Artur Paikin′s Blog2021-09-21T11:55:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/blog/Artur Paikinartur@arturpaikin.comCyberdeck v12021-09-21T11:55:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/cyberdeck-1/
<p><img src="/media/2021/09/t7u-c1Rte.jpeg" alt=""></p>
<p>During lockdown last winter, in between figuring out 12v boat electrics and learning to keep the stove going overnight, I managed to play more with my Raspberry Pi 4. My goal is to build a small hybrid as-open-as-possible computer/tablet, in which I controll the hardware and the OS.</p>
<p>In the process I got completely lost in <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn/">r/unixporn</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberdeck/">r/cyberdeck</a> and watching <a href="https://hexdsl.co.uk/">Hex<abbr>DSL</abbr></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVls1GmFKf6WlTraIb_IaJg">DistroTube</a> videos. The Ideal Cyberdeck in my head got <nobr>re-shaped</nobr> a dozen times, but instead of waiting for when I’m finally happy with it (could be never), I’ve decided to just share some progress.</p>
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<p>The first version used a <a href="https://learn.pimoroni.com/article/getting-started-with-hyperpixel-4">Pimoroni Hyperpixel</a> screen over the RPi 4, <a href="https://audacious-media-player.org/">Audacious player</a> with a <a href="https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1008363">Winamp skin</a> and a sweet Ready Player One fanart wallpaper.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2021/09/XteWE9G5M.jpeg" alt=""></p>
<p>The desktop is Raspberry Pi OS <abbr>LXDE</abbr> (default), but I’ve also tried <a href="https://xfce.org/"><abbr>XFCE</abbr></a>, <a href="https://twisteros.com/">Twister OS</a> (probably best choice if you just want to use Raspberry Pi as an awesome tiny computer with everything pre-installed) and <a href="https://i3wm.org/">i3 tiling window manager</a> (while also reading and watching all about <abbr>BSPWM</abbr>, <abbr>DWM</abbr>, Sway and AwesomeWM, lol).</p>
<p><img src="/media/2021/09/6c5mSGONP.jpeg" alt=""></p>
<p>To compliment my setup, I found a retro Panasonic <nobr>RQ-2102</nobr> casette player on Ebay (the one that has been commonly used as a dataset for Apple II), and paired it with a cheap “Phone audio 2 casette” adapter. This way I can play some sweet mono music and podcasts via Raspberry’s 3.5mm jack. Finally I’ve soldered a <abbr>USB</abbr> plug (5v to 9v <nobr>step-up</nobr>) to the battery springs of the recorder, so it can be powered from a powerbank or <abbr>USB</abbr> socket.</p>
<p><video controls src="/media/2021/09/AiZdNkHTo.mp4"></video></p>
<p><video height="500" controls src="/media/2021/09/vdIuiQksY.mp4"></video></p>
Bought a narrow boat2020-09-08T01:50:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/got-a-narrow-boat/
<p>I’ve thought and dreamed about this for three years, and finally, on September 3rd, bought it. Meet Boston Belle, 60 feet or 18 meters long, 2 meters wide narrow boat. Built in 1992, it’s a Traditional Stern model. The boat is currently moored in Reading, England, and I’m going to attempt to drive it to London in the end of the month [screaming_face_emoji].</p>
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<p>Signing the Bill of Sale and Transfer of Ownership for the Environmental Agency, which is responsible for river Thames (Canal and River Trust is done separately via the phone).</p>
<p><img src="/media/2020/09/AujSEG5NU.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><video controls="" preload="none" src="/media/2020/09/IMG_8834.mp4" poster="/media/2020/09/oAfdJXjP5g.png"></video></p>
<img class="small-image" src="/media/2020/09/5TKTpU_4K.jpg">
<p>Morning view from the deck.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2020/09/9dFwP0XWQ.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Inside (still settling in, just made it to Ikea).</p>
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<p><video controls="" preload="none" src="/media/2020/09/IMG_1391.mp4" poster="/media/2020/09/CuMZZzMNZ.png"></video></p>
<p>It’s all hectic for now: in two days I’ve managed to move all my stuff from one boat to the other in the night, got an engine specialist to come over (he changed oil in the gearbox, connected a cable for the alternator to the batteries, etc), bought bed sheets, fire wood and coal for the stove.</p>
<p>Gone to visit Moscow for two weeks, while the boat is moored at the boat yard. Worried about it a little (and about myself). To be continued.</p>
