About 15 miles south from Berlin's geographical center, taking the S2 until its second last stop, you'll be in Mahlow: a little town of what had been the former East Germany. Last week we took a short trip with the S-Bahn train to have a BBQ in one of the farms that are - as it often happens here - open to the public.
As soon as you reach the S-Bahn Mahlow, you immediately know you have left Berlin, but the first thing you notice is that there are airplanes starting and landing in sight.
In 2012, when the Airport Schönefeld will open, Mahlow will be full time on its flight path, facing the annoying problem of noise pollution. For a start.
This seems to be a case of "butterfly effect" (i.e. in a complex system, initial small interventions cause relevant effects as time unfolds); the interesting project I am linking to, tries to respond to two problems: "what to do with the existing buildings under noise threat? Where and how to design new expansions?" and proposes a "strategy in five steps that turns problems into a potential". from (New) Babylon Reloaded
Of course it is a pity that such a pretty place, with beautiful old buildings, might become a suburban noisy hell.
Anyway, Mahlow remains a nice spot to be biking, horse riding and...why not, barbequing in the farm.
Having been raised in the country I don't have a big fascination with farms, nor animals, but I must admit that - since the owner has quite a foible for India - I found something for myself too.
And for some meditation
