Government Seat in Berlin

The German Government buildings seated around the Reichstag (one of the few surviving buildings but still damaged with a need to be restored by I believe none the other than Norman Foster) was erected when it was decided in 1991 that Berlin would once again be capital city (a move accomplished in 1999). Some people prefer cities with a more architecturally visible Historical past, like pompeous Paris, but I not only enjoy modern architecture but also feel touched by being a witness of the History that these modern buildings here in Berlin represent. A sometimes heavy History.

I found my way here from Friedrichstrasse following the river, not long before sunset. For some reason there were about 20 polizei vans parked along the way and policemen seemingly way for something. Ihad  just about crossed half the road eventhough the light was red for pedestrians when I remembered that this is illegal but carried on anyway (hey, the crime was already half done!) and none of about 30 policemen nearby seemed to care. Did I look like such an obvious tourist that they couldn’t bother with? Phew. I renounced the long queue for the Reichstag’s dome (four times I have thought about going up there, and every time the queue has been longer thank the previous time, as if taunting me…), so instead I turned away from the tourist path and followed the water in between two Bundestag buildings. It makes for an extremly photogenic environment. And you can walk along as the water tangles and untangles to Hauptbanhof and then down again near the Reichtag, leading you to what Berliners call the “Schwangere Auster” (Pregnant Oyster), which is really a thriving cultural house, built in the 1950s as USA’s gift to Berlin as part of the Interbrau (International Bauausstellnung). But I walked back to the Reichstag and then headed to Zoologischer Garten by Bus.

By the way, a new U-Bahn station is being built just nearby, Bundestag. If I got it right with my poor German, it should open in 2009

ps: I have of course played with the colours of the first two images as it was really a grey day. Nonetheless, the setting is beautiful and photographs do not need to be “enhanced” to represent the intriguing and aesthetic architecture of the Governmental area of Berlin.

Public Space

I have a rather odd and complete fascination with a space that, for 50 cents is yours for 20 minutes in Berlin. It is a magical place to relax, relieve and maybe do some philosophical thinking. The public toilets.

Space toilet

Descriptions and explanations abound, in several languages, on its doors. When you pay the two doors seperate with a sweeping sound, “tscchfffff”, like a spaceship opening, and your friend can wish you a happy trip as you step inside and the doors spoosh behind you. It’s massive and everything moves under your feet as you wobble to the seat. Some undulating, relaxing music plays as you do your business and after you exit the doors lock and an automatic loud washing process begins. It’s all very cool, especially if you have spent most of your life in France where public toilets are rather, hmm, smelly, uncomfortable and you just want out asap. Also very handy with the constant beer drinking, it’s not hard to find a toilet in urgent moments. Some also have phones attached to them, because you want to be making a phone call with the delicious background sound of someone working their intestines. Fear not, the walls are very soundproof.

Toilet in Lustgarten... with a phone

And when you reach the end of the 20 minutes but don’t feel ready to leave and confront the life on the streets, there is large button that says “+ 20 min” that you can tap.