Harry Potter Play and a Meetup in New York2019-03-18T21:44:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/B1k132owV.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter since I was like 11, I grew up with the books. In school I even organized a Club of Harry Potter Fans, which later morphed into a book club “Magic”.</p>
<p>Last year I went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in New York. I’ve mentioned the book before on the blog, it left me with some mixed feelings. But the play puts everything in its place (which makes sense, because the book is just a published script for the play.</p>
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<p>Attention to details is astonishing, beginning with the entrance.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/rk_563svV.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Lobby.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/S1DQeTowV.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Cloakroom.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/B1Uzlaiv4.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>All of Lyric Theatre has been <nobr>re-resigned</nobr> for the play.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/rJAEx6jPN.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/rJJwepoPE.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>There are two parts of the play, two hours each, which is a lot. There’s a break for about three <nobr>hours —</nobr> I went to work for a bit and had lunch. You can buy tickets just for one part, it’s best not to, but if you still do, pick the first one. I liked it better. Tickets were only $62, I got lucky, usually the are out of the cheap ones quickly.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/Hy6OeTsw4.jpg" alt=""></p>
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<img src="/media/2019/03/BJAse6oD4.jpg">
<figcaption>Pay attention to the phoenixes</figcaption>
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<p><img src="/media/2019/03/HyfibpsD4.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>That carpet!</p>
<img class="small-image" src="/media/2019/03/SJnobajD4.jpg">
<p>Merchandise.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/BJIgGTiPE.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Intersting detail and a light (very) <nobr>spoiler —</nobr> the merchindise was drastically changed for the second part.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/SJ7mGaiwN.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/S1ZDf6sP4.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>After the first part you get the “keep the secret” badges, as to not ruin the fun for those yet to attend. So I’ll carefully state that I loved loved the <nobr>effects —</nobr> real magic on the stage, things happening at the porter. And the cast is wonderful.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/S1cxmasPN.jpg" alt=""></p>
<img class="small-image" src="/media/2019/03/SyA47ajv4.jpg">
<h2 id="the-group-that-shall-not-be-named"><a class="header-anchor" href="#the-group-that-shall-not-be-named"></a> The Group that Shall Not be Named</h2>
<p>I was looking for some interesting meetups in New York to socialize, and stumbled upon <a href="https://www.meetup.com/TGTSNBN/">The Group that Shall Not be Named</a>. Next thing I know, I’m riding with them to the Hogwarts Halloween Field Trip to the Governors Island (which is highly recommended btw, 5 minutes on the ferry from Manhattan).</p>
<p>Все в костюмах, Лена мне тоже сшила Гриффиндорский.</p>
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<img src="/media/2019/03/SJPg2psPE.jpg">
<figcaption>Hagrid is on the left, and the person next to me was cosplaying Princess Leia simultaniousely</figcaption>
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<p><img src="/media/2019/03/B1J4nTjPN.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>I’ve come up with an image for Lena: she’s an elf with a S.P.E.W. <nobr>badge —</nobr> the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare that Hermione ran.</p>
<img src="/media/2019/03/ryev3ajD4.jpg">
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<img src="/media/2019/03/SkymppjwV.jpg">
<figcaption>Moaning Myrtle is in the center, and on the <nobr>right —</nobr> the group organizer, minister for magic</figcaption>
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<p>Wizards resting.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/ryaI6aiwN.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><img src="/media/2019/03/SkD90piD4.jpg" alt=""></p>
