Write in Berlin

So we witness Berlin’s hottest spell (37-39 degrees in the shade, anyone? Anyone?) evvaa. After its coldest and snowiest winter since 1947. But c’mon Berlin. Is that all you’ve got? I am not impressed.

bipolar, found on lotuswork, wordpress

Because although in many regards I am a middle-of-the road person, neither prone to extreme emotions, crazy ideas (apart from jumping out a plane once) or other extravagances, man, even accepting zero-events like Irish summers, I seem to have something about me that directs extremes my way. That not only applies to weather phenomenons but as well to husbands who drive an “all-or-nothing” approach, characters in my books that display a quite extreme  behaviour (like murdering others, eg) and cities that I end up in.

After mildly tempered, easy going Dublin, the last couple of months in Berlin revealed an all different animal to me. Bi-polarism, just like the die hard continental climate, is a way of life. It’s a city where human interaction with total strangers can either end in a fun and super-nice conversation, or in somebody shouting at you for buying a TV, and so far I haven’t found out a way to predict which of the reaction an innocent action/question might provoke. A city which is both a cradle for violent right-wing activities as well as equally fascist left-wing movements that rip German flags from immigrant’s houses.

Berlin is the city where I have seen the biggest agglomeration of fancy people and old timer cars while it has a unemployment rate of over 13.5% (as opposed to 7.5% across Germany). Where you get told off for crossing an empty street at red, and get across a middle aged lady flashing her bra-less breasts to her fellow metro train riders because it’s so hot. And where rampant gentrification is lamented by the very same people who fuel it.

I clearly live in a clear love-hate relationship with extremes. They pluck me out of my comfort zone, because I like my hassle free and harmony-driven life. I still fail to understand them and their many contradictions. But at the same time they attract me, and I want to explore them. Extremes make for interesting stories, and even more interesting characters. Balance is lovely, but as well boring.

So c’mon Berlin, bring it on. I am ready.

berlin extreme found on metal.de

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