Richard Lenoir Market

It's been a long time since i've posted, but I have a couple more experiences I would like to record about my time away. I seem to have developed a habit of visiting at least one food market when I visit a city. In Paris this was the Richard Lenoir Market, at Bastille, and it was one of the best. A large selection of fresh and seasonal produce was carefully displayed with a strong regional focus, uncommon at some other markets I visited in Europe. The stall holders appeared passionate as well as knowledgeable about their products. It is a  large market, stretching down to Breguet Sabin Metro, and the morning I visited was busy with tourists and locals, and I was struck again by how Parisians of all ages manage so well in crowds. 

The market is representative of what I understand to be the food culture of France. Food is taken seriously and high quality is demanded, shopping is important and not just viewed as an unpleasant chore. My preconceived notions of the French and food may have affected how I approached the market, but what I experienced only confirmed these beliefs. I sensed a definite difference to Sydney in that being a 'foodie' was not something to be slightly ashamed of, as a label associated with a self-indulgent section of the middle class, but a much more natural and deeply ingrained element of the culture. 

    

   

   

 

Paris

It has already been a month since I left Paris, and just over three weeks since I returned to Australia. Prolonged jet lag, persistent illness and, admittedly, just plain laziness, have prevented me from updating my blog. The experience is still fairly fresh in my mind, despite my 6 months in Berlin seeming like a dream. Just as I adored Rome, I took to Paris quickly. The city is beautiful, with an insane number of magnificent palaces and iconic landmarks, as well as the many ornate gardens and  atmospheric side streets. The Pompidou Centre was a highlight, if you skip the contemporary section. The Musee d'Orsay is enormous and calls for several visits, I focused on the Impressionists and Neo-impressionists, which really just confirmed the fact that apart from a few exceptions I don't find these styles particularly compelling. My favourite bakery was Du Pain et des Idées, in the 10th, which served the most sensational Pain au Chocolat and Chausson aux pommes. My most notable meal was made up from a baguette, divine french butter and chunk of blue cheese, with a supermarket Bordeaux. Superb. The city is energetic and confident, and in my opinion, manages the large population well. Paris definitely has one of the best metro systems I have come across. Magnificent art, fascinating history and unforgettable food, clichés maybe, but all factors  that make a second visit inevitable. 

Tempelhof

After Tempelhof Airport closed in 2008 the government deliberated over what to do with the sizeable space and eventually decided to, well, do nothing much at all. I can't decide whether this was incredibly un-german, in its impracticality and wastefulness, or entirely German, in doing exactly the opposite of what we would expect of them and thinking it a great joke. This decision does seem extraordinary. The Tempelhof site takes up a massive chunk of the city, and I'm sure there were no shortage of suggestions on what could be done with the space. But it does present some unique possibilities. It is a weird and memorable feeling to stand at the top of the runway looking down, especially one with such a history.  The airport, built under Hitler and the site of the famous airlift of the late 40s, is frequented these days mostly by rollerbladers, kite flyers, model airplane enthusiasts, and community gardeners. The space is also sometimes used for exhibitions and festivals, including the Berlin Festival earlier this year.  I had a weird fascination with the huge, fascist architecture of the airport, so cold and unsettling. I actually used to like going down there just to feel a bit spooked. Ultimately, I think, the unparalleled feeling of being in such a huge, flat, empty space in a city like Berlin makes me glad of the slightly eccentric and unfashionable decision to do nothing. 

                                       

 

Rome

My time in Berlin is almost at an end (for now, anyway) and I wanted to take advantage of cheap flights to see a little more of Europe. Italy was at the top of my list, and flights to Rome, being such a popular tourist destination, were the cheapest. The first thing that struck me upon my arrival to the city was the strange but beautiful juxtaposition of ancient ruins, medieval and renaissance churches and the more 'modern' architecture. A harmonious mash up of the last 2500 years. 

