Postcards from Berlin

It's no coincidence that my photographs from Berlin are arty - it's one of the most 'happening' places for musicians and artists in the world. There is such diversity in everything. I believe the german public have higher expectations of absolutely everything. They're less tolerant of failure and that's why most things really do work efficiently. From trains arriving on time to good plumbing, great service and respect - it's a place that celebrates its culture and new beginnings, where we often take them for granted and just make do.

There's an exciting buzz to Berlin that is absent from many cities I've visited. It's an easy place to walk around, the tour bus was brilliant to hop on and off and extremely good value at around 25 euros for 3 days. That included the arduous journeys to and from the airport too. There are some interesting sights to see though for obvious reasons, not a lot that's older than 50-60 years. These bits of the wall are sitting on the central reservation outside the Paris Bar. A reminder of bad done good.

The Brandenburg Gate was built around 1791. It now stands as a symbol of reunification of the two sides of the city. It was heavily damaged in World War 2, was fully restored from 2000 to 2002 costing 6 million dollars and is now regarded as one of the most well known landmarks in Berlin.

These two murals were just on a wall outside our hotel. In fact, I took the photographs through a window at the end of the corridor - we were in a room at the other end! I didn't notice the windows rattling though, not at all. There is a lot of street art and graffiti in Berlin and unlike other places where it feels wrong, this art which in many cases is brilliant is what gives this city a dynamic, exciting edgy feel unlike nowhere else I've ever visited. Everywhere you look there are bits of art and words painted on roofs and buildings and yes, I accept that as I can't understand what they say, I'm not offended by them. On the contrary, I really liked the energy they unleash on the very fabric of the city.

In complete contrast, where the city is vibrant and surprising, the stadium is cold and unwelcoming. The old swimming pool is a chilling place, not least because I bet the water is freezing! I wanted to visit to feel what it must have been like in 1936 to walk under the 5 olympic rings - then I wanted to leave.

Angles - they can make you happy or drive you nuts. There are so many quirky angles in this space at the Jewish museum but I love this photo. If I remember correctly, the stairs (and there were a lot of them) were built into the museum to represent the pain and suffering which runs through Jewish history.

Here's my final fun photo taken in one of the bars where we ate. It says a lot about the quirkiness of this amazing city.

I really enjoyed my trip to this fabulous city - it has been a xmas present extraordinaire!