NEED SPEED? – get it at Berlin Tempelhof
Two days ago WordPress featured my post on Berlin’s Tempelhof airport among the freshly pressed blogs. That day i got eighteen hundred hits (from more countries than i even knew existed), and then another seven hundred the following day. My normal average was around one hundred. eedless to say, it came as quite a surprise.
So, thank you all for clicking, and thank you WordPress for wordpressing me. Freshpressing, whatever. (And feel free to do it again, sometime…)
The photos in today’s set reflect Berliners’ need for speed. And how they get their fix on the runways of Berlin’s now abandoned Tempelhof airport.
Windskater riding into the sunset.
Three-wheeled contraption dragged along at quite a clip by a huge flying sail.
As far as i could make out, you steer with your feet, which is fine. But there seem to be no brakes at all, which is not.
Same guy again, after the wind dragged him off the runway and into some fields. Within seconds he was a speck in the distance.
High speed, low tech. This is nothing new, as i was doing the same in the early seventies. Except these kids are luckier: they get to do it on an airport runway.
Bicycle towing longboard skateboarder. Not so much speed, but tons of fun…
Rollerbladers nearing liftoff speed on the airstrip.
This one was trying to catch up with the guys in the picture above.
Published this one before, but i love it, so i’m posting it again.
Cranked up the contrast in this one to emphasize the airport runway graphics.
The above – plus much else – is what i love about Tempelhof. Below is what worries me. It is the text on official signs posted here and there in the abandoned airport where people already go to do all kinds of fun, healthy activities.
“A vibrant, creative space for the 21st is being created here, on the grounds of Berlin’s former central airport. Tempelhof Park combines work, living, recreation and regeneration all in one place.
“The Tempelhof Park is a place of special historical and outstanding urban planning significance. It will change and it’s face will be transformed as it forms a bridge from an historic past to an urban planning future for the metropolis of Berlin. (bla bla bla)…
“In Tempelhof Park, people will be able to experience sustainable urban development at the beginning of the 21st century.
“we would like to invite you to support this development and explore and enjoy the park.”
I, on the other hand, ask you all to help me in opposing this crazy, devastating plan in any way you can.
Helping spread the news would be useful. Thanks again,
Alessandro Ciapanna
Congrats on the ‘freshprint’!
Well deserved
haha – thanks
I hope your desire for keeping the airport as it is will become true. But a piece of land that big in the middle of one of the fastest developing cities of the world is worth millions…………….
ah yes, but so is freedom of movement
plus, i’m pretty sure those toys the boys are playing with don’t come cheap. one could work on that part of the industry. there are more houses than people can use in berlin already.
thank you
I agree, there is more than material stuff at stake. And if housing is not an issue, that might be good. I read that posh people are now buying houses in the old squatters area Kreuzberg.
I rarely look at freshly pressed but was delighted to see your blog up there. Good one.
But now, how to preserve Templehof???
i don’t know. but there are already at least two of us thinking about this now…
thank you
I was in Berlin in the late 80′s, before the wall came down. I missed Templehoff, but will forever remember the friendly people of Berlin.
Good luck opposing that development plan. I will do what little I can to spread the word.
i so appreciate your words of support. every little helps
and i’m glad you like tempelhof – thanks
Wonderful movement!
A good juxtaposition to my slow moving snails and mussels. You are right, different galaxies!
your snails may appear to be slow-moving, but if you time-lapse them and then speed it up, they’ll look like drunk high schoolers in a pickup truck on a football field
thanks
;)
What are they planning exactly? Removing the place and building stuff?
i’m terribly afraid so, what else might ‘urban development’ refer to?
children learn to ride there. birds nest there. people grow food there. and my friend who introduced me to this place has eighty-thousand (yes, really) bees there, making organic honey…
let’s fight this thing, however we can.
thank you, ann
Oh, the bees! Are they suffering in Europe as well? We so need these big open urban spaces!
a large, open breathing space in an urban metropolis – let’s hope it stays that way….
congrats on the freshly pressed appearance btw
let’s really hope they don’t mess this up.
thanks rudolf
Congratulations!!! Your pictures should be freshly pressed everyday of the year in WordPress!!
thanks, covetotop!
what a wonderful compliment…
Well deserved recognition, Alessandro and another fun post.
thanks, andrew. glad you enjoyed it