…because I have a new metropolitan love affair. Berlin is amazing. It’s hip, vibrant, easy to get around, and just drop-dead gorgeous. I had last night and all day today free, and I really made the most of it. Spent last night seeing the remnants of the wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Wall museum, then walked through old East Berlin, which reminded me of the East Village in NY. Awesome little shops, cafes, bars, bakeries. There’s even a bookstore that ONLY sells science fiction and fantasy. My heart fluttered.

At night, the city absolutely glows. And while you can disappear underground in the U-Bahn, it’s the S-Bahn that makes this a city like no other. For much of its stretch, these aboveground trains glide through the city a few meters above the streets. The stations are huge glass domes, so even when you stop “inside” you are still “outside.” Museums fly by just a few paces away. Old buildings and new buildings. Snowy streets. Rivers. Berlin is extremely spread out, which makes it feel uncrowded, and yet it’s a cinch to get around.

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Well, today was a blast. Four interviews in Berlin. The first was with an Austrian TV channel. I stood in front of a camera with bright lights aimed at me, a red microphone held a few inches from my face, and answered a string of questions. Interestingly, my answers are going to be dubbed over with a German voice rather than subtitled. It’s what they do here. I asked for someone husky with a touch of Bavarian. The assistant made a note of this.

I also had to walk down a hallway and make a turn without looking at the camera. Not once. This is harder than it sounds. A naked woman would’ve been easier to ignore. I concentrated on forcing my arms to swing opposite my legs, as walking gets tricky when you’re on camera. I’m proud to report the job of walking was done with a single take. They said I’m a natural. I didn’t tell them how late I was at walking or being potty trained.

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