Unexpected praise

Apparently it is, or I am, one of the “local urban voices who cover their home cities most insightfully.”
Obviously it’s a huge honor. Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, Cities is designed to promote debate, garner predictions and spur fresh ideas for the future of cities around the world.

But I guess Abandoned Berlin is full of examples of the pitfalls to avoid, the likely dangers, the mistakes never to be made again. Worst-case scenario manifesto. I’m thinking, emulation is not what they’re going for here.
Guardian Cities editor Mike Herd wrote that they’d be looking for ideas and thoughts on urban life and developments in Berlin. That I can do. It promises to be an interesting experience.

There were TV and radio requests from Germany and abroad, newspaper interview requests galore and the Tagesspiegel piece was featured in media-watchdog website Bildblog as well, which led to even more pageviews.
The interview itself was pretty good. The interviewer, Paula L. Pleiss, shared the penchant for old rotting places and it was very nice to talk to her. The whole thing was in German!
“Mit der Polizei kann man redden, mit einem Dach nicht,” was my favorite line. I was telling her how the ceiling in a room collapsed just after I’d left it once, and that the greatest danger was always the condition of buildings. “You can reason with police, but not with a ceiling.”

In this sort of business I’m not sure if all this attention is a good thing, but I’ll make the most of it anyway while I still can. There was a time I could always be found in bars. Now I want to avoid being put behind them.
Pictures, in order of appearance, are from Buzludzha, Spreepark, Die Siemensbahn, Buzludzha again and the one below is from Zossen, enroute to Wünsdorf.
congratulations! this is great! "there must have been some mistake" pshhh your nagging feeling has a big mouth. you're doing a great job with the website and the photos and people appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteAll credit, where credit's due!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Your writing & explorations have long been some of the most interesting work concerning Berlin. This is a good time to bask in the glory or recognition.
ReplyDelete