But global warming is definitely on Berlin’s mind – cars driving in the city’s central zone will have to meet strict emissions controls in order to get a green sticker to prove that, even if they are not environmentally friendly, they are at least friendlier. The air is also cleaner inside Berlin’s pubs and restaurants since the smoking ban in public places came into effect at the beginning of the year. Berlinsider’s prediction is that with an early spring and smokers on the streets, we’ll be setting another record for café tables coming out onto pavements extremely early this year.

So, apart from setting records, what else is going on in Berlin in February? Quite honestly, it’s hectic. Tuesday 5th, Shrove Tuesday, is Fasching in Berlin. “Fasching” everywhere else in Germany is carnival. No-one eats pancakes. Filled doughnuts are traditional Fasching-fare, and the fillings get exotic for the time of year, with everything from egg liqueur to pineapple mousse. It’s relatively new in Berlin, having its roots in west Germany, but on the Sunday before Fasching there was a carnival parade along Kurfuerstendamm, one of Berlin’s biggest shopping streets, with floats carrying people in fancy dress, throwing sweets into the crowd.

Just as Berliners were recovering from that, Berlin got glitzy with the Berlinale – the Berlin International Film Festival - heading into town. All the cinemas join in, and you can get tickets to watch the best films from all over the world, back-to-back, from morning to evening if you like. Or just take your pick from the international showcase and watch the few you like best. So, Faschinged-out, square-eyed from the Berlinale, and desperate never to see a pineapple mousse doughnut again, Berlinsider decided to get away from it all.

And what better way than to take the 100 bus to Alexanderplatz, hop off and take a walk into Prenzlauerberg, one of the districts in the old east, up to Kollwitzplatz. Take a stroll around Kollwitzplatz market with the locals to stock up on locally-produced organic vegetables, bread, honey and eggs. Browse everything the local artisans are producing, from hand-made soap to leather children’s shoes. Stop and eat – everything from thick pea soups to fried potatoes and sausages, to spicy olive and feta-cheese pizza slices, to delicious Turkish flatbreads with meat or cheese fillings. Get yourself a tray of delicate French pastries to take home for a lazy Saturday afternoon of coffee and cake. Or a selection of Greek olives and salads for dinner.

And just enjoy the atmosphere of Prenzlauerberg, an area that was shattered in GDR times and has become one of Berlin’s most desirable districts, full of young people, young families, and artistic energy. It might be true that it is spring. But in Germany it isn’t official. The official start date for spring is March 20th, not a day before, and not a day later.

Kaethe Kollwitz (1867 – 1945) was a German artist and pacifist whose son and grandson were killed in World War I and World War II respectively.

“Pacifism simply is not a matter of calm looking on; it is work, hard work...those lovely small apples out there...everything could be so beautiful if it were not for the insanity of war...one day, a new idea will arise and there will be an end of all wars...”