Viewing: Badeschiff

Badeschiff: The Return

To cap my series of Berlin posts, I’m happy to report my return to the Badeschiff!

Last year, I was delighted to discover this awesome hangout and barge-turned-pool floating in the river Spree. But because I didn’t pack a swimsuit and have a serious case of Asian modesty, I was forced to sit on the deck, stewing in my own envy as everyone enjoyed a swim on a sizzing hot day. Everyone except me!

This time, I came prepared. I made sure to return on the warmest day of the week, during a weekday afternoon, to avoid the huge crowds of my past weekend visit.

Badeschiff Berlin weekday afternoon

It was super easy to grab a seat, which was a relief after my previous sardines-in-a-can experience. People were killing each other for these deck chairs last year.

Badeschiff Berlin white canvas sun loungers

Not only did I return with a swimsuit,  I also brought a friend—the Diplomatic Wife, freshly relocated from Jakarta. And oh yes… I brought a baby with me too!

Badeschiff with baby

The summer heat made Tala drowsy, putting her to sleep most of the time. Occasionally, her tiny feet would pop out and she’d wiggle her toes, letting me know she was awake and in need of a little attention.

Tala's toes

Notice the mole on her right foot? According to Filipino superstition (my mom is big on them), a mole on your foot means that you are meant to be traveler. I have one on mine, too!

Anyway, Daddy joined us after work, which was fun…

Tala at the Badeschiff Berlin

… and together with The Diplomatic Wife and her Diplomat, we all just kicked back with a few beers and chillaxed in the sun. We may have had to deal with a poop explosion or two, but I’ve accepted it comes with the territory now. By the way, in this picture you can see the Nhow Hotel Berlin, where we stayed, on the right.

Badeschiff Berlin deck chairs

A huge thank you goes out to The Diplomatic Wife for being fab company, for teaching me the right way to put on sunblock, and for watching Tala while I finally took that swim I’ve been longing to take. I was as happy as a seal, and just about as large, too—so the pictures of me actually swimming in the Badeschiff will never see the light of day.

I’m always the one behind the camera, so it’s really nice when we have a friend around to take a family photo!

Family photo Badeschiff Berlin

Our sun-drenched afternoon at the Badeschiff already feels like ages ago. It’s been dismal and cold here, so we are chasing the sun this weekend with a last-minute escape to the Costa Blanca in Spain. I hope to share some sunny pictures and Spanish stories when we get back.

In the meantime, have a great weekend!

Badeschiff: Berlin’s floating pool party

Swimming is one of the things I miss most about tropical city life. Sunning at one of Amsterdam’s parks or urban “beaches” has its appeal, but cooling off with a dip is an essential element I’ve been missing so far.

So I died of envy when my husband decided, while I was at my blog conference, to go swimming. He didn’t just pick the nearest public pool, but chose the Badeschiff, Berlin’s first and only floating swimming pool.

Badeschiff Berlin

Photo via Hubbycam

“Badeschiff” translates to bath + ship, and this is just what it is: the hull of a ship, or barge, converted into a swimming pool. With a sandy “beach”, wooden deck and open air bar, it’s a landmark of the new, creative Berlin… and the perfect scene for a floating party on the river Spree.

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