Arrived in Berlin this afternoon and after negotiating the city's intricate web of public transport I found my hostel in the suburb of Kreuzberg. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon so I decided to take a walk through the neighbourhood ... I was trying to find a couple of shops I had seen written about in magazines but had no luck, upon researching in more detail on the web I found out that the entrances to these places, in particular a book shop was very discrete. It's one of those areas, you know with all the hidden gems waiting to be found. Instead I stumbled upon a really funky screen-printing studio, an organic/eco-friendly supermarket and a fantastic Indian restaurant where I enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner feast.
It's hard to explain the flavour of this neighbourhood, although I was never there, New York during the '70s comes to mind. It has a large immigrant population, which was and still is dominated by the Turkish community, but over time has become a hot bed for art and bohemian culture. As in any neighbourhood this flood of creativity soon brings may followers, rent rises and the artists and low-income earners are forced to move elsewhere.
Even though this process is very apparent in Kreuzberg it still has a very raw quality. Graffiti, beggars, immigrants, artists, alternatives, musicians, trendy cafes and restaurants, un-kept streets, well-used public spaces, cyclists, young families ... creates a unique mix of cultural layers. Anyway this is an environment you feel ... and I must say it keeps you on your toes. I found myself reluctant to intrude on its ambience by pulling out my camera as I thought it might somehow destroy the beauty of the place.
On a sunny afternoon, a walk through Gorlitzer Park is like entering another world. It's kind of like entering a remote hippy commune only its in the middle of a dense city. There were kids playing on a soccer field, kids throwing themselves down a huge slide, some adults trying to tight-rope along a strap tied to two trees, kids riding their bike, musicians strumming their guitars, young people drinking beer (drinking in public is commonplace) ... but there was one area that really captured my imagine. It is perhaps the best example of unstructured play I have ever since in a public urban space.
So, there was a van, called the Spielwagen (website) which carries a vast collection of play equipment that can be spread out over a public park or square. During the warmer months they circulate between all the major public spaces in Berlin, also catering for private functions. Its not rocket-science, just good old-school equipment ... ropes, balancing beams, rolling drums, billy carts, balls, ladders, slides ... and the best thing is that the kids can pick them up, move them around and appropriate them as they want. It was a pleasure to watch, especially after watching my nephews and niece grow up as well as studying unstructured outdoor play at university. What also made the experience unique was that these were the kids of liberal-thinking creatives and immigrants whom are willing to give their children the opportunity to test the boundaries, get dirty and just be kids. I should mention that this liberty also extends pass the park boundaries, kids can been seen crawling around the pavement as the parents wait in-line outside a trendy cafe, or riding their bikes behind their parents along the road. As a result these kids' motor and social skills appear very well-developed for their age - what a blessing of growing up in such a rich cultural environment and what interesting adults they are sure to become.
During a conversation with the owner of the hostel I am staying in I have just learned that Gorlitzer Park was once home to Berlin's main train station. It was bombed during WW2 and was later reincarnated as a park ... Now it is host to the most vibrant of children's play. He also mentioned a big event during last winter which saw a massive snowball fight between the neighbouring suburbs of Kreuzberg and Neukolln, click here to see Youtube clip.
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