Matta - Release the Freq

xo em

I'm new here - Gil Scott- Heron

I did not become someone different
That I did not want to be
But I'm new here
Will you show me around

No matter how far wrong you've gone
You can always turn around
Met a woman in a bar
Told her I was hard to get to know
And near impossible to forget
She said I had an ego on me
The size of Texas
Well I'm new here and I forget
Does that mean big or small

No matter how far wrong you've gone You can always turnaround

And I'm shedding plates like a snake
And it may be crazy but I'm
The closest thing I have
To a voice of reason

Turnaround turnaround turnaround
And you may come full circle
And be new here again

Hey Toronto, nice to meet you again. Don't let me down.

em xo

Museum Island, Berlin

Museum Island is the northern half of an island in the Spree river in the central Mitte. It received its name for a complex of five internationally renowned museums that occupy the island's northern part. I liked that each museum (unfortunately I only visited 2 of 5) was designed to establish an organic connection with the art it houses. The importance of the museum's collections – which trace the development of civilizations throughout the ages – is enhanced by the urban and architectural quality of the buildings. I spent almost more time staring at the ceiling than the art behind glass.

The three-winged Pergamonmuseum was built to exhibit the greatly expanded collections of antiquities resulting from German excavations at Pergamon and other Greek sites in Asia Minor as well as those from Mesopotamia. It was jaw dropping and it rocked that you get free audio guides with admission.

The Neues Museum has a monumental main staircase. The richly decorated interior contrasts with the plain exterior.  The Neues Museum was recently reopened in October 2009 after sitting ruined for over 60 years after being heavily damaged in bombings of Berlin during WWII. Evidence of the bombings and gun fire has been left in the redesign of the building. Blackened original columns stand next to smooth, clean columns and bullet holes are still evident on the exterior and interior walls. On the interior, an effort to preserve frescoes and moldings from the 19th century building shares a space with distinct lines between where the old and the new materials meet. 

 I think I walked 40 km in two days. Let me sleep.

xo em

Potsdamer Platz, Berlin

The Sony Centre

Designed by Helmut Jahn, the Sony Center is visually dramatic, fronted by a 26-floor glass-and-steel tower. The heart of the Sony Center is a central plaza dramatically canopied by a tentlike glass roof with supporting beams emanating like spokes of a bicycle. After dark it erupts in a light show of changing colours. The plaza and its many cafés and beer gardens are great for hanging out and people-watching. Wizardly technology. 

 Lego giraffe!

 Pinch me.

A few crumbling segments and a brick trail through Berlin are all that remain of the wall. Here's a few remainders.

xo em

Tiergarden, Berlin

I still laugh thinking about this huge central park that I got lost in for hours and accidentally ended up at the Berlin Zoo. Located in the heart of Berlin, the Tiergarten is a huge city-centre park, at 210 hectares comparable in size.

The Reichstag (seen below) was closed due to terrorist threats. It was historical used as parliament to the German Empire.

 I have a problem with taking copious shots of "awesome" trees. Gimme a break, Beats!

This seems so magical but after hours of searching for the exit, I was a bit fed up with seeing beautiful landscape. How spoiled bitch of me.

I was really pleased when instead of heading towards the exit I headed towards the zoo. I 

didn't realize at first and was pleasantly surprised to find a pack of lamas.

Safe to say, I made it out alive of the Secret Garden.  Oh yes! When I got back to my hostel my luggage had magically shown up. WIN!

xo Em

Berlin, Germany

Since I've been back to Toronto, I've been really bad at updating this so here goes...

Berlin was all sorts of unusual. After the plane landed in Schoenefeld at 1:00am, I found out that my luggage was lost in transit. After filling out my report, I spent the ride to the hostel forcing myself to accept the fact that my luggage was gone. I tried to be cool with it. "Okay, Emily, this is the big test. It's just stuff, you don't need it. It's gone." I got to the hostel and passed out hard. The next day I walked to Colln area wearing the same clothes, still thinking about how all much stuff was somewhere I wasn't. Thankfully, walking around Berlin made me forget my lost possessions. Berlin clearly has gone through a vast amount of rebuilding over the twenty years post-Wall rebirth. Berlin is a cool combination of glamour and grit. On one hand, I saw some of the most impressive museums and architecture. On the other hand, I saw modern trendiness to its finest with a mixture of guerrilla clubs and punk rock edginess. Posh or punk, you will find what you are looking for here.

The first day really made me happy. The sort of happy like "I could stay here forever".

Berlin Wall Exhibit at the War Museum.

On my walk to check out Museum Island I passed through a dreamy antique crafts market. Puppies in a basket make me giggle.

This Neo Baroque Berlin cathedral was legendary. Pictures don't do justice to how immense this was.

 my foxy partner in crime.

xo em