A Flea Market in the Rain in Berlin Isn't so Bad

We just had our first big rain of the season here in sunny San Diego. For the first time in I don't know how long, it rained pretty much the entire day. Dark clouds filled the sky as the rain came down in sheets. It was beautiful. But I couldn’t help but reminisce of our time in Berlin.

We had our fair share of rain while staying in Berlin earlier this spring. When the rainy days came, they lasted for a couple of days and were consistently wet. The rain didn’t come in small intervals but persistently fell for hours. It was a welcomed change for us compared to our constant San Diego sunshine. Although exploring the city became challenging at times, the extra rainy days meant we often had parts of the city to ourselves. Parks were empty, neighborhoods were quiet.

One of our favorite things to do in the rain in Berlin was visiting the flea market in Mauerpark. The flea market happens every Sunday, so we made sure to go a couple of times we were there. Each time, as we walked towards Mauerpark, we saw flocks of locals heading the same way. Local Berliners look forward to the flea market each week. Even when it rained, the flea market was filled with shoppers in the hunt for that special find. But it was more than that. The flea market was the spot for many locals’ Sunday Funday.

We had never been to a flea market like this. There were stalls throughout the market selling gluhwein and beer for people to walk around with. In the center of the market, there is a Biergarten with several German beers on tap, a full bar, bratwurst stand, and large cans with fires to help keep us warm. Another section of the market consists of food trucks and vendors alongside a winemaker.

We spent the afternoon enjoying some beers around the fire, listening to the rain against a steel roof, and enjoying our favorite bratwursts. No matter how much we tried to stay dry, we couldn’t help but get wet. At one point my hair was dripping with water. But I think that’s part of what made it so memorable. Being cold to the bones, the rain showing no sign of stopping, and yet people were out enjoying it. We laughed and embraced our new reality.