Berlin Meet Up: Travel Bloggers and Digital Nomads
Things worth mentioning at this point: we’re playing catch up on posting, so please forgive our slight tardiness.
Another thing: Armando built up Berlin highly, as in a place he’d like to live for a few months. Me, the cynic, had a different connection: I remember watching the Wall being broken down as a fresh teen.
It made me cry, in such a good way. My father thought I was crazy, that something so far away could impact me so deeply was nonsensical.
I felt he was blind at the meaning behind the symbolism.
Nonetheless, with travels, I’ve learned not to heighten expectations of any place, thing or one. I just try to take them as they are. Berlin, I can honestly say, superseded anything my moody expectations were ready to define.
The Berlin meet up, as far as I can gauge (and please correct me kids if I’m wrong) was one of the first of its kind. It was a random collection of travel bloggers, travel entrepreneurs and digital nomads wanting the same thing: to attach physical personas to Internet personalities.
The location had only been open for two weeks, so no signs and of course we got lost. We found out later that some of the best places in Berlin are the hidden. We finally found Der KlunkerKranich on the roof of a shopping plaza, which was already filling with people.
On top of the Berlin world, a panorama to die for. Replete with a side space that had an active beehive to watch as the bees dedicated themselves to honey; a rooftop space that was organic feeling with fresh air in the heat wave; and a live music/show that was pretty unforgettable.
In retrospect, we should’ve had some sort of code for newbies: wear a pink carnation of ID. It took Armando scoping the place, hearing English and asking a table if they were digital nomads to find our group. It’s difficult to explain to someone established in life, on the outside of our daily, just how isolating it can be to be- choosing the lifestyle we have.
No complaints, just one of the cons. It was super refreshing to meet like-minded folk that ‘got’ us and put inspiration back into our lifely stream. These are the people we met, please check them out when you’ve time- because they are really worth reading and following:
Adam Groffman, Travels of Adam, an American living in Berlin (learning German, bless and grin) from Texas and Boston. Brilliant.
Mish and Rob, of Making It Anywhere. It was really nice for us to attach people to the realities, since we’d all been in touch awhile virtually. It also was fab to talk the talk with people who spoke my work language, which is a rare occurrence, indeed.
Kit Whelan (and Nick, sorry mate didn’t get a chance to get your details- rueful grin) from Seek New Travel was a bubbly sparkle at the corner of the table.Jess and Dany were apparently responsible for the meet (thanks much, guys!) and run the uber-cool Globetrotter Girls. They’re an eye-candy couple, in all of the good ways. Armando chatted with them for quite awhile, talking shop and travel.
Conni, in essence, evokes the mesh of ‘classically cool’ and ‘intellectually precise.’ We’d been in touch a bit, which made it more than nice to finally meet her. She’s got two blogs: English: A Life of Blue and a German travel blog: Planet Backpack.
I need to mention a very good conversationalist: Bjorn Troch, from Belgium aka world traveler and social media extravaganza (extravaganzer/-ganzite-?), is an intriguing fella to follow. Great mind and ideas, thanks much.Lastly, apologies to Sebastian from Off the Path. I’d no chance to chat or brainstorm, but dig your blog.
We’re still playing catch up after the Prague thingamajiggy, so next posts will be Dutch oriented, promise. With clogs on and tulips in our hair. Grin.
We wish you all the best, from Amsterdam with ‘liefde,’ family friends cohorts (warts and all) and fellow travel writers/digital nomads.
