#83

The view from TV-tower gives us the chance to play something like an adult version of a hidden picture puzzle, a wimmelpicture. Even the best glasses cannot help you find Orania.Berlin on this photo, but there are so many great places of Berlin you can spot indeed. Why don´t you follow the S-Bahn from Alexanderplatz to central station? Or can you recognise Bodemuseum? The real Berlin fans could even tell us which building Berliner Ensemble is. Do all of these names wake up your longing for Berlin? Then this is your place to be right now. Off we go to a new Orania.Berlin.Tour through one of Europe´s most exciting metropolises!

Let´s start with a little puzzle. Who created this beautiful collage we can currently admire between the train rails of U2 at Nollendorfplatz station? Just send an email answering to this newsletter and help us unravel the mystery.

Summer lures us outside, of course. If summer doesn´t claim to be April again (like it did a lot in July), there´s no better party than the one in the open air. A walk across the lot of R.A.W.-Gelände at Warschauer Straße (former national railway repair works) with its numerous clubs, beer gardens, sport arenas, exposition halls and event venues is the most fun, when you can also keep celebrating outdoors – for example at Cassiopeia Sommergarten, Urban Spree or Badehaus.

If you´re up for open air parties, you shouldn´t miss Hamburger Bahnhof´s Berlin Beats, every Thursday until 04 September. Amazing DJ concerts at free entrance come with great streetfood in front of an impressive background. Very instagrammable. (© Kulturprojekte Berlin, photo: Alex Rentsch)

Here come some good news for you to keep you updated: Mohrenstraße in Mitte will indeed be renamed. The German word “Mohr” is an old-fashioned, discriminating word mainly for people with an African background and dark skin. After several inhabitants of the street had appealed against the decision of one of Berlin´s courts, it has now been confirmed that the judgement becomes final. The street will be renamed to Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße, honouring the first scientist of African origin teaching at a Prussian university. It´s worth the while to look for remaining street signs that haven´t been turned into “Möhrenstraße” (Eng.: carrot street) or make the first part of the word invisible with stickers. Berlin´s civil society has once more proven to be as openminded as it is said to be, even confirmed by justice now. We like.

Those of you who love change, too, but still like giving in to nostalgia from time to time, should make sure to attend Potsdamer Schlössernacht. The park of Sanssouci palace will once again be turned into a sea of light, sound and art on 22 and 23 August. As the event is very popular, we recommend booking your tickets in advance. (© photo: Artem Heissig) 

Hungry? It´s a real shame that we haven´t even once had Döner or Shawarma together in all these years! We promise to change that. In fact – let´s change it right now. Imren Grill – for example at Karl-Marx-Straße in Neukölln – has the city´s best Shawarma for our liking (the rotisseries are being hand-equipped with high-quality meat in a homemade seasoning) and outstanding fresh ayran as well as fabulous stews and soups. Please don´t let the small sitting area scare you away. The food is worth every claustrophobic attack.

On our way back home let´s take a little detour and go check out art center Bethanien again. It´s been quite a while since we last came here. Kunstraum Kreuzberg shows an interesting exhibition about nature in social and political contexts.

The social and political context of our direct surroundings cannot be overlooked on our way home. Filled with new impressions, we cannot wait to get back to better-known fields. See you at dinner.