#idk im just walking down memory lane rn. those were really...fond times

[lilac-melody]

Thinking about my choir days and how, when I was in 6th grade choir, one amazing thing that always stuck with me is how important placements are.

My middle school choir teacher had demonstrated, putting herself in the middle and two of my classmates on either side of her. They sang a few notes, and then had the two girls switch spots.

The difference was honestly night and day.

I just think it’s neat how sound travels differently depending on placements...it really is no wonder why choir teachers are always shuffling everyone around lmao

[jpn-arch]

BERLIN WINTER ‘17

(this is long, if u don’t give a shit press J)

A few weeks (edit: a month or two..it’s spring already) ago I visited Berlin for the first time. Odd considering I don’t live that far. Although nothing in Europe is really insanely far, you might end up paying a lot if you want a little comfort on your trip. 

I wanted to tell you a little  about how I “experienced” the city since this is an architecture blog or sth idk. (“little”, this post is quite long tho..)  I’m quite fond of cities and public transport. I like the dynamics in the city, the different parts of it with each their own feel to it. I like how cycling around a city gives such a different sense than to go on foot or by car, how taking a tram elevates you just enough to almost fly trough the streets. 

I’m pretty sure because in Belgium, where I live, there isn’t really a large city; I get excited when visiting a “real” one.  The capital of Belgium, Brussels is considered the largest city of my country (at least I think so..) and it’s a total joke*. Brussels is nothing compared to London or Paris, and those two are nothing compared to NYC (I’m not even going to touch on Tokyo or HK..) .   I had the opportunity the travel to NYC once, my neck was stiff the whole time. The only thing large we have in Europe are cathedrals, and believe me, they are quite large (and very very beautiful!) (we also have debts, those are large as well…). Anyway, I wanted to give you this little piece of information because this really affects the way I, personally experience cities.  Back to Berlin now;

Apparently there weren’t a lot of holiday seasons around the time I went because Berlin was empty. Really empty.  Which for someone who likes to take “architectural photogrpahs” or whatever It’s called, was perfect. Unless It’s -4° the whole time and your hands are to cold to hold down the shutter button, which it was! Here is an overview ? 

So, 4 days, an empty city and -5° degrees.  (also very crappy im quality I have no idea why, it basically indicates that Im nct trash and can’t speak german for shit even though i’m Belgian) 

This was the weekly plan

Exactly , I didn’t plan a single thing except for a visit to the Reichstag Building because you had to make a reservation. I knew this because an acquaintance of mine told me so. Glad he did.

So on Monday I arrived at the central station, the Hauptbahnhof station. It’s a very nice looking station but @ Germany pls consider placing more signs I think it took me up to 20 min to get out there. And yes I was wearing my prescription glasses. It’s a station hall is nice though, It’s very bright and open space. Au contrère à Bruxelles , cela est vraiment un cauchemar! I also felt quit safe,  I didn’t have the feeling parts of the station were going to tear off and land on my head.  IF you have ever visited a random station in Belgium… you’d understand. (well it very much depends on how much money a towns has, where I live it’s definitely 0€. Others have big bucks; for example If you happen to visit Belgium I recommend you to go to train station of Liege, Don’t ask me how they where able to afford this) 

(this is a shit photo taken with my phone, just to give you a visual on how it looks like)

I consider public transport in Belgium quite shitty, underwhelming, poorly managed, not “modernised”, phathetic even. (I’m quite bitter about this topic lol) It’s by no means bad, (I’m writing this on a train, and it was on time, and it’s one of those newer trains and I can see a power outlet , I can even see TWO OF THEM I’m shook. There is also a screen that tells you what the next stop is and and what time it’ll probably arrive, and it WORKS, for once.)  But for a western country, which is one of the first country’s to use trains not only to transport  goods but also people, It’s pretty bad, poorly maintained and very poorly managed. Rant over.

NOW PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BERLIN. BOY; listen well, there is a metro, a train, a faster train, more trains, a tram and  bus lines. On top of that, Berlin has has bike lines and actually side walks wider than 1m20cm. So that means you can walk to wherever you want without being in a car accident. Although I’ve noticed there aren’t a lot of crossroads for pedestrians,  but then again there is almost no traffic? I have not seen one traffic lane?  I’m not kidding, I’m not sure how they do it.

The public transport, its well maintained, stations are nice, trains, trams and metro’s are on time, never full (again it’s not high season so I guess it’ll be different in summer or during the winter holidays). It was a pleasant experience. People don’t talk on public transport that much, very European, I like it. Nice and quiet :)

Although the Berlin Wall hes been destroyed for about 90% , I feel like the Eastern and Western part is still divided by its architecture and city layout. For example Kreuzberg and the area around the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe is completely different. While the first area is much more relatable to me, walking from the Reichstag Building to the memorial was not. Streets are broad, sidewalks even broader. clean, copy paste facades. Everything was planned out, there was nothing organic about it. It even felt a little uncomfortable.

I visited the small part of the wall that is still intact, it was decorated with some really nice graffiti artwork. Honestly I don’t have that much to say about it, actually rather than that I haven’t actually thought this trough. The Berlin Wall was demolished before I was born and I never experienced it actually being there, actually having a huge impact on the citizens. I’m glad it isn’t there anymore and I went to visit berlin almost “forgetting” (or better ignoring) the fact that it was there once. I didn’t really think of it that much , but now that I reflect I think that was a good thing. I was able to experience the “after berlin” , the Now Berlin without constantly asking questions and visualising the past to put it dramaticly. (I am by no means ignoring the history, I’m just specifically talking about my personal “architectural” viewpoint).

This is a map of where I’ve been and walked around. I didn’t do that much, and I only visited the center of berlin.  

I really like that there are so many different parts of the city that look completely different . In general i think Berlin is a pleasant city to visit on foot, there was never a lack of space to walk or anything like that (like in the center of Paris for example). I think it’s pretty easy to remember the Berlin as well, after two days you kinda know where is what and how to get somewhere. I bought this 6day pass or something to get around with public transport , very handy. I’m patiently waiting for the day they will make a public transport pass that you can use in all the larger cities in Europe, like an oyster card that you can also use in paris, berlin and you know wherever. Fucking Brexit… If i had the opportunity I would love to study in Berlin, it looks like the perfect “student city” (studentenstad).

Well that was all i cld remember , part two of the post is about some buildings I visited. I’d say “i’ll post it next week” but it’ll probably take another two months or so. 

Hope you have a great night, morning, day, and please so something productive on my behalf. 

*srry abt bad english 

**please don’t take everything I say seriously and literally. I’m exagarating.  I’m a political science student it’s why we learn to do (…It’s not, that’s what law students learn lmao jk).

*** can some1 fucking tell me why GT7 is only available on ps4, does anyone now if there is EVER going to be a mac version . I’vee done all the fun races at GT5 and 6, so what do i do with my life rn.

***i’m writing this in my psychology class which battery at  9% i’m

***************but press your number by Taemin on iTunes