It was routine to bug homes and ‘persuade’ people to inform on their neighbours by, for instance, promising that their child, in return, would be admitted to University. One chilling story involved the Stasi denying a man medication for his chronic illness unless he agreed to inform upon his neighbour...
Today, it's glamorous and gentrified and the techno clubs are long gone, replaced with cafes filled with yummy mummies, sipping lattes and blocking doors with their buggies... it's also home to an old synagogue (and Jewish cemetery) and some funky restaurants and is a wonderful place to spend a few hours (or, in the summer, a long day).
The result, predictably, was that the square became a showcase for “socialist architecture.” A number of ugly, soulless buildings went up, along with the 'Fernsehtum’ or, as it’s better known, the Television Tower. Designed with the help of the Swedes, it stands at 365 metres high and at its top is a revolving restaurant...
I spent my days shuttling between ritzy upmarket suburbs like Charlottenburg and once- thriving but by the early 90's almost-defunct factories in Treptow. I dressed like a Berliner (all in black), partied like a Berliner (went out at midnight and came home at 6am), made a wealth of friends and spent Sundays taking long, aimless walks across the old East...
Firstly, London is packed with enough odd and unusual activities to keep you entertained indefinitely. Secondly, everything’s well within reach because of the incredible London Underground transport system. And thirdly, many of the ‘hidden’ attractions of London are free or comparatively cheap when compared to the big tourist attractions...
...apart from the fact that there are so many varieties of fish to choose from, every London fish & chips shop has its own ‘twists’ (whether it’s the batter they use, the way they cook their chips — and in what shape they make them - and the additional extras you’ll get on your plate — such as pickles or mushy peas).
It might be the less trendy part of the Portobello Market, but this area of town has plenty to intrigue. And whilst it might not have the style, glamour and price tag of its fashionable neighbour, Notting Hill, it's a great place to wander with a camera. Here are a few pictures from the area that runs from Portobello Green up to north Kensington...
I discovered Lisboa at the tender age of 20 (my beloved first love introduced me to the place) and it fast earned a place in my heart for it’s delicious ‘natas’ - traditional custard tarts made with wonderfully flaky pastry. I have extraordinary memories from the first time I ever tasted one - sitting outside (on a cold, bright winter’s day) with a cup of steaming coffee and biting into one of these gooey delicacies. ..
I’m still a big fan — I believe in buying local produce, contributing to my community and promoting an urban food environment...ut I can’t help but think, in some ironic way, that many farmers markets are actually becoming victims of their own success…or at the very least they’re losing their way, because what I see today is a far cry from the ‘revolutionary’ set ups I witnessed 25 years ago. ..
Our bus had not only left the Nicaraguan border late (what border guard doesn't like his siesta?) but had made two long stops because of engine problems. We finally rocked up in the capital at almost 10pm. It was late, we were hungry and exhausted, and the last bus to get us to La Ceiba had long since departed. We needed to bed down...
My favourite piece in the Library, without a doubt, has to be the Astronomical Clock. Deigned by Raingo in Paris, it has been French polished to a marble finish It’s a highly complex mechanism. showing an intricate model of the solar system...the rotation of the earth on its axis and the phases of the moon...
Over time, Balenciaga's designs became more linear and sleek - look at Ava Gardner and Jackie Kennedy in his creations, if you want proof of it. The ground floor of the exhibition (which, by the way, is beautifully curated) is dedicated to his clothes and accessories and if you're a fashion guru you're going to be in seventh heaven...
