There were a lot of highlights from my recent trip to Germany that I can’t wait to share. Most of them involve my father and his childhood, and are being slowly described here.
A few standouts, however, have nothing to do with my father.
One of these happened in Berlin. A friend had told me about a multi-level, partially demolished building somewhere outside the centre of the city that had been taken over by artists. They had, she explained, created workshops and gallery spaces despite numerous attempts by the city council to shut the operation down.
Walking from the city to our apartment, we stopped for dinner on a very cool-looking street. As we sat and ordered, I noticed the old building directly across from us, covered in graffiti and what looked like artistic installations.
For a few minutes, I thought it was some sort of metal or gothic club, but then I noticed the types of people going in and out in the early evening. Business people in suits. Groups of school kids. Couples.
And it twigged.
