Lichtenberg (Berlin)
Trip Start
Feb 2008
1
13
26
Trip End
Ongoing
Berlin,
Germany
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The house is a student house and all the people here are great people! Anika, Sven, Kühni, Freider, Lisa are wonderful hosts! Most nights we eat together around the living room table, and we have already had a couple of adventures based here :)
The first night we left for the Raw temple to meet with Dragon and Naloa who had traveled to Berlin to meet and play music with Dragon! The Raw temple is quite an intresting place, originally it was a repair yard for trains, and as such has the feel of a rather industrial place, with large warehouses (I assume to house train engines) scattered around built with red brick
Children in park
. We found the warehouse we needed to be in, and walked in. Sitting almost opposite from the door, across the main room and stage was Dragon and Naloa smoking while sitting at a table chatting. We walked across the room, passing a stage to our right, complete with band, playing reggae music and jamming with each other, while the left side, an open area with a single table tennis table in the middle sat. The hall was open, with 4 or 6 pillers supporting the (slightly) cold space, we sat down and greeted Dragon and Naloa, smoking with them and listening to the music the band was playing. Every so often a member would leave the stage, join us for a smoke, then get back into the jam.
After some time, we decided to get up on the stage too, and listen/join into the jam session. Dragon was on the mic, a mixture of German and English lirics (mostly English) in a reggae and briefly hip hop style, although completely concious!
We jammed with the band for a time, enjoying the vibes and music untill we decided to walk across to another warehouse nearby, for it was wensday and once more the reggae dub sounds were being blasted out for all to hear (freely)
Didge gig 01
! Although we did not stay long as I was rather tired and needed rest!Our next venture out into Berlin was an amazing trip, The morning arrived when Anika jumped onto my sleeping bag at 8am, not the ideal waking routine,
however we spent the day together and waited untill the other two got
up, 5 hours later :0
For the day, Anika, Sven and later Kühni took both Cimi and myself to a squat near Hackescher Markt. The squat was an old department store before the war, and was massive, housing a kino (Cinima), a bar complete with smoking rooms and stage, an art gallery on one level and also a massive yard out the back, ageing hippy vans rusted while sounrounded by cast iron art installations all under the shadow of the squats cave like rear.
The evernings events were also planned, later on Mark had invited us to a gig at the Raw temple (seems we are always drawn here!), it was a 10 year aniversary of a band which mark knew, and played didge as well as all kinds of musical instriments, it was about a 5-7 man band in the end
Didge gig 02
.We had met at Marks shop, in Pankow, loaded up a couple of cars full of didges and the odd drum.
Mark was attending the show, not only to listen to the music, but also to set up a small stall just off the stage, in which we were selling didges and CDs.
The event was 5 euros on the door, although Mark had got us three in as helpers to his stall, not only as a cover, but we took the oppitunity to sell our own CDs along side his and flyers, selling about 8 or so for the night!
The Music was amazing, the band was great and it was almost at times breaking into psy-trance, but live! As the first band took a break, we were treated to another, if not diffrent style of band, but still (as always it seems) great. A 10 man Roma gipsy band, all playing brass, reminding me of times at synergie center. A almost manical circus music, or sounding like at time, yet with real soul and a fast tempo that kept people dancing untill the end!
The entire night, I belive we spent about 2 euros, which was unneeded even, since drink were provided free for us from backstage
Didge gig 03
! An amazing night, in which we met so many people, and danced our arses off, even though for most of the night I was behind the stall, still gave me more room to dance in!From Monday we had planned to start on our money making missions, busking and selling CDs on the street. Once more I was awoken in the morning (about 8am again) by Anika, although this time, not as violently, just a finger in the ear :-0 and while waiting for the others to wake up, we walked around Lichtenberg chatting. By the time the others had woken up, at about 1pm or 2pm somthing we headed off to the center, armed with CDs and signs in German and English.
The weather was not that great, with the odd drizzle at times, although not a problem. Paz and I set up stall in Hackescher Markt were they have a market on sundays. We didn't sell anything that day, although was still quite intresting, after setting up, I bumped into a man, who we shared a couple of beers with and also met Ralf.
We sat for a time talking about all kinds of things, although he was quite drunk at times, and scared off potential customers, much to the anioyence of Paz, who got quite worked up after because of him
Didge gig 04
. We left with Ralf for the same squat Cimi and myself explored the day before and were soon sitting down in the bar with about 8 or so Frence guys on holiday for a few days. We spent the rest of the time sitting with them, smoking and drinking coffee before returning to the house in the everning.Tuesday was once again a day of events, although everning once again. This was Cimi's first gig in Berlin, at East of Eden, an English book shop near Frankfuter Allee. Cimi and Paz left first, with me following 20 mins or so later, since I had cooked some pasta for the house and wanted to finish with everyone. After turning up at the bookshop, I soon bumped into Cimi and Paz, just returning from a short walk. Outside over a glass of wine and an intresting bong, I spoke and met Greg, an American, living in Berlin for 15 years running a gallery of his own, quite a character in his own right.
Soon after Cimi was on stage performing her songs, in a small, red lit, book lined room with a small seating area while an audience of about 10-15 people listened intently. Cimi was booked for about 40 or so minutes but cut it short, playing about 4 or 5 songs, unfortunitly as I entered to listen, I only caught the last minute of her last song, all sung with accostic guitar and accompanyed by her voice
Didge gig 05
. Soon after we were back to the CD music, as people mingled back and forth from the bar, the stage and the smoking area outside.Stuart arrived later and we enjoyed the last band, a two person band, from Canada, incorperating theater into their act, and even a spot of tapdancing!
After quite a few drinks and a few smokes, we headed for another bar just round the corner, hidden underneath a building, accessable by climbing through the remains of a celler and a hole in the wall, only to emerge into a small close bar, complete with stage and small rooms off to the side. By this point in the night I was quite wasted, and even left a shot of vodka in my glass, a rare experience for me!
After realising I was wasted, I managed to say my goodbyes and stumble out onto the street, pointed myelf in the direction of Lichtenberg and started the walk back, resisting the dire urge to buy a kabab and slightly overshooting my destination on account of my hazy mind!
Now, after a killer morning, im sitting here writting
Mark and myself at stall
! I have already popped into the center to change the last of my English pounds and pick up some shopping, i'm planning on going full out with the cooking tomorrow, Korean chicken, Kimbab, Kimchi and egg fried rice.The reality of the trip is dawning on me, and im thinking of other alternatives, if the road to Japan is closed to me. Perhaps even living and working in Berlin for a time, since Berlin is a city I can see myself really liking (and do already!) Anyway, these are all just idea's in my head at the moment, I have to work out exactly whats going on first and even see if its possible....life eh?
Stilll, having an amazing time, and meeting equally amazing people here, which is the most important!
Pics uploaded soon!
Have to cut it short quickly! I will add the rest later!
