London

Eine große Zahl von Popkornverkäufern, Silberpolierern oder Schriftsetzern macht eine Stadt noch lange nicht kreativ. Aber was macht eine Stadt zu einem Kreativzentrum?

On some days Portobello Road in Nottinghill is more crowded than usual. Immediately the signs that read “Beware of pickpockets” become more dangerous than they already are. But having found out the reason for the bigger crowd, the fear goes away.

Lombardi’s view that “No nation permits criticism or laughing at itself as much as the English” almost hit the button today as a German postal worker took hold of my parcel, exhaled a wheezy “Britannien” and double whacked the stamp to the tune of “war Gross” (was Great).

Perhaps we’ve arrived at a place in time where surprise no longer plays a role.  “Here we go again” is our middle name when it comes to natural or man- made disasters, mammot

Berlin: World Cup Final Night. From my courtyard flat on the high street I hear the buzz. Thinking I can’t keep bowing out from a bit of history every time it happens on my doorstep, I decide to check it out.

The mind can be a trickster. For example:
"Hello, James".
"Darling!" (who are you?).
"What are you doing in Verona?"
"Oh, I’m working at the Opera" (It’s that woman from London).
"We haven’t seen each other since Berlin".
"That’s right" (Berlin?).

Thanks to Facebook, of which I am not a member since an infant school comrade who I couldn’t say “you’re not my friend” to plastered a picture of herself at the top of my page with knickers down by her ankles and a tankard of scrumpy jammed on a toothless grin.

It’s not easy to be a mover and shaker in London. Everything’s been done to death with a backroom plan to bleed us dry before we scuttle for the last tube home. So, when something of value for both pocket and soul comes along, Londoners are quick to take note.

It is quite hard in England, with our houses opening out on street level, to pass by without taking a covert glance at the goings on inside. Who's in there? What are they up to? Have they caught me looking?