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A Year In The Life Of Berlin

Jumping at Sunset at Tempelhofer Freiheit in Berlin

In yesterday’s post I reflected on my personal experiences in Berlin in the last year but today I would also like to draw your attention to some of my other favourites moments – my Berlin highlights from other people’s perspectives.

Graffiti Cat: Street Art by Unknown Artist in Berlin

A number of Berlin blog posts have helped me discover Berlin or ‘just’ entertained me in the last 12 months.

überlin

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, James and Zoë were the first people to retweet me and champion my content and that’s why I was so happy to see their post, What I Know About Germans, go viral.  I would watch the FB likes and comments increase & think ‘good things do happen to good people’.

This post by guest blogger, Liv Hambrett of A Big Life, was generally well received by fellow outsiders and Germans alike. The genius of the writing is the obvious respect shown for the characteristics the author originally appears to poke fun at.

The more recent You know you’re a Berliner when… – again a guest post, this time by Adam Fletcher, also deserves an honourable mention.

Slow Travel Berlin

This Berlin sunset image taken by Slow Travel Berlin founder Paul Sullivan took my breath away and is my Berlin photo of the year.

Amongst the many entertaining and educational articles on the site On the Stasi Trail by Tam Eastley (one half of Mädels With A Microphone) stands out.

Digital Cosmonaut

Also mentioned yesterday, Georg of Digital Cosmonaut has produced some stunning images and some essential reading. His post about Sanatorium E, which we explored together, is a real peach.  If you see beauty in abandonment and dereliction and have an interest in the history of such buildings you’ll love this post.

A Year in Berlin

For me, reading Ian’s post about Beelitz-Heilstätten on A Year In Berlin was a double-edged sword.  His beautifully written description of his visit and carefully researched and well presented history of this abandoned tuberculosis and military hospital makes me long to visit.  On the other hand, it also fills me with dread at the prospect of writing my own post.

Abandoned Berlin

Continuing the theme of playgrounds for the Urban Explorer, Abandoned Berlin is a treasure trove of information about the not-so-obvious tourist attractions in and around Berlin.

The Irish Berliner’s tales of his adventures are carefully crafted and as entertaining as they are descriptive.  Reading his post about the lost city of Vogelsang, I felt like I was there exploring with him, something I got to do at Papierfabrik Wolfswinkel recently.

Mädels With A Microphone

I found Jen and Tam’s mini-mädel (a short podcast) about The Bone Church in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutná Hora near Prague, which Jen describes as ‘macabre, disturbing, oddly beautiful’, fascinating.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/49678376″ iframe=”true” /]

Filming - Street Art by Plotterrobotter KEN in Berlin

There have also been some magic moments on film.

In A Berlin Minute

From night to day, through moody skies and back to night again, I love this time-lapse video of the Berlin skyline, with the Fernsehturm prominent of course. Keep an eye out for the Die Welt balloon bouncing up and down to the Fernsehturm’s right.

Little Big Berlin

The Little Big Berlin video by pilpop is a masterpiece of the tilt-shift technique that makes real scenes look like miniature model creations.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/14014317 w=500&h=241]

Hitler’s Hidden City

I was delighted to discover this National Geographic documentary on YouTube a few days ago.  Hitler’s Hidden City follows Berliner Unterwelten as they discover what lies below the surface of Berlin.

Vermibus Process

Showing the artist at work, Verminbus Process, gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of ad-busting art on the streets of Berlin.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/45735953 w=500&h=281]

Berlin Spricht Für Sich

The third incarnation of a series by Emus Primus x East Cross Projects combining two of my passions Street Art and music, Berlin Spricht Für Sich has been all over my social media channels in the last week.  Witty and catchy, I dare you not to like it.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/51805185 w=500&h=281]

 

Love, Sax & Music - Street Art by Unknown Artist in Berlin

And completing my round-up some more music.

Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me A Tale

I was delighted to recognise Berlin’s streets and U-Bahn tracks in the video from the BBC Sound of 2012 winner: Michael Kiwanuka.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/22891637 w=500&h=275]

Depeche Mode – Everything Counts

I originally came across the video to Depeche Mode – Everything Counts, set in Berlin, on the wonderful Kreuzberg’d but GEMA has now blocked the video included in that post so I’ve had to find an alternative link.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/26977779 w=500&h=369]

Me & My Drummer – You’re A Runner

A recent discovery, I love this song from a Berlin-based band: Me & My Drummer.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8Wl4wwjyM&w=560&h=315]

 

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9 Responses to A Year In The Life Of Berlin

  1. hawkinsian 30 October, 2012 at 10:51 #

    Flippin’ heck, dude. What a lovely thing to say about my Beelitz blog. Thank you. But don’t worry about writing your own post about Beelitz – I wasn’t the first and you won’t be the last!

    • andBerlin 30 October, 2012 at 13:00 #

      It’s always special when you come across posts that seem to transport you to the place with the writer and there was so much of the history of the place that I didn’t know before. I must go before Winter hits Berlin. Oh, hang on, too late!

  2. notmsparker 30 October, 2012 at 11:20 #

    I´ve changed the link in the post with Depeche Mode Everything Counts video for a non-GEMA sensitive one:) Thanx for pointing that out – it is a pain in the neck with those completely inconsequent policies. Cheers, NotMsParker

  3. fiona 30 October, 2012 at 11:26 #

    Excellent video choices! happy anniversary!

    • andBerlin 30 October, 2012 at 13:10 #

      Thanks Fiona. I’m pleased I figured out how to embed them at the last minute. I’ve been telling people for months that I can’t put videos on my site – my stupidity sometimes surprises me.

  4. moni 30 October, 2012 at 22:41 #

    Wow what a nice collection of links to explore and lovely spirit behind it. I have been following several of the blogs & related twitter feeds mentioned here (as well as this one) for a while and you people sharing all these photos and discoveries and experiences of Berlin with such genuine enthusiasm all increase my appreciation of this city tenfold — especially in less lucky times when one is tempted to blame the place itself for life’s ups and downs, or during moments of “Heimweh” — and inspire me to explore it more rather than get too lazy and stuck with the usual familiar places as tends to happen.

    It’s the kind of contagious effect that makes you get over the smaller and bigger frustrations you can run into in any big city, especially as a foreigner and especially after the first phase of being madly in love with everything has faded. But then Berlin also has a way of doing it itself, every time I leave for a while, I get back with a new sense of wonder at how some things I’d taken for granted are really rather special and unique. It deserves the hype it gets – most of it anyway 😉
    This was a long way of saying a heartfelt and extended “thanks for sharing”.

    • andBerlin 31 October, 2012 at 10:46 #

      Monica, I’m glad you’re already following many of my favourite Berlin blogs (and that you read mine naturally). They always give me inspiration & renew my enthusiasm in the rare moments when I wonder what’s left to see.

  5. irishberliner 13 November, 2012 at 00:34 #

    Wow, I just saw this post now. (Apologies for my tardiness. I was avoiding this and the Digital Cosmonaut until I got my Wolfswinkel article done. I finally have it written now!) Anyway, congratulations on putting together a definitive collection of great posts and videos of this fine city we find ourselves in. I’m genuinely chuffed to see you’ve included the Vogelsang piece among such esteemed company! Thanks again. Was a pleasure to meet you, am looking forward to the next time we share a beer. Well, maybe we can get one each. Sharing’s OK but…

    • andBerlin 17 November, 2012 at 14:32 #

      Glad you saw it. A beer and a catch up soon is a must.

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