Serendipity is a wonderful word - in the new Pictures section of this blog are some suitably black and white photo's of Berlin taken on a chilly Autumnal trip in 1987, just before the Berlin Wall was torn down. Having just re-watched Wim Wenders fabulous film Wings of Desire they seem appropriate and they were taken the same year the film was released, which I had not realised before. The film is a wonderful love letter to Berlin and a divided Germany, and watching it again I kept thinking how much more alive and vital and relevant these kinds of arthouse films are, than virtually 90% of what is served up nowadays. And it got me thinking of Berlin.
Wandering through Berlin in 1987 was a strange experience, full of surreal encounters. I learnt the meaning of the word 'Earth Pig'' (which prompted me to try and adopt one from London Zoo.. another story).. I stood next to microphones used by Hitler (utterly chilling), I watched an American girl dance naked in a Gay Bar that was entirely covered in Astroturf, and I saw this, the most beautiful sculpture of Nefertiti.
Berlin a wonderfully serendipitous city.
