— AUGUST IN BERLIN —

August 18, 2008 — When I consider our recent trip to Berlin, certain memories stand out:

• A visit to the Neue Nationalgalerie to view a retrospective exhibit by one of my heroes of contemporary photography, Hiroshi Sugimoto.
  
  
• The unexpected appearance of thousands of inline racers and long-distance runners early one evening, just outside our hotel. Unbeknownst to us, we were witnessing Vattenfall City Nacht '08. The entire neighborhood was cordoned off as ~10,000 Europeans competed in a series of marathons that ran back-to-back until it was too dark to continue. Sidewalks and plazas were jammed with over 50,000 supporters, onlookers and vendors. See below for photos.
  
  
• Our visit to the ultramodern Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz. Designed by the German architect, Helmut Jahn, the complex is a feast for the eyes, especially for those of us who enjoy studying reflective surfaces. See below for photos.

Vattenfall City Nacht 2008
— Inline Race, 10 kilometers —

Vattenfall City Nacht 2008
(afterwards)

Berlin's Sony Center
at Potsdamer Platz