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So, Leipzig - what can I say about the city?
There's a big mix of culture here. I'm staying with my sister in a university residence - which includes balconies and full kitchens in the nicer buildings - and I've seen an ecliptic mix of hippies, doctors and Goths wandering around. We were out for a walk last night to get some groceries - at about nine, for various reasons - and we passed both some doctors going off shift and a few metalheads listening to rammstein.
The city is a very nice place to visit; there's a cool mix of architecture here, and a couple unique monuments. Leipzig is known to have a monument to a Napoleonic battle; it's one of the earliest concrete buildings and it is art deco to the extreme - check for pictures. Unfortunately when I went it was full of screaming German schoolchildren. But the view from the top is good and it feels like a building out of Dark City or something.
It's something of a relic, and Leipzig is filled with crumbling old buildings - a legacy of the GDR. There is a constant push for renewal of the spaces; for instance, the shopping store - HIT - used to be a warehouse before it was refurbished and a similar project is underway next door. And the huge number of buildings means that there's a surplus of accommodation; for a small room with a large shared kitchen and bathroom, lots of windows - 200 euros a month. THAT IS CHEAP. But a friend is staying in an apartment with one window, a half kitchen, and a bathroom that seems more like a tomb than anything else.
This means that there's a good population of starving artists, and start-ups, because the rent is so low, and that to food is the cheapest I've seen in Europe yet. So it was a good stay. Just about my favourite moment was renting a bicycle and biking to an artificial lake with Jennifer and Arne, one of her flatmates, and then going for dinner and drinks at a veggie restaurant (Zest, slow service but great Seitan, stay away from the soyasteak).
Now, I'm on to Berlin. I've heard a lot about berlin; I'm going to meet mom and dad there after a bit of a run this afternoon. What I'm planning on doing is hitting up a couple of the flea markets - because my alarm clock simply doesn't cut it right now - then going to the museum island, and then exploring a whole lot. There's a book called Hidden Spaces of Berlin, and I think there would be worse ways to spend a week than tracking some of them down.
Chow.
- comments
Jenn Glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with me! I was a little stressed from work, as I am sure you noticed, but it was great to see you. You are more then welcome to come again if you want, but check the dates, I am heading to a conference this weekend and then to Spain for a week a week after that. I hope you are enjoying Praha