Face/off

There is an awful lot to love about Berlin. 

It's the seat of the country's right-wing government, which is refreshingly liberal and thankfully not batshit crazy. Booze is plentiful and affordable and publicly drunk---and the public drunks bother nobody but themselves. I'm pleasantly amazed that in this multicultural international capital city, where unemployment is high and alcohol is cheap and consumed everywhere, children fearlessly walk the streets unaccompanied at 9pm. Unhindered access to grog has not created a den of vice and sin with weekly bashings and race riots. I've never felt safer. City of Perth, please take note.

Vicky and I have taken to strolling the streets with a couple of beers and cigars, plonking down on park benches when we need a rest. People don't look down their noses at us. They ask for directions or advice. 

People do as they like and nobody is unintentionally offended or telephones the fun police.

Similarly, graffiti is everywhere. It must not be illegal or, if it is, it must be on par with jaywalking. If you've followed the blog for a bit, you'll know that often this is really lovely or cute or interesting, and a great sight to liven an otherwise ordinary day.

Sure, a lot of it is also hideous scribbles and tags but there are surprisingly few swears and I have seen only one racist sentiment, and even then it was small (almost ashamed of itself) and written in liquid paper. 

But more than the scrawls or the lone emasculated racist, there's one graffiti gimp that's really shitting me. 

Some numpty living around Prenzlauer Berg must really have tickets on him/herself. This twit has scrawled the same fucking face all about the place. Wherever there's a bit of room, you're sure to spot one of these idiotic smilies. I wouldn't mind so much but, seriously, they are fucking everywhere and it's worn tremendously thin. I am only exaggerating a little bit when I say that the handful of photos below are truly the most interesting of the BILLIONS of the damn things that litter my field of vision every day. 

I post them below only as a warning, so that you may be prepared when visiting. It can be a bit much. 

hello, I am the stupid smiling face that's everywhere. Here I am in crayon outside an abandoned building.

And here I am supersized onto a recycling bin! w00t!

Down here! Now I am a flowerpot man! hyuk.

hee hee, I can squeeze into windowsills, too.

sometimes I look a bit munted and my eyes slide forward, but I am still a jolly chap

even black-on-black, you can still spot me!

I multiply so fast that there are two of me in one spot! Look out!

Don't try to paint over me or cross me out. I'll just come back below!

now I am getting cocky because I have grown arms and can fold them.

look at that over there!

There was nothing worth looking at where it was pointing.

Seriously, whoever the fuck you are: get a new gimmick. This has gone on long enough.