Berlin With Chantal

To my beautiful family who took the giant leap ... 

May Berlin bring you peace, happiness and riches. Thank you for sharing your world with me.

Having lived in Asia for over twenty-two years now, it is understandable that I feel more at home here than I ever have in most parts of the world. Except of course for South Africa, which will always remain in my blood. In my heart and deep in my soul. My home country, it will always be. Memories of wide-open spaces, of breath-taking scenery around every corner, of vineyards reaching out forever and the majestic Drakensberg mountains are ever present in my days. The smell of fresh rains pelting down on the hot earth. The aromas filling the air when cooking on a traditional braai. The sounds of African music sending shivers through my body as the drums pay homage to the Spirit of Africa. These riches can, at times, easily reduce me to tears.

Due to work opportunities and the wish to be nearer to my children, in the past I have had to create homes in China, Myanmar and Cambodia. Travel has become a part of my life. Exploring the various customs and cultures bring me so much happiness and excitement. I tend to embrace the differences fully. Always feeling comfortable. 

I found myself on board a plane heading for Berlin. My first visit to Germany. On arrival, I was unusually overwhelmed by my surroundings. I was on foreign soil. I could not understand a word anyone was saying. I could not read the signs which greeted me with a sense of foreboding. To be honest, I felt out of place. And very alone.

My comfort was the sight of my youngest, Chantal, standing there in her denim shorts.  Her golden curls caressing her slim shoulders and her huge smile lighting up the grim Arrivals Hall. She took my hand and with great eagerness, led me into exploring her life in Berlin.

My first few days in Berlin were spent cuddling my beautiful granddaughter, Abigail. There was just so much she needed to show me. To share with me. All in her lovely bedroom. We would interrupt our play for one reason only. Chantal’s culinary skills. I have been blessed with kids who enjoy getting creative and moving somewhat out of the box when it comes to food preparation. One of the benefits of raising them in China I guess. It is without hesitation that we always make a beeline for the most exotic foods. In China, we often huddled into our heavy winter coats while cradling a piping hot patat (sweet potato) between our thermal gloves. The alleyways and hutongs enticed us for eighteen years to savour traditional Chinese food. It was in Berlin, in an area called Prenzlauer Berg, that I enjoyed some of the best Persian food. Seated at a table on the pavement. With Chantal. The rich flavours and heavenly aromas of cinnamon and spices, that are so typical of that culture, filled my belly. We ended the meal with homemade lemonade – Persian style. Its delicate fragrance masked the tartness of the liquid.

 

We walked further along the most fascinating streets in the Prenzlauer Berg area. It was what I had expected Berlin to be and yet, there was an almost mystical ambience. Trees towered over us. Holding the space for life below. The diversity of those crossing our path that day was fascinating. Berlin is a melting pot for those who come from far and wide. Various languages could be heard. A reminder that we are all so unique and yet we share the same desires. Have the same needs.

Prenzlauer Berg made the transition from farmlands to upmarket living. Its claim to fame is that of having the first beer garden in the city! There exist the most exquisite buildings everywhere. Stately and no doubt very, very old. Graffiti was ever-present. I have mixed feelings about that, having seen the mutilation caused to what were once doors, walls and buildings of great beauty. I do however understand that it is an accepted form of expression and in certain cases, has been instrumental in bringing about change. Rather than defacing beautiful structures, designating certain areas and surfaces to this form of expression, would be more acceptable perhaps. Thankfully this practice is now illegal. Not that this has been taken seriously enough. Wandering around the famous local flea market, I felt a twinge of nostalgia. Most flea markets around the world provide a platform for the same old stuff. It was heart-warming to witness.

Abby’s school had a closing ceremony for the end-of-year celebrations. As a teacher, I was super excited to visit her school and meet her friends. There were eats and treats. A surplus of drinks too. The shrill voices of excited kindergarten children filled the old building’s hallways. It was like no other school I had been to, in terms of the outside environment. In South Africa, Myanmar and China, the students were blessed with huge stretches of greenery in which to run. This was not the case here. Tall dark buildings surrounded the school, limiting the outdoor area. This went unnoticed by the kids. They had friends. They were happy. They had plenty to eat and they had painted faces!

                               

There is no shortage of greenery in Berlin. The expansive parks, dotted around the city, are phenomenal. The greenery in Europe seems to be six shades greener than in Africa and Asia. Bearing a luminous  hue. More delicate in a way. More pristine. One almost wants to take a bite out of the trees. 

