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| Me with my darling boy in Berlin |
I. A vibrant arts scene
There are too many galleries to count... some of which are simply pop-ups. You can walk down a seemingly desolate street or enter a graffiti decorated courtyard and find something off the map. One of the most dynamic museums of contemporary art in the world is called The Hamburger Bahnhof. I was stunned by the simple perfection of Richard Long's Berlin Circle which is a circle of stone with a diameter of 12 meters. Five other floor works by the artist were shown in the historic hall of this former railway station building. As well, they have a permanent collection that is filled with works by big names like Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, Rauschenberg and Anselm Kiefer.
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| Richard Long's Berlin Circle with admiring fans |
II. A city rich in history but sensitive to its past
Berlin has been a political symbol of power for hundreds of years. It contains a vast wealth of historic and artistic treasures that are beautifully displayed in its many museums. But, it also is sensitive to its past - both in terms of the Holocaust and the Berlin Wall. Memorials have been presented in a beautiful and sensitive manner, reminding all of us of the gifts of freedom of personal choice and freedom of religion.
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| Sidewalk marker for the Berlin Wall Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011 |
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| Holocaust Memorial |
Since the wall came down, the city has been renewed by stunning new buildings that are simply breathtaking in their sculptural innovation.
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| The Dome of the Reigstag |
It was a race against the clock to see all that I wanted to see among the many museums in Berlin. I think we barely scratched the surface and often I wished I could have lingered longer.... I cannot think of any other city that has so many museums. Plus the exhibits are usually bilingual (German and English) and the displays are done to utter perfection. I saw things that I didn't even know still existed - like Napolean's hat in the German Historical Museum and the Ishtar Gates in the Pergamon Museum.
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| Altes Museum Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011 |
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| Pergamon Museum Statue Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011 |
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| Museum of Decorative Arts in the Kulturforum Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011 |
I wrote about a new fashion find Saena on a separate post the other day, but there are more hip Berlin labels that could have made their way into my closet if I had had more time to shop. I adored the Jil Sander-like looks of Firma, which for the summer was dominated by black, white and red. I bought a stunning frayed black silk blouse and a cherry red pencil skirt to bring home some of that uber-cool Berlin vibe.
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| Firma F/W Collection 2011 (Courtesy of Firma) |
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