Blog Archives
Base flying in Berlin 柏林市中心飛行
That’s what I did yesterday, the Base flying. In the centre of Berlin, Park INN, Alexander platz. This site start in 2009 and the season of 2012 just start yesterday at 3pm. But they said they opened a little bit earlier. Well, I went there at 4:30pm and I was already scheduled and fly as the number 45. That means within 2 hours 44 people already done the base flying. So what is base flying? It’s simply like sky jump in Macau Tower. You don’t actually need to jump but, more like step out to the air and they hang you up….you start to scare…in a security way…then when you are ready ( or you will never feel like ready ) then the wire release… Suddenly drop down from 98 meters to almost few meters to slow down and stop. Woo…I felt more like dropping down than flying…Very very fast….in 4 – 6 seconds you already feel a guy standing on the platform and waiting for you. “How is the flight?” Woo…the first answer to him is:”haha…ha” , “what’s going on?”
You may like to ask me what is the most exciting moment, I will say, the dropping with unexpected speed. I tried twice in Macau Tower, which might said even double height of this base flying, but it’s somehow with the feeling of flying. But I didn’t feel it in Berlin. It’s all about dropping. Very exciting!! Please try if you are crazy or seeking for something awesome.
What’s on in Berlin: Spring Festival
Yes, there is a Spring Festival in Berlin which just start last Friday and right now about one week and will go on till 22 APR. I have been there yesterday. I know its like an amusement park with some swirling swings, Ferris wheels, and other exciting airborne rides. But I have no idea what will the German amusement park look like. Finally, I found it quite “old school” style with NO wheels existing this year but an old one in front of the park. Anyway, the park was not crowded because yesterday the easter holiday not yet started. And I went there around 4pm, some families with small kids played in some attractions and took a ride. Funny with friendly people and those were wearing smiles. And there were a lot of Wurst and Bier that you can enjoy. I love this kind of “old school” park and sometimes I miss our Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park so much.
Here is some information:
Berliner Frühlingsfest
vom 30. März bis 22. April 2012 in
Zentralen Festplatz
There will be a Sunday market and firework in several days. Please check it out.
最近，柏林有個臨時的樂園，被視為一年一度的春節活動，於上周五展開，如今剛一星期，我昨天就去過了，出發之前已經知道是個小型的遊樂園，有少許機動遊戲，誰不知往年有的小小摩天輪（看過往年的圖），今年卻沒有，只剩下放在大門入口的一個裝飾。其實這小地方頗為搞笑，充滿了舊時代的玩意，夾公仔機還是古老的夾子，公仔都很古怪，實在不能跟日本的相比，我看來看去只有藍精靈的一部機引起我少許興趣。遊人不多，通常是爸媽帶着小孩，而且年紀是 3 – 4 歲那種小。機動遊戲的項目如大鞦韆、米老鼠車、碰碰車、鬼屋等都有，約 3 歐左右，還有攤位遊戲等，此外，賣腸仔啤酒的，幾乎隔幾米就有間。攤位遊戲也是受歡迎的，情侶們、小家庭，齊齊圍捕，大顯身手。
間中去參與一個這樣的舊樂園，感覺像時光倒流，回到過去的荔園。懷舊的度過了幾小時。
Hotel Art Nouveau – Freund aus Deutschland
Few years ago, when I worked for one of the magazine from HK, I traveled quite often, once or twice a month. But even I went to the same destination which I have been to before, I seldom stayed in the same place. I was quite happy to search for new. In those few years I visited Berlin for four times, but I stayed Hotel Art Nouveau for two times, which was also recommended by my colleague who stayed beforehand. Why? I guess you may agree with me, because of the host, the owner. He is a very friendly German with a nice artistic wife who came from Austria. They have a kind a love story which is easy to understand: opened a guest house because they wanted to build their nest fill with love. And they both loved travel around the world. So when they tried to find a place to settled down a bit, they bought some flats on a building. His wife designed the interior and he do his managing work. First when I came, they treated me like a friend and the following next time I backed, seems like visiting an old friend who lived Berlin.
