Pardon me while I indulge my hemorrhaging head.

Response to yet another bloated (but nevertheless relished) Ofoto album from hopelessly nomadic couple Ed and Aileen: how many pictures of Checkpoint Charlie can one handle? (You young lovers better not have any kids for at least five or ten years more. That way, there'll be more pics for us homebound girls.) Staples of any Ed/Aileen photo album in full view here - shots of their feet, ten versions of a church or any architectural wonder, beer (beer and more beer - always good in my book), pig part of choice, Aileen's pout and Ed's endearing grin.

Was looking at their shots at the Reichstag - which is what exactly, Aileen? - and I realized why the world needs more Gaudis (wait, not an option anymore), Gehrys and Taniguchis: the dome evoked how I envisioned Berlin (or any German city for that matter). It felt and tasted like cardboard and it left me with the sense of dread that should I get lost in a place like this I'd rather not leave the Philippines in the first place.

Then again, I could scarcely imagine a Gehry building in Germany (there may be one, I may be mistaken). Which is why he would make sense in a 'sunny' place like Bilbao or Los Angeles.

I was trying to compare the dreariness I felt when I viewed your Richmond pictures. It was more of a balmy, mold-and-mildew, damp-sheep-everywhere (ah, my longtime fantasy, to run over a flock of sheep). The Berlin pictures came straight out of an expo catalog.

Strangely enough, clicking through the pictures while listening to Massive Attack's Teardrop had the curious effect of me changing my mind about the film Closer.

(Next time: On why I had a change of heart about Closer)