First of all, I want to wish you Happy Birthday. I know it’s a bit late, ‘because your birthday was on 27^th of March, but still…better later than never. Don’t know if you heard about it or not, but here, in Berlin, you have a loooot of fans, absolutely in love with your movies, and I am one of them. I’m really sorry we couldn’t make it on your birthday party. You should understand better how it’s like to be busy and not really have time for everything that you’d like to do. We’re not that famous as you are but, well, some of us work, some go to school…we just couldn’t leave everything behind. But, busy or not, we still celebrated your 48^th anniversary and organized a costumed pub crawl where all people (or most of them) had to resemble one of your movie characters.

You’d have been surprised to see how many faces Mia Wallace had.Unfortunately for them, only one Vincent Vega joined the party. But, trust me, almost as handsome as the real one.

Hunny Bunny was there too and so was the awakened bride from Kill Bill. Her sward both frightened and amused all the people in the U-bahn. I have to admit Uma Thurman was pretty lucky to be the first you found for this role, otherwise you would have definitely chosen our friend to play the bride.

Did you ever imagine all your characters from different movies standing at one table or dancing in the same disco? Or have you ever thought that O-Ren Ishii (Kill Bill) and Shosanna Dreyfus (Inglorious Basterds) can be so good friends?

For the sake of your birthday, some of our friends turned into bad boys. I would be really curious what Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth or Michael Madsen would have said to see the new Reservoir Dogs generation. All those guns and bloody shirts on the streets of Berlin, trust me, it was quite hardcore.

Probably now you feel sorry for not being able to come to Berlin on your birthday. But try to make it next year.  Plan it in advance, get a little organized to make sure all the other boring celebrities won’t bother you and come here! We don’t promise you a second snake dance moment, like the one in From Dusk ‘till Dawn, but we can promise you good beers and a good time!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

Another Mia Wallace.

Today was one of the best days since I came to Berlin. So sunny and warm that the entire city looked like a holiday resort.  The sun threw away our winter jackets and brought new light colored outfits. The people got out of their homes, out of bars and coffee shops and simply relaxed on the grass, made a picnic or played cards.

Many young people, though, decided to welcome spring in some other way. With music and dance.

That’s why this Sunday, Janowitzbrucke invited spring to dance during an electro party called Licht and Liebe Open Air. To me, this was the first open air party I attended in Berlin and I was really excited to take pictures and enjoy every second of it. But a friend told me “Don’t worry, it’s just the beginning. The whole summer is like that!”

The people were dancing, were chatting, were having a good time. You could see the spring sun on their faces.  Small touristic boats were floating on the river. People inside were waving hands, taking pictures and dancing on our music. Some of them seemed to be 80 or so, but definitely felt younger today.  Everyone was so relaxed that it seemed the good weather has made them all forget their problems. I guess this is the best and most beautiful gift that sun and spring can bring to people.

There was such a breeze of freshness in the air. Smelled like teen spirit, smelled like a new beginning. And, as tomorrow is the start of a new week and of a new class (B2.1), I really hope that these beginnings will be as sunny and pleasant as the arrival of the spring itself.

I asked myself few posts ago what word could define Berlin’s atmosphere better? Don’t know if I’ll change my mind in time (and probably I will) but for now, when I think of Berlin, I think of music. I think Berlin’s heart is not Alexanderplatz tower, but a drum that plays different types of rhythms wherever you go.

And I don’t refer to those rhythms you can hear in clubs or organized parties. I refer to that street entertainment, able to bring drops of joy while you go to work, to school or to meet a friend and to make your day better.

Last week, while heading to Deutsch Akademie, three boys were standing in front of the U-bahn station inviting people to watch their break dance.  Same evening, getting down at Eberswalderstrasse, another band was performing some really cool songs, trying to sell their 5 euro CD. A lot of people were standing there, dancing and applauding the performers. It takes quite some guts to stop somewhere and make a show out of nothing!

Two weeks ago, in Alexanderplatz, I heard two sopranos performing my most favorite opera aria – The Flower Duet from Lakmé (Delibes). They sang so beautiful, that people stopped for a while just to enjoy their voices. For a few minutes, even the time seemed to have taken a break.

The history repeated in Postdamer Platz this weekend, but this time some reggae rhythms entertained the audience. I stopped again and I thought that maybe this is the way the city talks to people, advising them not to take themselves too seriously, but enjoy every day.

Asa suna una dintre numeroasele lozinci scrise pe pancartele prezente la marsul de protest de ieri, 26 martie, organizat concomitant  in 4 orase din Germania  – Berlin, Munchen, Hamburg si Koln.

