Berlin

It was not long ago that Germany was an empire in ruins, divided in two parts, almost schizophrenic. Add to that the national horror of its Nazi past, and you get a country trying to scramble out of trauma and reinvent itself for the future. Maybe this is why Berlin seems lacking in aggression, almost quiet, even though it is an active place. So many possibilities exist here, since it has a deep culture and vital economy. The people want answers and look to the future; incredibly, Barack Obama’s largest gathering at a speech was the 200,000 in Berlin July 24.
Germany is environmentally conscious. I was at a checkout in a grocery store and stood confused when my items did not receive a bag. People are expected to bring their own. Bicycle paths share the sidewalks and you better watch not to walk in the area for cyclist or one will zoom up behind you and ring his bell. It is common to see people take their bikes onto the city trains. Escalators in the subways sometimes have eyes, and when nobody is nearby, they stop until a person approaches. I thought my eyes were being tricked when the stairs suddenly started to move.
It is amazing that almost everyone speaks good English. Many shops have names in English. It is a blessing to be able to converse easily with strangers. A world language in this day and age of planetary consciousness is necessary, and by default seems to be English. People everywhere need to be able to communicate and not be isolated by language.
My friend Steffen told me there are more bridges in Berlin than in Venice, something I could hardly believe. In the bohemian neighborhoods, graffiti is everywhere, and I had to laugh when Steffen said the city gives “graffiti workshops.” Drinking in public is allowed, and a common sight on the street, not just at bars and restaurants.
I have been spending my days exploring, taking photos, painting, visiting with new friends, and writing. My situation is good, and the days before I leave for Paris on August 21 are flying by. I like being in a city that is busy reinventing itself; just like an artist!

Like a Bee

I feel like a bee, flying from flower to flower, gathering pollen and cross-pollinating as well. Today is a long journey over changing landscapes from Florence, Italy to Berlin, Germany.
Surprise of surprises . . . Frederique arrived in Florence during my stay. She is in Venice, so took a train to meet me and we went to an evening concert of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff (1895-1982) at the Boboli gardens. As usual, our time together is centered on art. She shares with me ideas for my creativity and the advancement of my career, we go to museums, and walk together through the streets as I take photos. A medieval church is a block from my house that I looked into briefly one day. Later, with Frederique, I walked inside again, and rather than quickly look at the main features, we walked slowly, observing everything carefully, and talking about the aesthetics. A much fuller experience.



Florence, is one of the most beautiful flowers of Italian civilization and culture, and this is because the city encouraged the arts to flourish for centuries. It is firmly rooted in it's grand past that it carefully preserves. Now I leave the past and move onward to Berlin, a wide open city, totally destroyed by the 2nd world war, rebuilt from the ground up and trying to reshape itself. These days, it is the cheapest urban center in Europe to live; a gathering place for artists from all over the world. I will report my initial impressions next weekend.