As anyone who has been to Berlin knows, the city is an eternal construction site. Especially the central district, Mitte (where we live), is filled with cranes - and drilling noise. Nothing like Shanghai, but for European standards, it's rather hectic. Where our (new) house stands, there was a parking lot for decades. In front of us, an old rather derelict building was torn down a few years ago, and new flats are nearly finished. Behind us, another parking lot has disappeared and a house is being built. The same applies to three houses to our right and left. And this is all pretty much as central as one can get.
Most of Mitte used to be Eastern Germany. After the second world war, during which Berlin was heavily bombed, Eastern Germans did not rebuild many of the bombed houses, but constructed new large housing developments further East. Parking lots took over for decades, and many large buildings, such as the Berlin "Palace"(a massive construction) were blown up. The "death zone", between East and West, was a kilometer-wide zone that ran smack through Mitte (and other districts), and is only now slowly being reconstructed (including a reconstruction of the palace).
I have a 1.5-year old son, and as with many boys (and girls) at this age, anything to do with construction work is the biggest hit. We take hours to cross a block here, because we (have to) look at the cranes, diggers, drilling. It is eye-opening for an adult to take time to focus on how much construction work is actually taking place, and at what speed an area can change.
As I am not quite as excited about cranes and diggers as my sun is, I often stare at what surrounds the construction site. Large graffiti walls, various monuments, my beloved Eastern TV-tower (with a large silver ball at its tip). During these moments, I wish I had my camera there with me, to capture these two worlds. The "construction work below", and the "Berlin sights above". It doesn't hurt that we have been blessed with sunshine here, months on end.
During these moments, the thought of leaving this city that I have so deeply fallen in love with feels difficult.
It's a magical and important city. But the good news is, you'll always have your bond with it now that you've lived there. And your children will know many cities well - a blessing in the long run, if difficult while it's happening.
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