Travel posts
One of those odd moments when a quick snap gave me much more than I was expecting. I was walking across the road from the Berggruner Museum to Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg when I stopped to take a snap of Charlottenburg Palace. The result was an almost painting-like image that I didn’t realise was there until I looked at it later. I was also shooting across the multi-lane Spandauer Damm so can’t believe there were no vehicles in the shot.
United enemies
United Enemies, by the German artist Thomas Schütte in the gardens of the Berggruen Museum. (http://bit.ly/1iyj6aw…). These two sculptures have been shown in Central Park, New York and in the Kensington Gardens, London. They appear to show political enemies tied together, but rather than heroic seeming, they appear in pain or in confusion.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/RIfKrM
via IFTTT
I came across another Victor Ash mural today while walking through Wedding. This is quite close to the S-bahn station and seen across the court of a petrol station.
It seems to be a tree where three children are watching with binoculars. ( http://bit.ly/1j9ejZ1 )
Vagabund Brauerei is a craft beer bar and brewery in Wedding, Berlin. It is still a fairly low key operation, but they have plans for expansion.
From my point of view the Berlin craft beer scene is quite immature compared to the Australian scene. Most places serve pilsner or weissbier and while some of it is quite good, it seems fairly bland compared to the better craft beers about.
I tried both the Vienna Pale Ale and the Double IPA here as they are house brews. The Double IPA was a bit bitter for my taste, but the Vienna Pale Ale while more cloudy than you might expect, was a very tasty beer.
As an aside, Vagabund describes itself as a “Community Supported Brewery”, and has a membership format to encourage input into what they are doing. – http://bit.ly/1kW6lny
Kunsthaus Tacheles
This is Kunsthaus Tacheles, or Art House Tacheles. These days it is a deteriorating shell, but like much of this sort of of complex its history makes fascinating reading, from days as an early style of department store, to being the central office for the Nazi SS in WWII. Currently owned by a bank ( HSH Nordbank ) it will be fascinating to see what eventually happens to it. The mural asking “How long is now” seems a perfect question for the complex. http://bit.ly/1stmE0R
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/1lpkWux
via IFTTT
The tattered cord
can again become knotted.
It holds
but it is torn.Perhaps we’ll face
each other again
but there,
where you left me,
you’ll not meet me
again.
I’ve been in Berlin long enough to start reading Brecht for pleasure, although not in the original German.
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
If you have a thing about trains and transport generally then you might find your inner geek with Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Its like a five level glass cathedral to train travel. I say five levels as ‘five floors” wouldn’t really give the right perspective of how big it is. This is the top level where the S-bahn and long distance trains arrive and leave from. The lowest level is 15m underground and has services such as the U-bahn. In between are a variety of transport options plus the sort of boutique, food and general shops and restaurants you would find in any large modern shopping centre.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/RIfJEf
via IFTTT
Anne Frank street art
Anne Frank portrait by the English artist Jimmy C. on the wall outside the exhibition ( or Anne Frank Zentrum – http://bit.ly/1ljx7ZP ).
The exhibition is worth taking your time over, the matter of fact presentation of the horrors mesh with the personalised accounts from Anne Frank, her family and friends.
By the way, don’t be put off by the laneway at Rosenthaler Strasse 39. There is lots of graffiti but also a couple of other small museums including that for Otto Weidt (http://bit.ly/RDzUTu )
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/1lpkYmm
via IFTTT
Fraternal Kiss
The East Side Gallery is a collection of artworks painted on the remnants of the Berlin Wall as it runs along the River Spree. The one I am in front off front off is by the Russian painter Dmitri Vrubel, called “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love”. All up 105 art works were originally painted.
It is well worth reading about the Gallery and the conflicts surrounding it – http://bit.ly/1g2e9rt
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/1lpxUIX
via IFTTT
Part of the Jewish cemetery ( Jüdischer Friedhof ) in Schonhauser Allee, Prenzlauer. It’s history is an interesting read, although the only gravesite I specifically went looking for was that of Max Liebermann, the expressionist painter who died in 1935. His wife committed suicide in 1943 rather than be deported and is also buried in the family plot.
Apparently the broken gravestones are not a result of deliberate vandalism during the Nazi era, but were damage d in WWII – http://bit.ly/1sgZb2Z…
