22 August 2013

Berlin - Day 4

Today we went to a laundrette near Mauerpark. We had plenty of clothes and a handful of coins. The place had a chessboard floor, like the one that the T-1000 emerges from in Terminator 2. With a row of silver laundry machines and dryers on one side and tables and red, cushiony sofas on the other, it looked like it used to be a fake American diner before. They offered simple food and cheap coffee and we decided to stay in and grab a bite. 

I had a little bit of work to do and Sumin brought a book that she really enjoyed. We weren't the only costumers. An old man was reading the paper over a tall beer. A grandpa was playing table foosball with a little girl, overreacting to her every move, much to her entertainment. With our clean and dry laundry we went by Mauerpark for a bit, then to a small organic supermarket for some fruit and beers and finally to our favourite spot, the Volkspark am Weinbergsweg. 

It's at the corner of Invalidenstraße and Brunnenstraße, a hilly piece of green with a tiny pond and some trees to enjoy the sun. On our way we saw a bunch of boxes on the sidewalk. People were rummaging through them and I wondered what it was. They were filled with books. Apparently, someone had moved and abondoned boxed pieces of his library for grabs. Judging by the traces he left, he was a local historian or something. I got four hard covers.

For dinner, we met Daham hyung, another friend who's originally from Seoul. He's been in Berlin for a couple of years now and has developed an admirable way of living. From table tennis competitions to photographic expeditions, to spend an evening with him and his girlfriend is like hearing a nobel lecture in creative awareness. It was a glorious night and we realized that we had grown quite fond of this part of the city. We left Berlin with a smile.   

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