Can you feel the days getting shorter?

When we got back from Poland last Sunday, arriving at our house at about 8:30 pm, I peaked up at our Platz, and had the sneaking suspicious that it was just that little bit darker than it should have been.

Up here, the summer flies by quickly, and you have to take every second you can to get out there in the sun.

Wednesday the 21st of June was, by German definition, the beginning of summer. But- and this is me looking at it in a completely glass-half-empty way- it’s also the beginning of the end.

You’ve reached the longest day of the year.

Here on out, things are only getting shorter.

And darker!

  

But I guess we’ll cross that bridge when it comes. Let’s stay for a moment in the summertime.

The summer equinox also happens to be this guy’s birthday:

…And, because Europe knows full well how to have a good time and make the best of the seasons, the equinox is also the day of Fete de la Musique.

For one day only, the city is filled with musicians from all over the world, who sing and play into the setting sun.

So we grabbed some beers, and headed over to Mauer Park, to see what all the fuss was about.

     

And when I say we,  I mean us and half the city.

            The music playing when we arrived was not particularly to any of our tastes, and the set seemed to go on too long. But after that things started to pick up a bit.

Still, for me, it was less about the music and more about watching the masses. So I took a walk to look at all the pretty people.

Because this is Berlin, there were, of course, a few enterprising young lads and lasses selling cocktails…

.. and a couple of artists practicing their trade.        

Some of the population had worked out how to get above the crowds and the dust.     

They seemed pretty pleased with themselves, but were happy to let others join them at the top.  

Andy and I hung around for a bit, until our desire to pee in a non-portaloo overtook our desire to mingle.

What can I say, we’re old.

So we headed off for dumplings followed by icecream (because, after all, this is summer).

On the way back home we passed by several more musical act, but the one most worth noting is this.

A long, thin room, about the size and shape of a train carriage, with windows running halfway along one side, and halfway along the opposite side.

At one end, a lady playing the cello.

At the other end, a lady playing drinking glasses, and singing a wailing whale-song.

Thanks Berlin, for always bringing the awesome.