I've only got another ten days or so left in Berlin, and to be completely honest, I am more than ready to go back to Mexico. As wonderful as my time has been here, I'm getting tired of this place, and one of the major factors contributing to this feeling is the changing of the seasons. It's gotten cold, it rains pretty much every day, and most of all, the world is getting wrapped in gloom. So much so, that one could even say, it's becoming normal! We sure can get used to new conditions...
It Hasn't Always Been So
That's what I was reminded of yesterday, when I went to visit my friend in Kreuzberg. On the walls of one of the apartment buildings I saw a scene that could not be more typical for the general region around Berlin, with its numerous waterways. Still, being bundled up against the cold wind, under a sky that constantly looks like it could start pouring any minute (which it usually ends up doing indeed), looking at this image felt weirdly foreign.
It's a mural of a guy on a paddle board, exploring the lakes and rivers, under a clear blue sky, with the trees and the whole landscape shining in lush green. Not too long ago, this is what it was actually like around here, and I remember having so much fun. Okay, I may not have been paddle-boarding, but going on long bike trips, nature walks, or simply swimming in lakes was a frequent activity. Now... it all feels like a dream, or a distant memory. In any case, even leaving the house requires some overcoming.
Flowers All Around
As I walked around the block, I saw the mural extended on all of the buildings of the complex, with the soft green grass, dotted with colorful wildflowers, making me feel nostalgic for the springtime, which happens to be just on the opposite end of the calendar. The exact location of the mural is the triangle formed by the Skalitzer Straße the Reichenberg Straße and the Mariannenstraße, right by the Kottbusser Tor.
As for the artist(s) behind this work, there are no names or tags anywhere, except for a link to www.laurus-art.de. That is actually enough to get you to the page of Lars Oschatz, who does some mind blowing work of some incredible nature-related themes. Worth checking out. The other thing that's certainly worth a visit, is the weekly CCC's Street Art Contest where you can see some amazing wall paintings from around the world. As always, this post is part of it. Finally, to see more of the murals I have posted from Berlin (and the area), take a look at my post collection The Walls of Berlin.