Blog Archive

Sunday 27 January 2008

The Long Night


Well. That was possibly the best evening in Berlin so far.

'The long night of the museums' they call it, and as I got home at 3am, a long night indeed it was. We started at a museum of twentieth century German expressionism where we came to see a saxophone quartet playing a seriously wide repertoire - which included Macedonian folk music from 1400, pieces written this century and, of course, Bach. Highlights included them walking around the museum throwing notes at each other - it was like watching an audio-tennis match! 

But as our next stop was a short u-bahn ride away and time was pressing, we skipped the free drinks and pretzels and headed for the Simon Bolivar room to add ourselves to another completely packed hall where a lone drummer was doing his Brazilian thing. I headed up into the library/museum section and looked at maps for half an hour - during which my friends had joined the dancers (and everyone else in the audience under 85) in grooving away, Samba style.
Two down, two to go. Opposite this library is the KulturForum, of which a huge art space is part - housing the Neue National Gallery. In we went, most of it looking like a mix of WW1 trenches and the Berlin Wall itself. Coal, old winter coats and sacks of beans dotted the building, and after dancing around the outside of it, we entered the labyrinth. I often feel outwitted by modern installation art, so I try to outdo it even more. And did we. Even the guards were drawn into our discussion of gender in a post-colonial context. (And this from an egg, surrounded by coal.)

But there was more! The Museum of Musical Instruments had been on my to-do list for a while, and so we saw a huge variety of pianos, harps and things that looked like a cross between the two. But in the main open-plan area of the museum - totally in rapture, sat a 300 strong audience laughing, biting nails, watching 'Safety Last!', a silent film from 1923, accompanied by a maestro on the Wurlitzer. I'd forgotten how awesome those films were!

Finally, and by this time its 1am, we moved into a smaller auditorium where we were treated to some of the young talent from the music school here. Ranging from the youngest (aged 11 or so) to full grown concert pianists. Not forgetting the first ever performance of three people at the same piano! Amazing!
 
And all of this was preceded by a vegetarian haggis and Scottish poetry and song at a (one-day-delayed) Burns Night celebration. I had prepared a traditional dessert Cranaghan - eyed up enviously by my fellow u-bahn passengers, may I add!

The very best thing about this evening, though, was the electric buzz you could feel everywhere you went. Pedestrians ruled the night, young and old enjoyed the density of culture and activity - and wherever each of us was enjoying ourselves, we knew there were at least another two hundred other places where others were engaging, learning and enjoying the creativity this city has to offer.

Friday 25 January 2008

Back Home



After a week in the UK, I have a whole new appreciation for my adopted home-city.

Landing in Luton airport with 'Heat'-reading, 'Stayce'-shouting, chip-munching, sour faced, rain-wet Brits was just the beginning of six days of being reminded how just about everything seems to be better in Berlin.

Without sounding negative (and that is hard), I'll be living in house opposite a massive Tesco's next year. On a small University campus in the middle of nowhere. Where the nearest city is Coventry.

So it was with utter delight that I arrived back in Brandenburg, where the early evening light shimmers on Spree river, the wind whistles in my hair (okay, I nearly fell off my bike today because of the SERIOUSLY aggressive wind) and I can visit places like Schloss Charlottenburg (pictures) and another cheap fifth row Opera experience.

Tomorrow will provide more sight-seeing as it is the 'Long Night of the Museums' - where many are open until 2am.

Party in the Renaissance portrait gallery!

Thursday 10 January 2008

Seasons of Love

This evening we rehearsed (oh yes, Berlin's best a cappella choir will sing for your pleasure on Feb 3rd) in a new venue.

I love cycling to new parts of town, and this time I was headed into South Kreuzberg - and after I'd found the second door in the back courtyard, on the left - I realised that we were inside an old catholic church! - inclusive mural paintings.

The acoustics were fantastic, and the best thing?

We're singing 'Seasons of Love' from Rent! My wild enthusiasm at this (I may, or may not, have said very loudly - I LOVE THAT SONG!), was simply laughed at by the rest of group...

Wednesday 9 January 2008

Warehouse Chique

On my way back from the Mensa (one of the student dining experiences I would recommend you avoid), I walked past a warehouse-style building, with 2 mannequins outside, wearing theatrical clothes.

I thought - who knows? Let's go inside!

And WOW. They were selling an enormous selection of costumes, props and set used by one of the best Opera companies in Germany (which is opposite). The amount of fake Louis XIV furniture made me very happy :)

If only the Deutsche Post hadn't thrown away my camera charger/cable/ipod because I wasn't able to pick it up from the Post Office within seven days, I would have taken photos. But I couldn't.

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Herr Doktor

I arrived back in Berlin after a three week absence last night, and it feels magical to be back home. Even cleaning the inside of the fridge felt good!

It was that sort of bright winter day today, which is cold enough that you see your breath, but sunny enough to smile at the lady cycling in the opposite direction whom you nearly crash into.

I had my first experience with a German doctor this morning, (following an incident involving cutting candle-wax, a large knife and a 3cm cut into my hand in Geneva two days ago), and I had prepared myself. German bureaucracy, opening-times and receptionists haven't the greatest reputation, and yet - within 10 minutes of arriving, I was being attended to by an ageing, stout, extremely nice Herr Doktor.

All was fine, and as I walked out the door, with that wonderful post-doctor/dentist feeling, he asked, 'and what are you studying?'

'History'

'Good man'.

I like it here.