Arriving in Berlin is like meeting a new best friend. You know that you instantly value the same things, and you don't feel like you have to prove anything to each other. There is an instant comfort level there that can sustain passionate conversation or long moments of silence.
Everything is straightforward in this city, which is such a refreshing change from other cities that seem to put forward such an opulent facade that you have to dig to find the heart and soul of the culture. Not so Berlin. From the architecture, to the fashion to the attitudes of the people, everything is minimal with an equal dose of form and function. The past and the present seem to sit with each other very respectfully, neither one vying for center stage. There is beauty and elegance for sure, but none of it seems gratuitous or misplaced.
One thing that I really love is the architecture. I have not been in a city with so much contemporary architecture on such a wide scale, and I love it. Most of it is very linear using materials and colors that both contrast and compliment each other.
Berlin is huge, 8 times the size of Paris. With only 2 full days here, we will not be able to explore all of it. But I will be back to visit this new friend again, and I am looking forward to a lifetime of getting to know one another.
