Two quotes:
Nietzsche- ‘Collective celebration has been replaced by the hell of individual existence'.
Nora Ephron- ‘Never marry a man you wouldn't want to be divorced from'.
A couple of weeks ago I'd gone to the exhibition opening of photographs of the Vanuata Islands and met the designer who turned out to be a New Zealander. Today, she came over to the Milchhof for a visit with her thirteen-month son. Typically she'd been living in London and had come to Berlin for a symposium and liked the friendly, laid back openness of this easy to get around smaller city. When an offer of a job here was made she took it, but not speaking any German when she came, she found it difficult, however she then met the German photographer and has now settled in. Nevertheless she still finds the long darkness of the winters oppressive, and tries to visit New Zealand at that time if she can. Since I have lived in New Zealand and know the exhilaration of its' clear air, and having just gone through a Berlin winter I can sympathise.
As well as talking about New Zealand, we both had a rave about Berlin's cheapness and easy living. Berlin has come alive. It is a totally changed, open place now. Instead of emptiness and darkness, the streets are filled with people day and night, eating, reading, talking, drinking, all outside as much as possible. Still, it is the longed-for contrast that makes it so delightful, so precious that Berliners take advantage of it immediately and rush outdoors. To me, Berlin looks a completely different city from what it was when I arrived in December.
