Germany's oldest mosque

White and always - by now - empty - Germany and Berlin's oldest mosque - Ahmadiyya - is situated in Wilmersdorf, on Briennerstr. 7-8. The regular religious service wasn't held since years, but it could be open to visitors from time to time. Victim of a fire bomb in January 2011, it was inaugurated officially in 1925. Currently, it's owned and maintained by Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, a group within Islam. 

Places to spend a hot Sunday: Lietzenseepark

Before running to catch up some sun and forest walk, I would like to recommend you a place where you can spend a wonderful afternoon outdoors: Lietzenseepark. 

The construction works started in 1820 and where continued till the first decades of the 20th century. Situated in Wilmersdorf, very close to U-Bahn Wilmersdorferstrasse, it's offering you: nature, park for kids, nice alleys, a good view for a relaxing picnic, a café, meeting point for senioren...All the ingredients of a wonderful day!

The waterfall is the result of an innovative system using over and over again the same water

Observing the nature and birdwatching

A big playground for the little ones

Preußenpark for the day

On week-ends and holidays, if you stop at Konstanzerstrasse you will observe a permanent coming and going of Asian people, mostly Thai, running toPreußenpark, one of the biggest gatherings of Thai and Vietnamese people in town. A massage - Thai, of course - or maybe a new haircut, or simply some "freshly" prepared food. There are any other attractions too in the area - as, for example, a big gambling table with real gamblers guarded by too real non-Asian body-guards and theor dogs - or elegant outfits of ladies with high heels jumping happy to see each other on the ground. It is not only exotism, but a certain air of China town, disguised this time as a "China" park.

People were not too happy to see me with the camera and at least in the morning when I landed first, I was welcomed with loudly shouted "Nein" when wanted to do my ''job". And the place was almost empty, in this June morning. 

I've been told lately that the residents from the area are permanently unhappy with the noise and activities from the park and are very often submitting their requests for stopping those activities to the concerned authorities. 

A couple of hours laters, my presence was hardly acknowledged so felt more free to take my pictures and to observe the nature, ambiance and the rhythm of life, reminding me a bit more about the markets in Bangkok. 

This is another slice of Berlin and, at least at the first sight, apparently innocent and full of flavors and colors. Not a bad opportunity to spend a week-end in a different kind of West side of Berlin, with various opportunities to observe the new society of Germany's capital city.

The mysterious fox

I've heard first about her when I moved in the area: there were a couple of articles in the media talking about her. Once, I was told, she was quietly waiting the green light. I must confessed, I never read myself those stories.

This summer, late after midnight, while looking for a parking place one street away of my house, I saw a shadow of an animal which I took for a dog. It was looking as a dog, but with a big fury tail. "Are they street dogs in Berlin?", I asked my boyfriend. "What a thought, no, of course, why?". "Look there", and I showed him the wandering shadow. "I can't be a dog, maybe a fox", he said apatic. "Can't believe it, this is the fox", and jumped out of the car to catch the real thing. But it was already out of my poor sight.

Today, I've heard again news from her/him: there were some traces discovered in the garden, fresh in the snow. A discrete presence during the night. I was warned to forget about the idea of living some food during the night.

The other fresh news is about the wild boars you could see around Tierpark, and not only in the Gruenewald area, where I knew for sure they can be found.