A dream come true?

In 2022 whilst walking the Camino Via de la Plata in España, I met some very lovely women (and G!) from around the world and we walked part of the Via de la Plata together becoming friends through our shared experience. Like so many peregrinos who make friends on a camino we agreed to keep in touch, initially via our WhatsApp group. Shortly after we all left España we had the idea that we might have a reunion in 2023 in Berlin, as two of the girls were living in Germany and Berlin was an easy city to get to from anywhere. To be honest it is a city that I had always wanted to visit.

We all agreed that meeting up in Berlin would be a great idea, but the reality was that Anita lived in Australia, and Meg and Kathleen lived at opposite ends of the USA, so a reunion was always going to be problematic, but we continued to chat about it.

As the months went by it became clear that flights from the USA were going to be far too expensive to justify a week in Berlin, but Anita was working on planning a 5-month European trip so there was hope that she might be able to come. At some point I had a very weird dream about us meeting in Berlin which I put into verse:

Berlin

Last night I had the strangest dream
but it soothed me in my slumber.
I dreamt that I was in Berlin,
I don’t know how I got there
I remember Bowie loved this city
it’s buskers sing his tracks
but like Major Tom, on a one-way trip
he’s never coming back.

I was standing at the Brandenburg
the sun was warm against my skin
I thought Berlin’s a beautiful place
for Mirjam to be living in.
I saw her, radiant in Tiergarten,
an Impressionist’s muse.
Captured in spring’s soft light,
beautiful, in luminous hues.

Then the world turned on its axis
the way it sometimes does.
Time and space the distance
between the two of us

So, I went to Café Viktoria
Edgar Reitz was there
He ordered me a coffee,
and then he offered me a chair
He said “please, sit down,
we should have a chat.
What is it that you’re looking for?”
I sighed and said “Heimat”

He laughed and said “aren’t we all,
just take a look around.
It’s etched on every face in here,
we all want to be found.”
Just then Meg walked in
With Los Platanos behind her
She said “Normando why are you here?”
I said, “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

Dreams are weird, I know,
But sometimes they come true.
If space and time can fold
I could be found by you.
Edgar said, “drink up now,
this dream is nearly over.”
I woke thinking of Berlin
hoping one day I could go there.

More months went by and then all of a sudden it all came together. Meg, Kathleen and Julia & G couldn't make it, but Mirjam, Anne, and Anita with her partner Rob could, and Anne found us a really cheap apartment just outside the ring only 10 mins walk from a train station. I booked my flights and waited.

Then suddenly I was standing in Edinburgh Airport, checked in, boarding the plane bound for Berlin.
I could hardly believe it, it seems sometimes dreams do come true...I wonder if I really will meet Edgar Reitz...Read more