Berlin

When I left for my travels I thought I would only really start the trip once I am in India and only then I would have things to share. Well, I am still in Berlin and I have a lot to share now. Berlin - what a town. It's not the prettiest of all. I'de say Hamburg would have to offer more beauty than Berlin, but it's something else that makes this town. First of, did you guys know it will be the 20th anniversary this year of the Berlin wall falling? I didn't, but the town is getting ready for the celebration already and I could not miss the banners with the advertisements. There will be a great exhibition for example, which I will miss, since it only is starting in April. Amazing that the wall now is down already for 20 years, about half the time for how long it was up I think. And it will take way more than another half time to get over what happened behind this wall and is to me still now so unbelievable. I was asking myself before coming here, will I still see or feel where the wall was? Will I notice the difference between the former two sides? The answer is yes, there are still differences. Not in the people. The town has meshed and blended together so well, so beautiful with people all alike, all international. Of course districts are developing like our China town or Castro, but in terms of people East/West, it doesn't exist as far as I can tell as a visitor. I am staying in the former East part, called Prenzlauer Berg. It's beautiful, old, upcoming, buzzing, filled with Cafes, Retro stores, Theaters and full of strollers. Yes, this is the Noe Valley of Berlin. The only difference I am noticing, it's all the dad's here strolling around with their babies/toddlers/kids. And not only strolling, also biking or carrying in front - all dads, all by themselves partaking in their chosen duty to participate so actively in their kids lives. Beautiful to watch. 

So how then do you see East/West? Mostly in the architecture, in what conditions buildings are, the type of buildings. Also the traffic signals. East and West were using different traffic light signals. After the wall fell they decided not to unify the signs and to leave them as is as a kind of attraction. It worked. Then there is something else I would like to mention is noticeable. It's an energetic. Again, not amongst the people or within the districts themselves. There is an indescribable tension and energy along the points where the wall once stood, where people were divided so forcefully, where people died trying to escape into what they dreamed of as freedom and we had along and did or do not appreciate all the time. It's quiet strong, this pull of history and past. Gives me the chills. There is no other town like this, with this kind of history. 

The stores. Its no surprise to you that I want to talk about shops, but I am not shopping this time. I actually want to talk about the shops themselves, the type of shops. This entire neighborhood is one big cluster of the finest entropeneurship I have ever seen. You will find the funnest, the coolest shops here with home made crafts, your own unique fashion, the retro furniture, the whatever de hell your art is. I have two explanations for this unique situation I so wished I could transfer to SF where my most talented friends are struggling to make a living from their art or have no chance to try. First, Berlin is still so cheap in cost of living and rent that many, many young people just simply give it a go - successfully. You will meet the artist and business owner directly in the shop, mostly it's also the studio filled with the sewing machine or whatever your tool is. Secondly, there is this still this coolness about Germany in terms of their government financial support system for their people. To support more business to be built, the German government started a new program, where they will give any person wanting to try their own business a full I think 60% of their last salary for the first 6 months of the business starting for free as a start up help. You can even extend to 9 months after that. No hook. If it doesn't work out, they don't ask you for the money back. Isn't that such a good idea? Lots of the new operations really do work out so. I can think of about at least 10 people in my friends circle in SF who I wish I could give a kick start support option like this. Really, really fun to see the live model right here, right now. 

Wow, this writing stuff is exhausting. I got to go to bed now. I have to get up early for my second round of acting class. I will write about that and more about Berlin soon. Good night my friends. Much love to all of you. Sunday, Feb. 9th, 2009, 11.30 pm