It's still freezing. And I insist on cycling across the city. But I do like my new bike. I live in fear of its being nicked. The external door seems to be always slightly ajar and Germans seem to spend an unfeasible amount of time recycling (and therefore drinking beer for all that glass?) which does sound like a bike being nicked.

Graffiti and dealing the expression of local acumen. The graffiti varies in quality: much just isn't all that, but it does make you feel you're really living in the edgy heart of Berlin despite the number of middle class, clean living families cycling around with oversized kinderwagons. The local dealers' determination is impressive: they're in the park 24 -7, snow and rain, guarding each corner and controlling the main drag, puffa jackets and beanies, natch. It has fallen off our list of areas to buy . . .

I sometimes wonder at the vision of Berlin I'm being offered. A good friend of Ul's came out for the evening the other day, has never been here before - and returned to the suburbs vowing never again.