Berlin

So the last city of our European Capitals tour was a return to Berlin, where we had started it 2 weeks ago. This was the one city where we didn’t do any sightseeing because we used the time to help our son Adam with a few things in his apartment.

He recently moved to Berlin, has a new job in a prestigious gallery and a fantastic apartment to go with it. It is a new life for him and he is very happy. So of course we are happy for him too and fixed up a few things in his new home.

BTW: He is still Nexcyia and I am looking forward to some Berlin gigs 🎹

https://www.nexcyia.com/

What we did get was a very picturesque train ride to Berlin from Prague, largely tracking the Elbe river all the way to Dresden. A city, like Warsaw, that suffered terribly in WW2 but has built back strongly, both physically and culturally. We will need another trip to do this one!

But back to Berlin. Adam’s apartment is in Schoenberg, the area David Bowie and Iggy Pop used to live. Passed by the house they lived in a couple of times on this trip. Like many Berlin neighbourhoods (another one Adam took us to for the nightlife was Neukölln), every building seems to have graffiti on it. You get very used to it and it gives the city that edgy artistic feel.

Another cultural curiosity is hanging out at night with friends, outside corner shops with your own drinks until the wee hours. The shops and police tolerate this behavior, even though it’s on the street and not in bars. In fact, I think the corner shops provide the tables and chairs as they get the custom.

Contrast that with some places (I am thinking the USA in particular) where you can be arrested for carrying or drinking from an open bottle on the street! I did quite like these civilized neighborhood gatherings, not that I participated in any!

Anyway, Berlin and Nexcyia we will see you again very soon.