CITY OF PRETTY Berlin, back then
I write this in a hurry. Can’t miss out. Even a moment. I haven’t been to Berlin in almost eight years! As the final leg of my one-month London timeout, I have already undone most of the relaxation of the past three weeks in two feverish nights in the German capital. First going big – then heading home.
After getting in late Sunday evening from Munich, it’s straight to the bar to celebrate the reunion of old friends. Nostalgia is fuelled by Henderson G&Ts at an old dining hall in Kreuzberg. We drink in the courtyard, sheltered from the rain by massive oak trees. Next to me – a pen housing the biggest rabbit I have ever seen, and a goat. Hello Berlin. I remember now how obscure this place is. And sleepless, yawn!
In the morning we go on the hunt for second hand bargains in Friedrichshain, but end up drinking beer in the park instead. The sun is shining as punks, gypsy kings, pirates on acid and cyber dogs with lumo dreads get along on a grassy square about 200 by 50 meters wide. Marijuana clouds ascend in unison from all respective parties. Us non-Berliners get lost in voyeuristic oogling, incognito behind tortoise shell sunglasses. These will also give us away since here the trend here is all reflective wayfarers with pop coloured frames. Then the dog with many abandoned dummies on his collar picked up from the adjacent playground outs us by doing his business practically on top of our camp. Time to go for ribs at the White Trash Asian Diner and Dance club. Here I meet yet another Cape Town expat contingency, reassuring me that anonymity is officially impossible – and that I have underestimated my people’s industrious ability to get out of Slaapstadt.
Tonight I’m playing Rock and Roll Bingo at White Trash then dancing at Cookies, and tomorrow I am djing at Based in Berlin. A little guest slot I chanced upon, just like the VIP ticket to the sold out Melt Festival on the weekend to see the Editors and Boyz Noize (amongst many, many more). Oh, and this is my tenth column so in light of this milestone, I’ll take the liberty to exit short of my usual word count. So much to do, so little time – would love to write more, but got some bingo to rock.