Berlin Day 2       Thursday

Okay, after enjoying a beautiful day on Wednesday, our hearts sank this morning as we looked out of our 18th floor window and saw........Rain !.  But being the positive types we donned our jackets and Ber packed her Fashion Accessory a.k.a. The Brolly. Boy did it rain!, we had to content ourselves with the possibility of a day of window shopping. It actually seemed to be getting heavier the further Downtown we went. We went towards Friedrichstrasse, which is one of the main shopping streets on the East side and which was one of the crossing areas from East to West when such crossings were allowed. We dodged the drops to make our way to Checkpoint Charlie and discovered that the Holocaust memorial was very near to that.

As we surveyed a myriad of sculpted blocks here, the rain stopped and the sun began to show.  We went around a corner from this and discovered remnants of  'the Wall'. In between snacks we made our way to the Brandenberg Gate and along the Strasse des 17Juni, on either side of this broad and beautiful road was the Tiergarten.

A Vast Green Belt. We eventually arrived at Charlotteburg, the heart of the West side.  I don't think we realised how far we had walked, though our feet did. We used day 2 of our Discover Berlin Bus passes to do an evacuation to Alexanderplatz and our Hotel room. 

What a day.

Berlin Day 1 Wednesday 7th

Day 1

Our first full day in Berlin was an eye opener.  Firstly we realised that the train station was less than a hundred yards from the Park Inn Hotel where we were staying. On our arrival the previous night we took a taxi from the Airport which set us back 40 euro. The train fair was 2.80 each.  Something to bear in mind for the next time.  Wednesday morning was spent on a city bus tour which took us through from East - West Berlin and lasting 2 hrs it gave us a fair idea of the City and its most important aspects. Temperatures were touching the low 20's so it was very pleasent indeed. Again one was struck by the pure vastness of the place and the enormity of its amenities. Very iser friendly.  Wide Boulevards edged by large Autumnal Parks.  We were falling in love with the place already.....and we barely looked at shops.  WOW !

Berlin

Art Rant

      

                                                    What makes me MAD.

When it comes to Art I can truly say there is much, in which I take pleasure.  Be it the skill of the hand or the intelligence of colour and atmosphere applied to the work I can stand back and appreciate true Art.  What I absolutely HATE is the tendency of some artists to give an in depth appreciation of their Artistic style and influence and actually exhaust the limits of ones credulity with a language normally accredited to University Lecturers.  I was reminded of this while reading an Art Magazine recently.  This poor boy was responding to the question, "What are you currently working on and what gave rise to this work?"

His answer was thus: "My practice is a continual process that constantly evolves and transforms.  I see the work as all being part of a greater ' whole'. ( I'm getting lost already).  Recently, my interest in texture and form has enabled my work to develop into three dimensions. Current works are exploring questions thrown up by this transformation in relation to the concerns that are at the core of my work. ( Yawwwn ) These new questions relate to form, space and the relationship with the audience.

If this young man were to be honest and having seen a sample of his' work ' in the mag. he'd have been better saying, " Look ! I went on a bender for a weekend, threw up all over the floor, woke up next morning and said Hey ! that looks good !".

My own Art Philosophy is this: I love nature. If I see something in a scene which makes me gasp, I attempt to capture it on canvas.  That's it !.      I prefer Realism as against Abstract, though some Abstract can be excellent. But Artists should restrict their Abstractions to their Paint works and leave it out of their self assessments.

A Safe Place

I found this lovely story which I encouage you to read at all cost.

   A dear friend of mine who was quite a lover of the chase, told me the following story: “Rising early one morning,” he said, “I heard the baying of a score of deerhounds in pursuit of their quarry. Looking away to a broad, open field in front of me, I saw a young fawn making its way across, and giving signs, moreover, that its race was well-nigh run. Reaching the rails of the enclosure, it leaped over and crouched within ten feet from where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came over, when the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs. I lifted the little thing to my breast, and, swinging round and round, fought off the dogs. I felt, just then, that all the dogs in the West could not, and should not capture that fawn after its weakness had appealed to my strength. So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God.
   

Well do I remember when the hounds of sin were after my soul, until, at last, I ran into the arms of Almighty God.”



A. C. Dixon

19th Anniversary Yesterday.

Yep folks Yesterday was our 19th Anniversary.  Scary thought though, seeing it only feels like a couple of years ago. Still it's great to be able to say we are still in love after all that time. The Lord has been exceptionally good to us in that time. Indeed we can simply say that He supplies all our need.  What a God, what a Saviour.  As a hymn writer once expressed, " Oh ! what a Christ have I !".    Ber is still in love with me too. What a joy she is .

I'm Sick ! I just don't feel sick!

I hate being unwell, particularly when I feel fine. I got up Sunday morning with a rash on both my arms and fingers and feet.  Came home from work last evening with a sore left foot, took off my shoes and socks and, after the house was deemed safe to re-enter discovered a number of very large water blisters. YUCH !  Went to a Doctor this morning and he told me my autoimmune system had flared up. I'm on steroids now ! He wants me to stay out of work for a few days.  I hate being out.  HEY ! am I getting any sympathy here !?