LIVING: WHEN THE DIARY of my first month in Berlin was printed here a few months ago, a sub-editor with a great deal more insight than I possess titled it “Falling for Berlin”. At that point, I was still in denial. “Jeez,” I thought, “it’s not like I’m in love. I’m just here to have a good time. No strings, no commitment, no German grammar,” writes LOUISE EAST

Six months on, I’m in the throes of a full-blown crush and like all newly besotted people, I’m kind of insufferable. On a bad day, I’ll argue that Berlin is woven from a blend of cashmere and unicorn milk known to solve nine out of 10 Middle Eastern crises and eliminate e-mail spam.

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It’s Sunday 3/8 at about 5pm, and I got back from Berlin at about 1 this afternoon. Wow, where to start. Berlin had to be one of the most interesting, beautiful, and eerie places I’ve ever experienced and may ever experience. We left on Friday at about 5am- didn’t get much sleep that night..haven’t slept much since last week for that matter. Anyway, it was my first experience with the budget airline Ryanair and although it’s budget I must say it was one of the easiest, most efficient means of air travel I’ve ever experienced. Both our flights, there and back, left exactly on schedule if not earlier and arrived earlier than scheduled. It has first-come, first-serve seats so if you’re in the end of the line you probably won’t sit with your friends, but we didn’t have a problem and sat together.

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GERMAN PUBLIC broadcaster ZDF treats its viewers on Sunday evenings to a bracing dose of time-warp television called Our Farm in Ireland . It’s the story of Martin Winter, a German doctor and widower who moves to the fictional town of Ballymara with his three daughters. There he eventually falls in love with local girl Erin O’Toole, described by producers as an “attractive shepherdess”. Not much happens and the dialogue is witless, but over six million Germans tune in for the sheer escapist value and the beautiful Irish scenery. In short, Our Farm is the latest incarnation of the idealised Ireland Germans have cherished for decades. In this world view, Ireland is a wild, romantic place closer to “the nature”, as Germans call it, than, say, the Ruhr or Frankfurt.

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LIDL AND ALDI have got so much positive press in Ireland over the last 12 months that you’d swear the two German discounters had set up shop here a decade ago as a charitable gesture intended to save us from the rip-off merchants who had been bleeding Ireland dry for years.

While Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Dunnes Stores and dozens of other retailers have been taking the flak for charging shoppers in the Republic prices which are, by any definition, wildly out of sync with their counterparts across the Border, Lidl and Aldi have neatly sidestepped much of the criticism.

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Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board will be attending the 59th Berlin Film Festival this year, which runs from February 5th – 15th.

The IFB will be participating in a promotional stand in the European Film Market again this year. They will be sharing a small stand with Film Holland which will used for providing information on Irish films and festivals as well as information on the delegates attending the market.

Irish Film Board

If you’re like me, you hate tourists. Yet, there are certain things you must see when visiting a new city, like the Colosseum or Central Park. But as we strive for authenticity and originality, we look for stuff that’s outside the tourist agenda. Sometimes you’re lucky, and you find real gems, sometimes

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BAKING: One of Germany’s last great culinary secrets is slowly leaking out to Irish foodies, writes Derek Scally

ASK A GERMAN WHAT they miss most about home and the answer is always the same: their daily bread. German bread runs the gamut from moist, nutty Vollkorn to the dark, chewy Pumpernickel. With more than 300 varieties to choose from, you could enjoy a different kind of bread for almost every day of the year.

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Many of the Irish investors who spent €1.3bn buying into the German commercial property market in 2007 are now contemplating getting some of that money back.

Some find themselves in a situation where they need money to support their Irish business activities. Others have found their German properties onerous, because they lack knowledge of the local language and tax regulations and don’t have the necessary financial and legal resources to make their assets perform.

Irish property and investment consultants Farrelly & Mitchell (F&M), have reduced by €1m the borrowings of one of its investment funds which bought into a retail centre in Roethenbach in Germany.

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Lisney, together with its German partner Kemper’s, have advised Ballymore Properties on the acquisition of a large retail site in Berlin for €155 million.

The retail site, which is known as the Kudamm-Karree, is situated in Germany’s prime retail district Kurfuerstendamm in the centre of Berlin. This site comprises not only retail and offices, but also some residential accommodation and a theatre. It currently has a lettable area of 63,000sq.m.

Ballymore Properties have plans to spend €450million re-developing this two-hectare site. Mike De Mug, Ballymore’s group retail director, said the site the company has acquired “Is one of the best in Berlin. It is an existing retail arcade with two office towers over it, one of which is a landmark building”. Mr Mulryan, Ballymore’s chairman and chief executive, commented “We plan to further develop and enhance the Kudamm-Karee to make it an appealing destination for Berliners and visitors alike”.

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WHY BERLIN & GERMANY
Population: Circa 3.4 Million
Size: Circa 890 Square Kilometres
Of which 12% Recreation
18% Forest
7% Lakes & Waterways
Remainder Residentail/Commercial

Berlin is

- The most densley populated city of Germany
- After London the 2nd biggest in Europe
- Since 1990 the capital of Germany
- Since 1999 the seat for the parliament
- Central in Germany

Headquarters for large National & International firms such as Sony, Hitchi, Coca Cola, Siemens, Daimler Chrysler, BMW, Schering, Gillette, Samsung……
City with most newspapers in Europe
Media Headquarter for 7 major TV channels in Germany
Music capital with Universal Music, Sony, BMG and MTV
One of the cheapest capital cities for residential/commercial property in Europe

Purchase Transactions:
Unlike in Ireland estate agents fees are paid by the purchaser in Germany. Fees vary from 3 to 6% payable. Between stamp duty, notary and registration fees, auctioneers fees an additional 10% need to be added to all property prices quoted. Notaries in Germnay handle purchase transfers. Schiller & Schiller can recommend vaires Notaries as well as Irish solicitors which are familiar with German law to check all pruchase transactions for a client.

German Banks will finance property bought by non-nationals. On average this can be between 40 to 50% of purchase price depending on property bought. There are tax breaks available on property bought that is classified as a listed building. Otherwise net income from rental is taxable at 20% in Germany.