Aproximativ 100.000 de berlinezi s-au intalnit la ora 12 la Postdamer Platz si au militat pe strazile Berlinului impotriva folosirii energiei nucleare, sustinand dezvoltarea surselor alternative de energie pentru o planeta mai curata, mai sanatoasa. Manifestatia, strans legata de evenimentele din Japonia si de explozia reactorului de la Fukushima, a adunat lume diversa, de toate varstele si a pregatit momentul celebrarii Orei Pamantului (20.30-21.30) in fata Portii Brandenburg.

A fost impresionant sa ma aflu acolo. Oamenii venisera care mai de care cu pancarte, cu masti de gaze si steaguri, se colorasera pe fete, isi pusesera banderole cu diverse mesaje de protest. Unii adusesera tobite, altii, butoaie de tabla. Faceau galagie, se cereau ascultati.

Copii de 4-6 ani, cu fetele acoperite de mesaje, tineau baloane in mana si scandau lozinci pe care nici nu le intelegeau prea bine. Unii, prea mici pentru a se face intelesi, dormeau in carucior sau tinuti in brate, ignorand total haosul din jur. Batranii, retrasi mai pe margine, tineau pancartele tacuti. Dar, ceea ce mi s-a parut cel mai important, erau prezenti.

Oriunde te uitai, inainte sau inapoi, strada era inundata de un fluviu intreg de oameni. Dar nu de oameni incruntati si incrancenati. Ci de o lume care-si sustinea punctul de vedere intr-un mod deschis si pasnic. Caci nu venisera sa schimbe guvernul sau sa ceara salarii mai mari, ci militau pentru un scop mai nobil. Isi cereau verdele inapoi.

Germany is the Land of Ideas. Spain is The Land of Sun and Thailand, the Land of Smile. Most countries have a brand of their own, something that can shortly define what that country is all about. Some countries talk about their business opportunities, some are proud of their welcoming and generous people, some present themselves as creative, other speak about their history and traditions. There is a special something for each one of them.

As I came to Berlin I kept on asking myself – what is that word able to express the essence of the city? Or what is the word people would mostly associate Berlin with? So I asked a few friends of mine and the answers were really interesting, that’s why I thought about sharing this with you.

A boy told me that “The Wall” will always make him think of Berlin. Why not the Pink Floyd album? I said. My best friend spontaneously associates Berlin with bicycles because in here people ride their bikes everywhere. No matter you go to school, to work, you go shopping or simply enjoy a ride with kids, the bicycle is indeed a noticeable presence in the city.

Other friends define Berlin as the city that never sleeps. There are so many events, so many parties and such an active cultural life that sleeping can definitely wait.

The Alexanderplatz tower is another key image of Berlin. To me it looks like a huge German host inviting people to Mitte.  No matter where you come from, as long as you see the tower, you know you didn’t get lost.

Someone else told me that the first word that comes to his mind is Graffiti. I found this quite interesting, because graffiti is indeed a form of local art present from Tacheles to U-bahn stations.

For the moment I feel they are all right. But I still need to explore the city more by myself. What about you? What is the word that best defines your Berlin?

P.S Hope not this one :)

Don’t know how you are, but when it comes to going out, I cannot say no. I just cannot say no. They don’t call me Duracell for nothing!  And, as I’m new to Berlin, I love doing new things, discovering new places and attending all sort of events. But, what I love even more, is attending these events for free.

So, just in case you like tips, like I do, here comes one!

Imagine it’s Wednesday and you’re in the mood for some live jazz, a glass of cold beer or a hot cup of tea. Then you should just take your jacket and go to B-Flat, a small bar located in Mitte, on 13 Rosenthaler Strasse. It’s true, they have great jazz every weekday, but on Wednesdays you can enter free of charge!

Here, more or less famous performers come and improvise. Most of them know each other, just like in a family, but some play there for the first time, so the sound is always fresh and exciting. The saxophones, the cello, the piano, the flute and the drums create a perfect fusion and a perfect atmosphere.  It’s really fun! I’ve been there for the first time for a birthday party! It was crowded but, somehow, cozy. I remember one of the performers dedicated a song to our friend that was just turning 25.

Last night a 10 or 12 year old boy played the piano in a fantastic manner. Even the other performers from the stage, some of them about 60 years old, were amazed by the talent of the little boy. His parents, sitting at a corner  table, were overwhelmed with enthusiasm. You could read the pride in their eyes.

If you really want to enjoy the music, you should be there around 8.30pm. Starting 9pm you may not find a place to sit, because it’s getting really crowded. But even so, the music is great and the people very nice.

Details here: http://www.b-flat-berlin.de/