In February 2009, Irish expat Joe Hatchiban plugged in a karaoke set at Berlin’s Mauerpark Flea Market in Prenzlauer Berg. A bicycle courier by day, Hatchiban toted the necessary equipment on his vehicle: a laptop with karaoke mp3s, a microphone, mixer, two speakers, an umbrella, and a lawn chair. The stage was open to anyone with the gusto to sing and dance on stage. It was a huge success.

Enter the Bearpit

Bearpit Karaoke now draws about 1,500 people on an average Sunday afternoon. It’s open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m in the summer and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the fall. Performers range from kids to adults, metal heads to opera singers, and average Joes to best friend trios.

“It brings a whole new activity to the flea market,” says Donald Burke, a professional Berlin guide, bartender, and Bearpit Karaoke regular.

Burke is a loyal fan, admitting that two favorite performances he caught recently were the Spice Girls’ “If You Wanna Be My Lover” sung by a French girl who barely knew the lyrics, and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” performed by a 13-year-old boy “with perfect choreography.”

Razzle dazzle them

It’s all about picking a tune that’s both a crowd-pleaser and that falls in line with the three-and-a-half-minute song limit. In the end, perfect pitch isn’t necessary when you’ve got killer moves, high enthusiasm and audience interaction.

The beauty of Bearpit Karoake lies in its communal aspect, as the crowd acts as a giant support group for all performers. The seating area in Mauer Park’s stone amphitheater fills quickly with onlookers ready to spend an entire afternoon clapping, dancing, and shouting lyrics to singers in need of assistance. The event is also a magnet for tourists, who are offered a special look inside Berlin’s summer scene.

Sing for your supper

“It’s also a new outlet for food and drink businesses to set up and accommodate the 1,000 people watching karaoke,” Burke said. About a dozen refreshment vendors line the area ready with water, beer, and soft drinks at dirt-cheap prices.

There is no cost to watch or sing at Bearpit Karaoke, though donations are happily accepted. The whole event doesn’t aim to make money; it’s simply a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Bearpit Karaoke runs during the warm months of summer and fall.  Check out the Web site for more information.

The post Berlin: Bearpit Karaoke at the Mauerpark Flea Market appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Let’s do breakfast!

Berlin-style breakfast is a jackpot for Cheapos, especially on weekends, when cafés roll out all-you-can-eat buffets. Laden with German breakfast basics—cheese, cold cuts, vegetables, fruit, jam, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and crusty rolls—the best spots offer extras like Sekt (sparkling wine), exotic fruit, and homemade spreads. Coffee, tea, and the Berlin favorite, Milchcafé (coffee with milk), usually aren’t inclusive.

We recommend showing up before 11 AM, when the buffet is freshest, the staff is alert, and the crowds are thin. (Most spots serve breakfast from 10 AM to 3 PM) Once you’ve occupied a table, take your time—read a newspaper, people watch, and make plenty of trips to the buffet. Do it right and you won’t be hungry until dinner.

Where to go?

The cozy neighborhood favorite Schwarze Pumpe (Choriner Str. 76, one block east of Kastanienallee) is a Cheapo hit. For €4.90, you can graze the basic but high-quality buffet with great scrambled eggs. Order a Milchcafé, load your plate, and have a seat in the rustic-cozy interior or on the tree-shaded sidewalk. (Breakfast à la carte is available the rest of the week.)

Vegetarians, leftists, and budget travelers are also fans of the vegan-friendly buffet (available Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM) at the grungy café-bar-collective Morgenrot (Kastanienallee, 85). A colorful spread laid out on the bar in this dingy, art-filled space features tofu cream cheese and fruit-studded yoghurt. In keeping with its leftist mission, the café asks for €4¬–8, depending on your income.

If you prefer breakfast à la carte, try the Kiezkantine (Oderberger Str. 50). Operated by a non-profit organization for the mentally challenged, this homey place is beloved for its bargain breakfast. Ample enough for two hungry travelers, the Grosses Frühstück (big breakfast), a composition of cheese, ham, salami, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, warm rolls, and seed-studded bread, is only €4.20 (students pay a reduced rate of €3.30). Gourmet it isn’t, but filling it is.

Snap up a flea market bargain

Walk off breakfast while exploring two of the city’s best flea markets, which get going around 11 AM. The Mauerpark Flohmarkt (Bernauer Str. 63-64, at the western end of Oderberger Str.), a maze of stalls next to a scrubby park that once bordered the Berlin Wall, is well stocked with chic and cheap souvenirs hand-crafted by local designers. Look for photographs of Berlin, silk-screened T-shirts, glass bead jewelry, and trendy clothing. Pick through the junkier stands to find retro teapots, vintage leather purses, and LPs.

Afterwards, stroll south on Wolliner Strasse to reach the Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz (Arkonaplatz). It’s small, but the items on display in this picturesque square are more valuable—and more expensive. Expect vintage sunglasses and retro vases in groovy shades.

Check out the Wall

Cap off your tour with a stop at the admission-free Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Str. 111), which is hidden five blocks east of Arkonaplatz (take Anklamer Str., then make a right onto Acker Str.) Study an original stretch of the Berlin Wall up close and from the top of a lookout tower across the street.

From there, pick up a tram on Bernauer Strasse or walk west to the Nordbahnhof S-bahn station to continue your Berlin adventures.

The post Cheapo Morning Out Berlin: Sunday brunch, flea markets, and more appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.