The family have a large, elegant apartment two minutes away from the Lietzensee Park. The trees continually impressed me due to their height and intriguing growth patterns. Many stood in positions of power, having spread their branches far and wide. One specific giant stands proudly displaying his massive branches. Branches which have provided shade for four hundred years. Abby delighted in spreading her wings in these amazing parks. Safety in public spaces is sadly quite foreign to a South African. It made my heart sing to see a child free and safe enough to expand her imagination through play and running around.

We visited other such incredible parks around the city. Abby was free to lead the way, distancing herself from us adults, to the Charlottenberg Palace gates. Yet another sight to warm my heart – seeing my six-year-old being so free. She had mastered the basics of the German language within a few weeks of arriving in the country. On many occasions, she saved me from embarrassing situations by taking on the role of translator. My quiet pride in Abby’s abilities wanting to burst forth for all to hear.

Whilst Chantal was hard at work and Abby at school, I spent days wandering around stately buildings dating back to 1908. The architecture is magnificent. Red flowers, of many varieties, peeked over the endless balconies of apartments. Greeting passers-by with their beauty. Holding the space sacred for the residents. The air captured a sense of playful romanticism. I longed to glance behind those great thick walls. To witness what modern-day life looked like behind those historic confines. 

Handsome red-brick buildings, with a history of their own, stood alongside modern-day office blocks. One of which had a fascinating piece of art on the façade. That depicting huge rats climbing up a rope. Granted it was very impressive. From beyond the emerald green of the trees, a most beautiful church gazed across at us. I must confess to being terrible when it comes to history and historical facts. Anywhere in the world. For me, it’s the ambience, the beauty and the mystery perhaps, that hold me in their grip when travelling. The people or even at times, the absence of people, is what is fascinating to me.

What impressed me in Berlin was the cleanliness, the order and the discipline in which people and structures exist. A far cry from the organised chaos one deals with within Siem Reap. The chaos I have grown to love and respect. The chaos which serves as a platform to nurture the character and spirit of both the people and the place. The heartbeat of the city.

 

One of the most interesting and horrific outings was that of the Holocaust Memorial. Two thousand, seven hundred and eleven concrete slabs lie in their utterly stark greyness on an undulating area in the city. A chilling memorial dedicated to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Juan and I walked amongst the slabs in silence. The atmosphere was both serene and eerie. Nobody else was around, making it easier for us to absorb the beauty of the brilliant architecture. The horror of what it all represented was of course quite overwhelming.

The undulating area on which the memorial stands provides an incredibly clever deception of the appearance of each slab. Walking gently between them, we were suddenly dwarfed by the huge concrete chunks. The resulting atmosphere could easily transport one into a state of extreme horror and disbelief, of the actual reality being presented.

Brandenburg Gate, constructed between 1788-1791, is the harsh reminder of Berlin being divided into East and West Berlin. Looking up at this majestic structure, I once again found it difficult to believe where I was. Standing in the midst of history. So much horror and suffering had taken place before. So much laughter and contentment was now occurring  on that same spot as I stood there. Shoppers, children, tourists, bars and coffee shops – all exist at the foot of the mighty gate.  Very difficult to create a reality from all the surrealness surrounding us.

The Reichstag, is home to the country’s parliament – The Bundestag. It opened in 1894. A magnificent building. Gazing up at it, I realised just how commanding it is. And how small we are. The mere sight of it creates an aura of power and dominance. The famous glass dome supposedly provides transparency in politics. An oxymoron if ever.

 

Potsdam Platz provided yet another surreal experience for me. Standing in modern Berlin, surrounded by pristine skyscrapers, I was in awe of my environment. Images of brutal history being kept alive, whilst people went about their daily modern, comfortable lives.  After the Second World War, the buildings in the area were in ruins. Reconstruction began in the 1990’s.  The historical site is surrounded by ultra-modern town houses, embassies and famous hotels, such as The Kempinski. The area exudes wealth and elegance. A far cry from its miserable past.

It was impossible to visualise the height and width of the original Berlin Wall. The monster which had separated East and West Berlin. Which had caused mass destruction of people’s lives. Sickening to think that a single man-made structure gave birth to pain and suffering to so many for so long. The sheer magnitude of this horror is beyond comprehension. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of families being ripped apart. And then the happiness they experienced when, so many years later, the Wall was abolished.

 

The withstanding slabs of concrete are covered in graffiti and chewed gum. An intriguing way of letting the world know of the sentiments felt by many with regards to the brutal barrier which divided a city. A nation.

To be continued …