Despite being so firmly identified with its glorious past, the city feels young, vibrant and lively. There was no trace of the weariness or sadness that I had sensed in Prague. I very much enjoyed the italian exuberance, though feel it would perhaps exhaust me if I were exposed to it for too long. My favourite aspects of the city were the narrow backstreets of Centro Storico and the excellent bakeries found there, the gloriously decadent churches to which entry was free, and the Vatican Museums, at which I was not able to spend enough time. 

I have long thought that the Italians eat the best food in the world, and in addition to the city's historical and artistic richness, I couldn't wait to sample the pizza, pasta and gelato. I did indeed eat exquisite pizza (Pizzarium, Da Remo), sublime gelato (Il Gelato), excellent pastries (Forno Campo de'Fiori, Antico Forno Roscioli) and drank a lot of red wine, as one should when in Rome. I can't wait to go back and to explore more of Italy, a country to which I have a strong attraction. 

My new favourite trees! 

The lovely warm colours of Rome. 

So simple but the most delicious biscuits I have ever tasted. 

Turkish Markets

I was aware of the Turkish market, held on Tuesdays and Fridays along the Landwehrkanal, before I arrived in Berlin, and was very excited to be living nearby. They are a genuine market, chaotic, crowded, and a little overwhelming. After the novelty wore off however, my desire to fight the crowds, be trolly-rammed by unapologetic Turkish women, and get elbowed in the face by frustrated shoppers, diminished somewhat. The produce was as cheap as chips but more often than not, overwhelmed by choice, I'd come home with something I didn't need or of questionable quality. But, I gradually made my way back. Now I have my regular fruit and veg stall, hummus, cheese and bread stalls. I spend 3-4 euros max and am loaded with goods. It is best to go early, just as the market is opening, particularly if you want to browse. In the warmer months it is a great place to pick up some dips, olives and fruit for a picnic by the canal. 

I'm not sure what they do with them, but every week I see crowds of people leaving the market with bags full to the brim with limes. 

A lot of what is on offer has travelled a fair distance, bananas from Costa Rica, avocados from Peru, garlic from China. A good chunk comes from Spain, ostensibly the food bowl of Western Europe. But a couple of stores stock mostly German produce, one exclusively, direct from the farm. A lot of snide comments are made about German fruit and veg, but I have been consistently impressed by the seasonal offerings. Asparagus and strawberries in Spring, Plums in late summer. Autumn is an especially prolific period with delicious walnuts, apples, brussel sprouts, potatoes and pumpkins on offer for next to nothing.

The quantity of imported produce does make for a very colourful market. 

Victoria Park

I had been told a while ago that a visit to Victoria Park was worthwhile, and finally rode over there a couple of weeks ago, though it felt a little like a duty. The effort, however, was well worth it. Narrow, winding paths bordered by tall trees lead up a steep hill, down which falls a beautiful waterfall. The park has an air of magic to it, like the forests in an Enid Blyton or Tolkien novel. At the top of the hill is the impressive 19th century cast iron dedication to liberty, and a spectacular panoramic view of the city.

Autumn in Kreuzköln

Last Sunday I experienced my first truly perfect autumn day. The transition between seasons is not particularly stark in Sydney. We avoid blisteringly cold winters, but also miss out on what there is to celebrate about more defined seasons. On this day the sky was clear blue, intensifying the colours of the leaves on the trees which were various shades of red, orange, brown, yellow and green. There was a highly energised feeling in the air. A transition that had been happening gradually was suddenly in full swing. It was quite a surreal feeling. There was a slight breeze and a few times during the day it picked up, causing a crop of leaves to fall down and swirl around like snowflakes. Groups of parents and children were raking up piles and then watching, mesmerised, as the bright orange garbage trunks came around and sucked them up. This was likely to be the last temperate day for quite a while, and most people seemed to be outside making the most of it. This last week has been bitingly cold, against a backdrop of grey skies and ever more skeletal trees.The price to be paid for enjoying such a wonderful autumn day.