WORDS & PICTURES: Emely Timm
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I like to spend the summer in Berlin.
It is a season of vibrant contrasts, where the city’s urban landscape seamlessly merges with nature, art, and the energy of its people. As a heat settles over the city, Berliners escape to the outdoors, and the air begins to hum with life.
I remember dipping my toes into the Schlachtensee for the first time, a coolness combatting the heat of the day. The lakeside was alive with people – some swimming, others floating lazily, their skin glowing in sunlight. There’s something about these lakes, Müggelsee or Tegeler See, that feels timeless. The water sparkles, framed by thick greenery, offering a quiet retreat from the city’s relentless buzz. These places invite you to shed layers, both literally and figuratively, and to simply exist.
There’s something ethereal about the way this light bathes everything in a warm, dreamy haze. Summer is defined by its soft, golden light, a glow that seems to stretch endlessly as the days linger long into the evening.
To visit the countryside just outside Berlin is to step into a different world; a place where life slows down. There’s something deeply comforting about waking up to the sound of birds and the soft rustling of trees, rather than the rush of the city. The air is fresher, crisper, and carries the sweet scent of wildflowers and earth, especially in early morning, when everything is still dewy and new.
Discover Germany | Exploring the Undiscovered Island of Langeneß
One of my favorite moments is stepping outside just after sunrise, greeting my dog Thor, when the sun is low and golden, casting long shadows across the fields. The quiet is almost profound, broken only by the distant hum of a tractor or the chirp of insects. Walking through the meadows, with the tall grass brushing against your legs, you can’t help but feel connected to the land, as if you were part of its slow, steady rhythm. When the heat becomes too much, I wade into the cool water of the lake, feeling a rush of relief as it envelops me.
