I decided - as I said - to take this trip last second, 15.30 Wednesday, and I booked a room in almost sold out Berlin and one of few remained seats in Belgrade - Berlin flight. I did it simultaneously because I wasn't sure I could manage to find the room. There is Travel Exhibition going on there.
But I did. I checked the CheapOpAir ticket on my mail and I realized I bought wrong dates: not departure 10.III retour 11.III but 11.III-14.III.
I was probably offered alternative dates and I didn't look.
So I called online number and nice voice from other end of the phone helped me to change the dates.
But on way to Berlin I had to change plane in Zurich.
Ok. When I got thos dates straight, I rushed to the bank - 1 hour before closing - to take 200 eur for the road and then to hair dresser o have my hair cut.
Next day I was in Berlin. But before that, in Zurich, security control guy warned me that liquids from my hand luggage must be in one plastic bag, not two. He helped me transfer shampoo, deodorants, tooth paste etc. into another bag and - allas - my roll deodorant leaked out so he got his fingers covered with Nivea jelly-like thing.
This time - a slum hotel in East Berlin and I could notice nostalgic shabby buildings. Taxi driver was - amazingly - genuine German, and he didn't hear of Sisters of Mercy.
He pointed to Reichstag when we drove by and said - "Here lives crazy Angela".
She is going to lose next elections, if taxi drivers in Berlin are like in Serbia - namely that they know everything.
I mentioned Nina Hagen, too, and he said again - "She is crazy, I often wonder what did she smoke:"
Nice sfumato Autumn-like day in Berlin.
Efendi Optika
I took a nap for 60 minutes, and then I stopped by a nice Bagel shop for brie+apple+ruccola bagel. Owners were young couple from Roumania, I think. I was only guest and they couldn't hide joy when I ordered something. While I was eating, I noticed a moth.
My appartment is full of moths, flour moths, probably from some croissant I forgot God knows where. I am sure I took that moth with me from Belgrade to Berlin.
Is he happy now? Is better to die in Berlin if you are a moth? I can hear bunch of experts and biologists, who yell at me that moths do not have feelings and memory. But, didn't they discover that wine flies know for happiness?
The moth was nervous and flew quickly, just like my present moths, I suppose it slept in those trousers I didn't wear since last trip.
Good bye, moth, you traveller! You refugee, an immigrant (and illegal one in some way!)...
After this brunch I took a cab to Columbiahalle.
In the taxi I heard Turkish from radio. Turkish driver asked me where I came from.
"Serbia? Aha, Serbistan! Hahahaha!"
I was overwhelmed by Turskish language and Oriental names of shops and boutiques. The drivers were so nervous that Thursday afternoon.
I saw this sign>
Efendi Optika.
In front of the Columbiahalle, a guy dressed as a bear was giving visitors free condoms. A black bearded midget with red glasses was wearing jacket with Sisters of Mercy on his back.
Frontman of the band looked like Michael Ironside, and the keyboard man was spitting image of Dobrica Ćosić r Blake Edwards, I can't decide.
They didn't have rhytm section, but key board sounded as if they had 3 black men drummers in the dark, in chains and with carrots in their arrses.
The concert was good and after it, in arkade of Columbiadamm, I saw street beggars band performing "Smoke on the water"; just like last year after Public Image Limited's gig.
Taxi driver in a cab I stopped after this was again a Turk, but older one. He said:
- Serbia? I love Serbia. I travel home for summer holidays it is good.
But his English was even worse than mine. He didn't understand me at all, but he managed to show me boarder between West and East Berlin.
- Original wall - he said.
Pics--->
shabby sign from 1960s
http://s7.postimg.org/xk0cwo0ez/b_1.jpg
shabby working appartments
http://s7.postimg.org/u6wpnow7v/b_2.jpg
from the plane
http://s7.postimg.org/6d8v502zf/IMG_4434.jpg
street sign
http://s7.postimg.org/tl7qrl15n/IMG_4455.jpg
bagel
http://s7.postimg.org/l488gnwgr/IMG_4462.jpg
Originally posted by vanderveldeWhy does this seem like bragging?
Pics--->
shabby sign from 1960s
http://s7.postimg.org/xk0cwo0ez/b_1.jpg
shabby working appartments
http://s7.postimg.org/u6wpnow7v/b_2.jpg
from the plane
http://s7.postimg.org/6d8v502zf/IMG_4434.jpg
street sign
http://s7.postimg.org/tl7qrl15n/IMG_4455.jpg
bagel
http://s7.postimg.org/l488gnwgr/IMG_4462.jpg
Dude, you're good.