PlanetEye

If you've followed my last post and toured the pools of Berlin but are still sweltering in the almost tropical heat of the last few days, then it might be time to hit that other German favourite: the ice cream dealer.

Ice cream is called Eis (pronounced ice)  in German, while frozen water is also confusingly called Eis. It's one of those many fun things in the language where you just have to shake your head, accept it, and hope you don't end up with the wrong one at the wrong time. Normally though, context is enough to get it right.

One of the best ice cream dealers in the city is Aldemir, near Schlesisches Tor (U1). It serves ice cream only in summer,  hibernating as a normal cafe in winter only to wow you again when the seasons change. An amazing assortment of flavours is on offer, although what is actually available when you arrive depends on the day and the popularity of the flavours. Oma's Apfelkuchen (Grandma's apple cake) sells out quickly, and with good reason. Also high in demand are the ginger (Ingwer) and chocolate-chilli (you can work out that one for yourself!). The waffles are freshly made there and you pay around 1€ for a single ball.

The shop itself has no inside space, but a few standing tables are placed outside. A place at these, though, is hard to come by and most customers sit on the curb, on fences, or just stand around eating. The line is always long and it can be a bit of a wait but it's open until midnight so what's the rush?