Their guest house is perfectly quiet and in the very “west” berlin area, Savignyplatz. So if you have time to visit, please say a hello for me.
在過去於雜誌工作的幾年間，我經常出門，不過就算往同一地點去，也很少重覆住同一酒店，因為我很愛新鮮感。而這幾年來柏林有四次，然而卻有兩次入住同一間旅館Hotel Art Nouveau，有趣的是這家旅館是我一位同事介紹，他之前亦住過。為什麼我們都愛它？原因不是因為什麼設計與裝修，而是「人為」因素，就是這裡的老闆。他是為很親切有善的德國人，有位奧地利籍的藝術家老婆，是一個平凡的愛情故事，兩人築愛巢，然後買下物業作為居所也作為旅館，兩口子都愛周遊列國，他們仍間中外遊。無需多說，妻子當然是發揮所長，負責室內設計，老公做管理。當我第一次到訪時，他們已很熱情招呼我，而我再次回去時，感覺有如探朋友，一位居於柏林的朋友。
他們的旅館真的非常舒服，清靜，座落在很西面的柏林。如下次你有機會入住，請代我向他們問好！
ITB in Berlin
ITB, the leading travel trade show in Berlin, is now holding in Messe Berlin (the big big big exhibition halls). I was there yesterday for just few hours. Today is the last day open until 6pm. Some of my friends planned to go with the discount rate because of the “late check-in”. I was lucky as I can visit with my media status anytime from 7-11 MAR free. It was really big with almost 20 something halls inside, can’t be comparable with the one in HK exhibition centre. But ITE (held in HK) is also a nice travel expo with well organized and clear instruction. It is what I am proud of being a HKese sometimes.
今天將完結的柏林 ITB 旅遊展，我昨天參觀過。地點在 Messe Berlin 舉行，而此地是個非常大的展覽中心，我只逛了幾小時，已經很累。最後一天的展覽至下午六時，我有些朋友在最後幾小時前往，說是有 discount。我知道自己很幸運，因為可用特殊的記者身份免費參觀，但無論如何，halls實在太多，展館有二十幾個，相比香港會展實在也不能比較，不過，我也欣賞會展的旅遊展，雖只得兩至三個 hall，但也很組織得好，指示清楚。身為香港人也為這點感到自豪。
Surrealism
Here comes the last day of Museum’s tour in Berlin which started 2 days ago, when I’ve got a three days pass. Then I planned to visit the most TOP 10 from the booklet recommended. Surely, I was just picking up some interesting <—which I regarded… mostly were painting and drawing. For example, Gemäldegalerie (old master painting) in Postsdam Platz and Alte Nationalgalerie in Museumsinsel. I didn’t miss DDR, Guggenheim and Pergamonmuseum for sure. But the most interesting one was not on this list, which is the one I saw today in Charlottenburg which just opposite to the Palace, called Scharf-Gerstenberg. This is a private collection of Scharf’s family and showcases of the Surrealists. Two floors and one big hall covers many important works from Piranesi, Goya, Redon, Dali, Rene Magritte, Paul Klee, Max Ernst and Jean Dubuffet. Remembered that once I was in Brussel, I took a tour to Rene Magritte Museum which impressed me very much. I thought I really appreciate what the artists’ creative works. I started my first touch on this topic. Now, I am still learning about Surrealism. This private collection of Scharf are not the Mega store, but tidy, nice, interesting and modern. There are cafe and film display also. Can take a short break on weekdays afternoon especially the weather is bad outside.
