Hello Berlin, My Old Friend
The annual trip to Berlin is always a great time, and this one was no exception. However, I was a bit too busy meeting up with friends and proofreading some art school dissertations to spend much time posting properly, so the photos and snippets below don't really capture how action packed and enjoyable the week was.
Eat Lovers
We've been hearing a lot about certain people eating certain domesticated animals in certain Rust Belt towns recently. Yet Berlin's rampant cannibal problem has gone virtually unreported. Hmmmm, interesting.....
Prost?
When you're trying to abstain from alcohol, but are in Berlin and still want to get your hipster on….
Zoro's Bike
Odds are that this is just a bike that's been mutilated and vandalized and left to be reclaimed by nature. But since it's Berlin, there's also a chance that it's some kind of multi-layered, incredibly powerful art installation. And assuming the latter is the case makes it way more interesting….
Lust Angst Schmerz Ekstase
The exhibition 'Lust Angst Schmerz Ekstase' ('Lust Fear Pain Ecstasy') by German artist Armin Boehm, currently showing at the König Galerie....
Sonnenuntergang….
Tinkle, tinkle, snip, snip
The art of design. Simple, clear and very persuasive messaging. Successful in achieving its aims? Almost certainly not, as this is in the heart of Kreuzberg. But still have to applaud the effort....
Disassociated Glory
This lonely ‘slava’ was almost certainly once in tandem with a ‘Ukraini’, as the de facto rallying cry for the Ukrainians during the ongoing war, Glory to Ukraine (Слава Україні), which can even be heard during the pre-show martial law announcements at the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre. But it somehow found itself all alone out here on this sunny autumn day. Fitting, in a way….
Costanza & Cosmo
The real world is full of Seinfeld references, especially if you've more or less memorised every episode. They're just usually not this overt.....
Window shopping
A (not so) wild swan chase
Got a front row seat to this slow motion scene of a boat 'chasing' a couple of swans down the canal in Kreuzberg, while drinking beers with friends - one of whom was narrating the scene for us. Apparently the boat is adding oxygen to the water, while the swans are just enjoying themselves.
Hipster Vermeer
The Girl with the Pearl Earring after one week in Berlin....
Berliner BBQ
These photos are in no way a fair representation of a very cool BBQ in the backyard of a friend's place in Friedrichshain - there was actually loads of immaculately cooked meat, beer was obviously the beverage of choice, and these vegan čevapčići were never opened - but life’s not fair some (most?) times, and these were the only photos taken…
Only in Berlin
Prepare to be underwhelmed
If you've never been to Berlin, you're probably not familiar with currywurst. But you're honestly not missing much, as it's a fairly underwhelming dish - literally just a hot dog with curry ketchup.
It's fine, especially after a beer or nine, but not something to tell your grandkids* about or put on the culinary bucket list. Although the people in this photo obviously felt differently....
*Spoiler alert if you somehow managed to find this post in the year 2059 and these people look vaguely like Nana and Papa.
Feastables
The Germans apparently didn't read the news about this cringey CIA PSYOP chap being #MeToo'd back stateside. Awkward….
Words of Wisdom
Taking photos of stickers in Berlin can turn into a real rabbit hole, so it's best to avoid getting started if you don't have ample time to kill. But try as you might, some are still guaranteed to catch your eye….
Last Coffee
“Let's get a last coffee before you take off. I know a cosy little café with great espresso”
The cosy little café with great espresso:
Postcard Day
Quality over quantity this time. Will one of them take 4.5 months to travel 600 metres to its destination (as was the case last year)? Only time will tell!
Last Supper
When you invite friends out for a last meal at a highly rated ramen place and everything is perfect, except for the unforgivably bland food. At least it's Berlin, so the night was easily salvaged by buying some nice beers at the adjacent supermarket and hanging out by a canal until it was way too late for the following morning's 2am wake up call….
Auf Wiedersehen Berlin
A journey of 1000 miles* begins with a single 4am train from Neukölln. At least sometimes....
*Also a journey of 1940 kilometres, or a bit over 1200 miles, but that's not how the proverb goes....