I’m just going to be a picky editor, but “idyll” has words attached to describe such a scene, I think. Can a plain photo be “idyll” with no description? I think the photo can be idyllic, but not idyll. Must do some rearch for myself on that. I’m a geek.
That said…is that a hotel that just decorated one little tree trunk?
Actually I like this photo. It ain’t the south of France, but Husemannstr. was supposedly one of Erich Honecker’s favorite streets in East Berlin. It’s one thing he and I have in common. There aren’t any hotels on it, but some genius just thought one specific tree needed to light up for the holidays.
Or, more likely, one business thought that lighting the tree in front of their shop might indicate that whatever passes for Christmas cheer in Berlin is available inside. Which is, given the Schnauze available elsewhere, somewhat idyllic, yes.
I like it too. And Berlin is cosy and has Christmas cheer. Sometimes you need cold grey weather to make the lights prettier. I’d rather be in Berlin than the south of France for Christmas.
I love the photo just for that tree. And the 1975 car in the foreground. And the drab buildings…I just would have said “Idyllic Berlin Christmas,” but that is too many years of pounding with style rules, Strunk & White, and Oxford dictionaries…it was meant with a tongue in cheek.
No question: the Germans do do Christmas right. The cold has something to do with it, the kitsch, too. I used to send a Rauchermann to a friend’s kid every year when I first lived here; she must have eight of ‘em, and I loved shopping for them, since they seemed to mirror developments in society (ie, the first couple of years, computer-jockey Rauchermänner appeared, staring at screens that said FEHLER) as well as representing tradition (ie, the infinite variations on butchers surrounded by Wurst or bakers with dozens of carefully-observed kinds of bread).
Down here, it’s more food-oriented, with foie gras and pickled chestnuts and buche de Noel and all. Not that I’m complaining. But yeah, the sunshine and warmth isn’t quite what one thinks of after 15 years in Germany.
I’m just going to be a picky editor, but “idyll” has words attached to describe such a scene, I think. Can a plain photo be “idyll” with no description? I think the photo can be idyllic, but not idyll. Must do some rearch for myself on that. I’m a geek.
That said…is that a hotel that just decorated one little tree trunk?
— E Dec 19, 03:37 am #Well, not to put words in anyone’s mouth, but it’s just possible Mike’s being ironic here.
— Ed Ward Dec 19, 01:17 pm #Isn’t “idyll” a noun?
— Bowleserised Dec 19, 04:33 pm #Idyll is a noun, sometimes associated with scenes in German Romantic novels and poetry.
— Mike Dec 19, 05:41 pm #Actually I like this photo. It ain’t the south of France, but Husemannstr. was supposedly one of Erich Honecker’s favorite streets in East Berlin. It’s one thing he and I have in common. There aren’t any hotels on it, but some genius just thought one specific tree needed to light up for the holidays.
— Mike Dec 20, 01:27 pm #Or, more likely, one business thought that lighting the tree in front of their shop might indicate that whatever passes for Christmas cheer in Berlin is available inside. Which is, given the Schnauze available elsewhere, somewhat idyllic, yes.
— Ed Ward Dec 20, 03:53 pm #Berlin tries, it really does.
— Mike Dec 20, 04:05 pm #I like it too. And Berlin is cosy and has Christmas cheer. Sometimes you need cold grey weather to make the lights prettier. I’d rather be in Berlin than the south of France for Christmas.
— Bowleserised Dec 20, 05:47 pm #I love the photo just for that tree. And the 1975 car in the foreground. And the drab buildings…I just would have said “Idyllic Berlin Christmas,” but that is too many years of pounding with style rules, Strunk & White, and Oxford dictionaries…it was meant with a tongue in cheek.
— E Dec 20, 08:08 pm #No question: the Germans do do Christmas right. The cold has something to do with it, the kitsch, too. I used to send a Rauchermann to a friend’s kid every year when I first lived here; she must have eight of ‘em, and I loved shopping for them, since they seemed to mirror developments in society (ie, the first couple of years, computer-jockey Rauchermänner appeared, staring at screens that said FEHLER) as well as representing tradition (ie, the infinite variations on butchers surrounded by Wurst or bakers with dozens of carefully-observed kinds of bread).
Down here, it’s more food-oriented, with foie gras and pickled chestnuts and buche de Noel and all. Not that I’m complaining. But yeah, the sunshine and warmth isn’t quite what one thinks of after 15 years in Germany.
— Ed Ward Dec 21, 02:48 pm #