Patchwork

Inspirations of a certain kind always make me philosophical. This time I came upon land.

A couple of weeks ago I heard a very bold theory: Islands are any patch of land surrounded by water on all four sides. So far, so good, except that this approach also included large districts of Berlin surrounded by canals, most of them from the same river, the Spree.

Of course, islands are much more than just surrounded by water. They are usually inhabited by hardy but friendly and wise people. Heavy weather on a regular basis can really clear your head. And they have traditions. Around here, that might include a non-negotiable time for tea – regularly at 11 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. They also have breathtaking scenery, wonderful wildlife, and spectacular skyscapes. I truly love it all.

And, let me not forget to mention, they usually know how to cook. Because, let’s face it, whether it’s hot or cold outside, pouring rain or raging winds, the best way to keep your spirits up is to eat good food. Which, of course, is not as easy to come by as it is on the mainland, because you either have to grow it in your backyard, catch it from the sea, or have it shipped in. So good food is not only created, but also highly appreciated.

This may not be true for every place, however, because all islands have people who do not live there on a regular basis. They are out and about and usually demand what they know from their own locality. Which can be a great opportunity to learn, but sometimes you have to use common sense. When you have visitors, you have to play by their rules or they will just go somewhere else. So if you want to know where the good food is on the island, be prepared to ask and learn, just like the islanders do.

But basically, this applies to all new terrain, because in one way or another, we all have larger or smaller waters closing in on our own patch of life. So in one way or another, we are all islanders.

… let’s face it, whether it’s hot or cold outside, pouring rain or raging winds, the best way to keep your spirits up is to eat good food.

Side Notes:

• The theory mentioned at the beginning was part of a very interesting and amusing reading of a book called ‘Berliner Inseln’ by Lorentz Maroldt, Ann-Kathrin Hipp and Nadine Voss (‘Isles of Berlin’, published by Suhrkamp in 2023, alas not yet available in English) at the charming Rixdorfer Gartenhaus (I may tell you more about it some other time).