All entries for Thursday 16 February 2006
February 16, 2006
Berlin
The days are grey, the sun shines differently here. I find myself in Berlin this reading week. All I knew of Berlin before this trip, were one night spent there five years ago, and a Dutch song from the 80s about divided Berlin:
Only the birds fly
from East to West Berlin
They are not called back
Nor shot down
Over the wall
Over the Iron Curtain
Because the bread lies
Sometimes at the Gedachtniskirche
Sometimes on Alexander square
In the year of our lord 2006 anybody is free to discover all parts of Berlin. This city, bearing almost too much history, is with the coming of a new millenium itself entering a new chapter of its own history. Berlin these days is rapidly becoming hipper and provides an attractive location for artistry and alternative subcultures. The cranes are slowly disappearing from the city centre and new buildings have been built with daring and interesting architectural designs. The people are friendlier than anywhere else I’ve been. Shops are fairly cheap and there are many avant-garde parties worth to be visited.