Dear Friends,
The past two weeks have been of intense financial volatility. Apparently the crisis that has been forming since August 2007 has now gathered momentum and is unfolding to its full extent. Friends that work at the financial markets in different countries have told me that it was Armageddon out there. We can only hope that the end may be near - the financial crisis end, I mean. The next big question is how far will it split over to "real" economy and cause recession around the world. More and more people think that some kind of recession is almost unavoidable in the richest countries. The most important question now, in case recession occurs, seems to be how long will it last and how fast can countries recover after it. A number of economists are writing that worse than a recession at the biggest world economy would be a weak and long recover. It would be very bad news if the American economy stays flat for too long and it takes time until it recovers from the foreseeable slowdown. Pollyannas around the world can nevertheless say that at least so far a depression is ruled out...
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During my visit to Berlin weeks ago, one afternoon I met Marcelo, Chantal and their young daughter in a Café. It was a nice afternoon and it was a big pleasure to be there, sitting outside, enjoying being with them in a nice place, nice neighbourhood, and nice city. We talked about common friends, our daily lives and world issues. At that time the war in Georgia was fairly recent and a hot topic in café conversations. We were not very optimistic about how this war could change the geopolitical balance of power in Europe. I then said something like: "The world has become a dangerous and sometimes unpleasant place."
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At the very moment that these words came out of my mouth, I thought: "How can you express such a common place being exactly here where you are now?!" In fact, only ninety years ago Germany was fighting at this huge carnage that was World War I. After WWI they had the economic crisis and hyperinflation, Nazism, Hitler came to power, Germany started World War II, lost it and was split into two countries. One of them endured four decades of Soviet domination and communism. The Café where we were was on former East Berlin and at the pre-war Jewish quarter, Oranienburg. In a place that had witnessed so many tragedies in less than a century, how could I dare to say that the world had become a dangerous and unpleasant place? The truth is exactly the opposite - after all the massacres of the XX Century, we are lucky people that can leave in a relatively peaceful world. At least in Europe, we can't complain.
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This can be a good definition of Berlin and the reason why, in case ghosts do exist, most of them live there. It was either protagonist of last century's most dramatic events or, when they were originated somewhere else, their impact in Berlin were nevertheless significant. Surprising, intriguing, disconce
rting, unique, all these are adjectives that could be used to describe the city. It is amazing that now that it is again Germany's capital and that so much money was poured on its reconstruction, it hasn't taken off. Marcelo told me that people continue to leave it. There are lots of apartments and offices available. In some places, the space between the two walls remained empty and not used, as you can see on the photo beside, taken at Bernauerstrasse. As a result, it is one of the cheapest European capitals. It hasn't (yet) attracted people and business enough to transform it in the big Central European Capital of the XXI Century. Who knows, maybe better so...* * * * *
Before I left Berlin I thought that I could easily and happily live there. Maybe my problem is that I can say the same about too many cities: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Cologne and so many other places... I wonder whether one day I will settle down somewhere for good. The only thing that I can say about it is that, in case one day I move to Paris, then it will be the final destination. Before it happens, I could continue to move around for quite some time.
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From Berlin I drove to Heidelberg. In my opinion it is the most beautiful city in Germany. Heidelberg played a key role in my life, though I was there only a few times and always on very short visits. Every time I have the chance, I go back there and remember how and why it became such an important place to me.
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My last stop over in this long vacation was in Montbrison, in France, where I met Bernard and had dinner with him and his family. No need to say that it was a pleasure to see them and share such a nice evening. Shame that I couldn't combine it with a visit to Via, Fabien and their children in Lyon. The next day I went to Barcelona, where I stayed for a few days before flying to São Paulo. For the first time in more than ten years I could have a taste of what it means to be a tourist in my own (adopted) city in these days. I stayed in a hotel at the Olympic Village for a few days.
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At this hotel there was a group of Swedes, all men, between 30 and 50 years old. I was shocked to see the way they behaved: it was outrageous! It is not only that they were drunk most of the time, but also the absolute lack of respect that they showed for other guests. After spending three months in Sweden, I am convinced that they wouldn't dare to do at home half of what they did in Spain. This is the sad side of low cost flights and the popularity of Barcelona as preferred European tourist destination. Every weekend hordes of people fly in to party - it is cheaper to do it there than in Scandinavia, England, The Netherlands and other places where alcohol is highly taxed and so expensive. As a result we, the locals, see our city invaded by people decided to have fun irrespective of anything else. They just don't care if they are disturbing others or not. Isn't there any other European city volunteering to take over this role?
Wish you have a nice week, if possible without crossing unwanted tourists.
Maurício
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