by Odilon Redon, 1895
今天是漫遊博物館的最後一天，說是最後，只因我買的是三天通行證，期限在今天屆滿。我打開小冊子選擇，例如是十大必逛的博物館，當然我也有個人喜好，大多數揀畫廊，包括在 Postsdam Platz 的 Gemäldegalerie、博物館島的舊國家畫廊，亦不缺最人氣的東德生活館、有名的 Guggenheim 及看古文名的 Pergamon。但最令我難忘的，卻是今天所參觀的 Scharf-Gerstenberg，她是一間私人館，位於 Charlottenburg 城堡的對面，展品其實是超現實主義的作品，由 Scharf 家族擁有及收藏。開放的是一個大廳及兩層的展廳，展出全是超現實主義的代表，包括 Piranesi, Goya, Redon, Dali, Rene Magritte, Paul Klee, Max Ernst and Jean Dubuffet 等的作品。我記得我在布魯塞爾看過 Magritte 的博物館，印象深刻，這是我最初接觸超現實主義的畫家的作品。而如今我仍是在學習中，也許 Scharf 不是一間龐大的博物館，極其量是小巧精緻有趣又摩登，不過她也不乏 Cafe 及影片播放室。我想，大家可在這兒留幾小時，尤其外邊的天氣差不想活動之時。
Am Sonntag Cafe und Koffee
On Sunday, everyone go for a brunch with friends or drink coffee in the afternoon in Berlin. Just my experience, as all of the supermarkets and some of the stores or shopping mall are closed, I find nothing to do and even more serious, nothing to cook with the empty fridge. But anyway, today I join for brunch in the morning and visit the flea market alone in the afternoon. And after that, go for another coffee. I stay in a cosy coffee shop and take an hour break. There were a pair of lovers or friends sitting in the corner and keep writing something like doing homework. I like their way of communicate. they seems not enjoying the sunshine, just writing or looking at each other, living in their own world. The church bell rang regularly on Sunday, I keep finding the way to go.
星期天，柏林人愛相約去吃 sunday brunch 或下午茶飲咖啡。以我經驗所知，所有的超市或大多數的購物中心都關門，而認真的說，我常忘記了，就算我逗留了三星期，還是突然記起，弊，原來雪櫃沒什麼糧食，很慘。今天我亦與朋友晨早出發吃 Brunch 去，下午一個人到了跳蚤市場，然後找了間咖啡店休息，這咖啡店感覺舒服，而在角落有對不知是朋友還是戀人，總是在忙於做功課似的寫東西，間中對望談笑，在這世界裡只有他們兩個人。我很喜歡他們的溝通方式。星期日教堂的鐘聲經常響起，我繼續在路上。
Reichstag’s magic
The great Berliner historical building, parliament which is called Reichstag, was firstly built in 1894. But actually, the dome was the modern part decided by Norman Foster. And right now, according to the tour guide of this evening, Norman Foster had the copyright on every single item of the interior and whole project of the parliament. Which means… even add on one more rubbish bin, they have to ask for his approval. Anyway, the dome is amazing. He used a mirrored cone at the center to reflect the day light. At night, it becomes more like a magic show.
Casa Camper always the best in town
I can never use a word to describe this boutique and stylish hotel which I always in my mind…Casa Camper…which I found the first one in Barcelona. Their design is even more crazy. The living room and bedroom separated into two rooms by a hotel corridor. But anyway I love their second one in Berlin more, just simply because I like Berlin. In Mitte, the city center, stand in the corner of the street. You may always enjoy a scene of bustle and excitement.
http://www.casacamper.com/berlin/default-de.html
難以用字詞去形容這間有個性的小精品酒店，而他經常在我的記憶裡，名字叫 Casa Camper，首間發現於巴塞隆拿。老實說，巴塞的 Casa 的設計更加 Crazy，睡房與客廳，竟然可以相隔一條酒店長廊，卻區分兩間房。但無論如何，我愛的是柏林的 Casa Camper，只因我比較愛柏林這城市，它位於市中心熱鬧的 Mitte 區，而你就可身處在最繁華之角落，透過玻璃窗，在寧靜的空間，看着鬧市的繁忙。
kenjitsui 