Earlier this week I was shamed into buying a bike because almost everyone else has them, and they are by far the best way to get around. So, on this particularly lovely day, after being classically lazy with my time and not doing anything, I left on my bike to meet a friend in Mitte, Berlin's central neighborhood. We walked along through Museuminsel (Museum Island) to Alexanderplatz, discussing the merits and drawbacks of German and other international men before I buzzed east to the Warschauer Str area to go to an open air arts party.
Arriving around 7, I paid my one-day fee of €6 and milled around. A maze of indoor and outdoor warehouse facilities confronted me, each passageway leading to another artistic exploration. On one side, I went through a warehouse where a dj set up some beats for making art, and walking through I found myself watching graffiti artists tattooing the walls with their inspiration. I watched for a while, impressed with their spray paint technique and design. Then I moved back outside, where a band was starting to play on stage #1, grooving to chill sounds and leading the relaxed atmosphere of what in Berlin is considered a Friday afternoon. Moving past the outdoor Foosball table and full bar to stage #2, I find myself sitting on a sofa outside as a singer-songwriter blends out her latest tunes while others chat and relax. It is a simple day full of arts and inspiration, nestled in a warehouse but decorated with natural, real surroundings.
After a while without finding my friend, I return home to eat something, have a little rest, and get ready for the rest of the evening. Berlin clubs don't start until midnight at the earliest, but a friend's band is playing back at this little mini-festival, so I return around 10 to hear them play. After touring the now almost full festival and seeing what else is on display, we stayed for the band, which was in full Berlin style. Berlin is home to techno - monotonous beats that are often enjoyed after a hit of Ecstasy and a looooot of alcohol, often while remaining high in a club for three days straight. This, I do not generally participate in. However, it did not surprise me at all to see a band that combined keyboard, beats dj, saxaphone, clarinet, violin, bass, bass guitar, and vocals in one handsome package. As the band cleared the area for the hoola hoop artist to join them as they continued their jazzy beats, I realized how wonderful my life is here. But not to worry, the night doesn't end there.
I had to leave before the end of the set to meet another friend at beach club on the other side of the city, but my close proximity to an sbahn stop sincerely helped. The dj there played a mix of 90s, Top 40, and electronica, thankfully leaving out the endless techno that I find here, and with a joyful crowd we danced under the stars, surrounded by imported white sand and on the calm shores of the river Spree. A completely Berlin night - if they could only teach me German, I'd be a national in no time.
Tonight? Another classic Berlin activity - Balkan Beats!
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