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Every big city we've visited has had a tangible and unique personality. Within hours of arrival in the German capital; we both felt like we understood the city and its nuances instantly. For us, Berlin is personified by one word: eclectic.
On a whim we visited the Mauer Park Market, and we are so glad we did. We were greeted by a diverse variety of humanity altogether which reminded us in no small way of the Tangier melting pot. Hipsters mixed with hippies and punk rockers. Nigerian businessmen sauntered past in crisp white suits. It was a performance: everyone was playing out their own unique choreography. Our part on this life-size canvas was simple: a couple of beers, some local delicacies and a comfortable patch of grass from which to watch it all slide past. The cacophanous result of bongo drums being beaten with unbridled enthusiasm mixed with the wailing of electric and the slow drone of bass guitars of four-piece garage bands. A particular favourite of ours was the electric guitarist who looked more like Howard Wolowiz than Jimi Hendrix. He loved his axe. Small children laughed freely and jumped to reach the bubbles a performer sent into the air. A group of young girls picked bunches of wildflowers to present to strangers. The lead singer of Wolowiz' band vowed to "stay until the music dies" and the joyous expression of humanity in all its diverse forms continued to ebb and flow around us.
Our next window into the essence of the city was the East Side Gallery; a section of the Berlin Wall covered in art. To us, it was a scrapbook for the disenchanted and empassioned. Social, political and economic messages, from the serious to mundane, were expressed on that concrete canvas. Common themes included addiction, pain and humamity. Love for 5SOS was scrawled alongside messages to Free Palestine. We strolled alongside the other pilgrims discussing the unachievable goal of world peace, and wondered at this city of contrasts.
And the street art! Never in my life have I seen the soul of a city expressed so emphatically through local artists and their graffiti. It's not the sort of graffiti that results when bored narcissists get their hands on a can of spray paint. The city is a maze of complex and poignant works layered one over the top of another. They speak of an enormous emotional attachment and sense of pride the Berliners have for their streets.
Other highlights of this city stay with me as fleeting impressions. The ubiquitous cream taxis are either Mercedes Benz or hybrid Yaris'. Bicycles, trams, art galleries and city walking tour groups are scattered liberally across the cityscape. The architecture is predominantly modern, but its beauty lies in the contrast: new and old stand shoulder to shoulder in a jarring but enthralling façade. Every old building stands silent witness to a bloody and brutal past; the fact that they're still standing is a testament to the resilience of the city and its people.
Berlin is an unashamedly modern city that respects its past and lives very much in the present. I've never seen anything like it. I am captivated.
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