel in the end! i remember one of the first conversations i ever had with julie was about her telling me how much she wanted to visit berlin and that is the honest truth! cross my heart.
When she told me about this competition i instantly remembered that moment and how much fun i had in ny and thought about how much i’d love for her to capture some moments like that.
She is a nurse, she works and studies really hard and i just hope she gets a chance to fulfil a lifelong ambition. Thank you for reading and good luck julie jules! x
Kind,
#8 Anna I vote for because she really wants to go and I think she deserves it! : D
I really hope Anna wins! She truly deserves it as she’s inspired many people (young and old) to live their lives the best they can and travel the world. Good luck Anna!! 😀
I would say Kris, because I have always been a fan of good things happening to good people. And Kris is one if the best I know.
I’ve known Julie since high school, and we’ve talked about going to Berlin since then. I’ve been lucky enough to go twice, and she’s probably sick of hearing me gush about it, so please give her something to brag back about! 🙂 I can guarantee she will treasure everything about this amazing city.
Anna is an awesome traveler who shares her travel experiences with so many of us. Wherever she goes, she makes everyone feel they are with her. She’s beautiful inside and out!
I would definitely recommend voting for Julie. She is truly a source of inspiration. She is wonderful, caring, and an attentive nurse who whilst working is still in school to further her nursing career to extend her hands with those whom she helps. She is always thinking of others and it’s about time she thought of herself and really trying to acquire something that she has longed for.
Her video is endearing and so touching to watch because she has given no false pretenses; there is no underlying sadness that she gives you to feed off of. She was open and honest with no rehearsal, no edits. You honestly get a feel of her sweet nature. I believe that this will be a journey of self-discovery for her as she spoke so fondly about her desires of visiting Berlin and what she hoped to accomplish from it.
Julie is someone that will appreciate every aspect of Berlin, from the magnificent sights that line travel brochures to the less known enchantments that are near and dear to the natives.
This is a great opportunity for her to discover and explore a part of herself that has been in love with Berlin and to reach whatever answers she may look for. I really believe that she deserves it.
#2 Valerie!
Loved the cartoon format!
Kris and Marlo are two of the most amazing people I know. They truly deserve this and deserve to get the 10th anniversary that got “postponed till further notice.”
You are an irreplaceable big brother and sister in law and I hope this dream comes true for you two. I would send you two there myself in a heart beat if I could! You are more than family, you are my best friends.
Please vote for my brother #7 Kris!
Give him and his wife a gift that they will always cherish…even if it rains the whole time they are there 🙂
Hello everyone,
Please vote for Julie. Not only is she a nurse who helps people, she also attends university and is an all around awesome person. She truly deserves this vacation. In the 5 minutes we see her talking in the video, it’s almost like you know her. She hasn’t had the luxury of many travels. She opens up about herself, without going overboard into sob story land. She just tells it like it is, no pretenses.
Also, her boyfriend, who will be accompanying her, is a photographer/blogger/artist extraordinaire. I’m 100% certain they’ll document their travels together, should she win. Perfect for this travel blog. 😉
i vote for Anna..she is very inspiring through her travel page…young and alive..she really loves travelling…#8
we love you Anna…and we hope you win !!
As a child, I loved listening to my father tell stories about when he was at the Olympics in Germany. My brother, sisters and I would pour over the pictures dreaming of what it would be like to see this beautiful country.
My husband Arthur, #6, surprised me with entering this contest. As I mentioned, I grew up looking at my father’s scrap books of his amateur track meets from around the world. As a child the newspaper articles and photos from his competition in the 1936 Olympics always fascinated me. I often spoke with Arthur of one day seeing where he competed. Please vote for #6 so we can go to Berlin.
Traveling isn’t all ‘gloss and glitz’ that travel media want to sell you. While it’s nice to see the sights, traveling should also focus on putting yourself in the average locals’ shoes and situations you wouldn’t normally find yourself in as a tourist: walking the same backstreets as them; eating the same food; exposing yourself not just to art, history, and scenic views but, appreciating its dark underbelly as well…
I recommend Julie to be chosen due to her overwhelming desire for personal self-discovery. I’ve known her for over three years and seeing Berlin has been a life goal she has desired to attain. This wouldn’t be a trip in the typical sense of the word for her as much as a stop on a long journey.
I’m Julie’s boyfriend, a classically trained photographer having studied at SVA in NYC, with my main career being in magazine production for 16 years now- working for some of the largest titles in the industry. Additionally, I have been running one of the more popular cycling blogs for the last several years, where I plan to document the fresh discoveries of Berlin should Julie be selected. Along with both of our Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook, of course. Yes, as a huge WWII buff (history, in general) and blogger, I would be accompanying her on this trip.
This would provide a great opportunity for the two of us to explore an amazing city full of history and some of the latest trends in a redeveloping society with burgeoning culture, not to mention having a better grasp on who we are and how
our relationship can better well come together.
Thanks for listening.
I vote for Anna, she is by far the most enthusiastic traveler!
I think Kris and Marlo should win the trip to Berlin. They are a young couple that have definite goals and a determination to keep them. His statement of life got in the way is an understatement. Through challenges beyond their control, they have always kept each other and family at the top of their priority list. They certainly deserve this excitiing break to visit Berlin and live the history this vibrant city has to offer. Send #7 Kris off to Berlin!
#8 Anna has a real zest for traveling and think this trip could be an amazing opportunity for her to do while she is young!
i vote for #6
I vote for Anna, but I did not see here name on the ballot.
I like the idea of Richard going. He’s older and has history in Berlin and deserves to go. No offense to Anna but she seems to travel EVERYWHERE. Give someone else a chance.
I can’t help but feel moved by the passion that this Kris and Marlo couple have for a taste of Europe. Through Kris’ comments I am certain he would treasure this experience more than anyone given his research and knowledge of Germany. It’s obvious that he would make very good use of his time there, thats why I voted for him. I appreciate the inclusion of his “beautiful wife” demonstrating his desire to share this experience and not keep it for himself. Judging from the comments above they are well liked and will most likely be a fine example for our neighbors in Europe. A good trip for good people.
Julie has been wanting to travel to Berlin for as long as I’ve known her (seriously!), and I don’t know anyone so deserving of such a trip. I haven’t met a more thoughtful, gentler soul than her. Vote for Julie!
Kris and Marlo have seen many of the places they would love to travel to in magazines and books but have never actually been to any of them. Have you ever seen a mouthwatering chocolate cake in a magazine and longed to taste it? If so you may know a little of how they feel. Let them taste Berlin and not just look at it. I have known Kris since he was a child and know he would be delighted and experience intense joy and great enthusiasm if he could taste Berlin with his wonderful wife. They are both great people and can pay me later. Seriously though please let #7, Kris go on this, most likely one and only, trip of his lifetime.
I have known Kris and Marlo for many years, they are among the finest people I have ever met, peaceful, kind, helpful, and have clear goals in their lives, and if I can help to assist them to reach one of those goals, I will be happy too, just to see them happy.
Please give attention to their request for the vacation, and hope they win their dream trip!
angie
So many creative entries, and deserving people! Thanks for those voting for us (I’m with Kris, #7) we really feel your support. I know we’ve been talking about doing this trip for the last five years, but this time it really feels like we’re close.
I think Anna should win. She has never been to Berlin and it would be a once in a lifetime experience unlike those who have been before. Her enthusiasm is unmatched, she’s just a great gal!