I’ve been sent to Berlin for work and although not wanting to stay here long term, am trying to make the most of it. My impressions of Berlin are already different from my last experience here, and the city is definitely much more liveable than I thought. I think travelling to a city for work and spending a weekend there gives you a good idea about what it feels like to live as a local (although all areas differ).

The city is much more developed than I remember. It’s still very dark. Berlin’s wide streets appear dimly lit and surrounded by buildings often eerily filled with pitch black windows. The city’s preference for darkness completely misrepresents the lifestyle of the people, with many affordable cafes, bars and restaurants very popular and all very high quality. On the short week we’ve been here, it feels even more diverse than what London has to offer.

Weather has been kind and my new found hobby for running has helped me see more than I otherwise would have, running from my hotel down to the Brandenburg Tor, and on around the famous Tiergarten although most non-concrete paths either still icy or extremely muddy.

We’ve made an effort to try to go to various parts of the city, including a visit to Kreuzberg and we’re working in an area that seems to have a lot of things going for it.