the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

urban access:: BERLIN ADVENTURES TEXT: TASHA EICHENSEHER _ ~ . • • , j ~ Germans are known for their love of the outdoors and interest in the environment. Even in regions such as Berlin, far from the dramatic Alps, locals have managed to find endless venues for hiking, biking and paddling. While east and west can still feel like two separate countries, l!n appetite for adventure unites people across old borders. The landscape of northern Germany is lowland meadows and farmland peppered with lakes and criss-crossed by rivers, which gradually rises to form the Harz Mountains of central Germany. To the east of the country lie more rugged areas of the Czech Republic and Poland. The best part about traveling in central Europe is that everything is easily accessible by train or bus. Deutsche Bahn is possibly the most convenient and efficient way to travel in the world. For schedules and fares, visit their website at !Jit:¢lrmelsi~~~:unft.bahn.de/bin/Query.exe/en. For more general information about visit Germany's Tourism Office online at www.germany-tourism.de. Railways (Deutsche Bahn) has set up a unique system for bike rental. At stations and major crossroads, the railway has distributed 2,000 red and white bikes that you can unlock by calling 0800-522-5522 with your credit card number. For more information about the Railways and Call-a-Bike service, visit www.callabike.de or www.bahn.de. II : roads in Berlin have bike paths and they connect such city attractions as the Red Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus) and the Tiergarten , one of the city's largest parks. Bike routes t hrough Berlin extend as far as Copenhagen, and soon Poland. Start your tour in Berlin with a ride where the Berlin Wall used to stand. Berlin Cycle Paths Along the Wall, a book by Michael Kramer-a traffic spokesman forthe Green Party-outlines 14 rides along the former border. While this relic of the communist era is quickly disappearing, you can trace its path and glean tidbits of German history from the book. The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) office in Berlin has a bookstore with several guidebooks, and Kramer's book can also be purchased from the Berlin Tourism Marketing information centers (www.btm-presse.de). There are at least a dozen bicycle rental shops throughout Berlin, most near Freidrichstrasse and Zoo stations, or in the districts of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. Rental is between 4 and 13 euros per day. Organized tours can be arranged through Fahrradstation (www.fahrradstation.de). Zweitradtouren (www.zweitradtouren.de), or ADFC Berlin (www.adfc-berlin.de). German TAKE BERLIN BY STORM ON INLINE SKATES Like Critical Mass bike rides in North American cities, the Berlin Parade moves hundreds of in line skaters through the streets. All of the roads in the main district of Berlin-Mitte are closed to traffic one or two evenings a month and bladers take over. There are also several parks where inline skaters can practice, including the Tiergarten, along the Glienicker River, and the area in front of the Olympic Stadium. A 100-kilometer skating/biking path is nearly completed in the rural Teltow-Flaming district just south of Berlin. Along the route is the Wispersdorf castle, beer gardens and a hotel that caters to bladers and bikers on tour. Visit www.flaeming-skate.de for more information. For rentals try Strawberry in the Wilmersdorf district (Emser Str. 45 +49 030/81-30-96). For more information on the Berlin Parade and skating venues throughout the city, visit www.berlinparade.de. !! CI PADDLE THE CITY'S WATERWAYS Canoeing was added to the Olympics at the 1936 games i'n Berlin, an apt location, as the lakes of Berlin and the Brandenburg region make up the largest connected water area in Europe. The best way to take advantage of them is to contact one of the 120 sailing or 56 rowing associations in the city. Canoeing is best on Wannsee and Havel Lake or the Spree River. Both in the southwestern corner of the city, the Havel boasts Europe's largest inland beach, parts of it for nudists, of course, and the Wannsee, once the site of Nazi activity, is a placid summer resort region. For a list of canoe and kayak clubs, visit www.wassersport-in-berlin.de/frames.html. HOT AIR BALLOON Less severe and probably more secure than the hydrogen-powered Hindenburg dirigible-the largest aircraft ever constructed-hot air balloons, or heissluftballon, can often be seen floating above the Berlin area, taking passengers for a leisurely afternoon ride. The flat but pastoral terrain around Berlin and much of northern Germany, make it a

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