Goldbach in Berlin

BERLIN -- In Ireland, some of the best Internet points of presence lie on servers hidden behind Mathematics departments. In Germany, the same trend often holds true and some of those maths servers are entitled "Goldbach." That's a tribute to Christian Goldbach, the famous mathematician. I often wonder how Christian Goldbach found Berlin. In many ways, the current city has never outgrown its provincial feel. The people are as aggressive as I knew before--rather Prussian--a defense mechanism from being the flashpoint of sudden and violent destruction many times in its history. You cannot escape the residue of destruction in Berlin. The red line drawn on the ground in the Mitte District marks where the wall stood. All sorts of alternative items pulse from the Kreuzberg district--along with Kneipen (pubs), cafes, and clubs. It's a city worth visiting in the heart (heat) of the summer, even if it means arriving during a traditional Urlaub period. After walking back to the hotel at 0300, I can personally vouch for the fact that Berlin never shuts down.

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