Unscene Berlin

What an eventful week in the UK that was! Just a few weeks before Brexit, the country showed plenty of evidence that Theresa May's no-deal strategy was adding yet more salt to the already wounded British economy. For example in Oxford, a central street that used to be lined with shops was now largely shuttered and boarded up. And Oxford is far from being disadvantaged! The upside to this relentless downturn was that exchange rates were good: every €100 got you an extra £15 to spend, compared to one or two years ago. Here's the rest of what happened during that week: Day 1 : Arrived in London on the hottest February day in history. It was 21 degrees Celsius.  Also, Eurosceptic Jeremy  Corbyn  finally - reluctantly - announced that he would be  backing  a second referendum for Brexit in the event of a No Deal being pushed through. Day 2:  Still very warm outside. Decided to visit a Jeff Koons exhibit in Oxford. Although it was costly, the Ashmolea...

While I was in the UK recently, I met my friend's new landlord, Malcolm. As a musician, instructor and volunteer in Oxford, Malcolm is apparently a person of many talents... including one that will come in handy if Brexit ever happens: he has a green thumb. He also has a spacious yard that's ripe for sewing all sorts of crops that won't be available so freely over the border, should the Tories go for a No Deal 'deal' with the EU. "England might be the most corrupt country in the world," Malcolm sighed, speaking with me as he and his friend Martin worked hard on their 'emergency' vegetable garden in the backyard. With benefits being cut and the UK next in line to become a 51st state, the country could indeed be in for some very lean times. Fresh vegetables could even become something of a luxury item - but at least one person has got that aspect covered. Now I only have to worry about everyone and everything else going to seed, if the Brexit...