10 years has passed since I first visited Berlin and as expected, a lot has changed. What I once remembered to be a gothic looking city that was a little bit behind in the terms of fashion, style and perhaps even culture, has become a metropolitan city that almost looks like a cleaner New York. Only the buildings aren’t as tall and the roads are nowhere near as busy. Berlin has everything that you want city life to offer. Great food, wine bars and a beautiful riverside view. Last weekend I got to experience the new Berlin, as I travelled with HERE for the Berlin Marathon.
HERE started 30 years ago, when we used to all carry huge paper maps around with us and now they are the pioneers of navigation, with their interactive maps that can be accessed straight from your phone and they have creative innovate solutions to life’s GPS problems.
We were lucky enough to be staying just a stone throw away from the Berlin Marathon starting point at Hotel Adlon, which was easily one of the most fabulous hotel that I have ever been in. From the impeccable service to the delicious buffet breakfasts and 8 course meals, this hotel offered complete, luxury and indulgence.
I’ve never done a Marathon before and despite booking two half Marathons and applying for the London 2017 Marathon, doing a Marathon isn’t actually high on my “to do list”. But every time I watch athletes of all shapes and sizes take on the 26.2 mile course, I cant help but wonder…should I? It’s a remarkable achievement, but right now I am content with running anything from the 100m sprint to a 13.1 mile course. But, let’s see what happens with the London Marathon ballot draw takes place…
There is nothing like that race day feeling, even if you are just a spectator watching out of interest. You don’t have to be a runner to be able to soak up the energy that radiates the athletes whizz by, and this time round, I was able to watch Bekele and Kipsang cross the finish line and take podium positions one and two, in the flesh. Thanks to HERE, I had the best view in the house.
Whilst runners from across the world were ticking over the course, we stepped into the Here tech lounge to experience their latest technology. From 3d printers to virtual reality headsets, it’s hard to believe that this little hub of technology was located right inside the heart of the Berlin Marathon. We got to try a virtual reality map, something I had never done before. I popped on a Samsung VR headset and within a blink of an eye I had gone from being in Berlin, to downtown Chicago. The map had everything I needed to work my way around this new City; from restaurant recommendations to locating monuments and cashpoints.
Berlin, you stole my heart and I am excited to use the HERE app to discover more of the hidden beauty located in London.
This post was in collaboration with Here but all views and opinions are my own.