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Me and Indie Web Camp Baltimore2018-01-24T11:48:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/indiewebcamp-baltimore/
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<img src="/media/2018/01/ryz1kYHBM.jpg">
<figcaption>Group <nobr>photos —</nobr> Aaron Parecki</figcaption>
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<p>This weekend I attended <a href="https://indieweb.org/2018/Baltimore">Indie Web Camp</a> in Baltimore. It’s a fun gathering of people who believe we should own our online <nobr>identities —</nobr> pictures, thoughts, short and long posts (and even check-ins in some cases). Post to your own domain, then syndicate to social networks, but remain in control. Core principles of the movement are listed on <a href="https://indieweb.org/">indieweb.org</a>.</p>
<p>A breif personal indie web history. I’ve been blogging and building websites and <abbr>CMS</abbr>es for as long as I can remember. When I was 12 living between Kursk, Russia and Imatra, Finland, I published an online zine called “Superfun”. I had some strong web design and writing skills:</p>
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<p>After the zine I was blogging in Russian, English and Finnish on my domain, switched to LiveJournal for a couple years:</p>
<img class="bordered" src="/media/2018/01/S1_a0KBSz.png">
<p>then coded a static site <nobr>generator —</nobr> first one in <abbr>PHP</abbr>, later replaced by a newer version in Node.<nobr>js —</nobr> and went back to publishing on my domain.</p>
<p>A good chunk of my work at <a href="http://unebaguette.com">Baguette studio</a> was also dedicated to setting up, designing and coding independent blogs and websites for people and small businesses.</p>
<p>Naturally, I enjoyed the weekend meeting like-minded people and spending some quality time sharing ideas and working on my site and admin interface Tent (<a href="https://youtu.be/748UfVE28Ns?t=13m">2 min video</a> of me presenting it). I learned more about microformats (last night I had a dream about adding microformats somewhere, not kidding), micropub, webmentions and other cool indie web technologies. More info can be found on the <a href="https://indieweb.org/2018/Baltimore">camp’s wiki page</a> (and the <a href="https://indieweb.org/principles">wiki itself</a> is a great resource on everything indie web).</p>
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<img class="bordered" src="/media/2018/01/r16WaFHHz.jpg">
<figcaption>Tent interface</figcaption>
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<p>Big thanks to <a href="https://martymcgui.re">Marty</a>, <a href="https://jonathanprozzi.net/">Jonathan</a>, <a href="https://amyhurst.com/">Amy</a>, <a href="https://aaronparecki.com">Aaron</a>, <a href="https://gregorlove.com">Gregor</a> and others for all the fun!</p>
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<figcaption>Slightly indieweb-themed improv comedy</figcaption>
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<p>I didn’t get to spend much time exploring the city, but I got the important parts.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2018/01/HkhK8FSBM.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Quality coffee at Ceremony:</p>
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<p><img src="/media/2018/01/H19UXYSBM.jpg" alt=""></p>
Uppy or Building a File Uploader That Won’t Bark at the Mailman — my talk at Manhattan.js2018-01-11T12:06:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/uppy-talk/
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<figcaption><a href="https://youtu.be/HTx8JH7j1G4">youtu.be/HTx8JH7j1G4</a></figcaption>
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<p>My talk about <a href="http://uppy.io">Uppy</a>, the file uploader I’ve been working on. It’s got sleek UI, fetches files from local disk, as well as remote Google Drives and Instagrams, or you can snap selfies with a camera, preview and edit metadata, and upload files to the final destination, optionally processing/encoding on the way.</p>
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<figcaption><a href="https://bit.ly/uppy-talk">bit.ly/uppy-talk</a></figcaption>
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<ul>
<li>What it’s like to work in a remote team</li>
<li>It’s scary to be a developer</li>
<li>Looking for a view: <nobr>Yo-Yo</nobr>, Choo, Bel, template literals, Hyperapp and Preact</li>
<li>Plugins within plugins</li>
<li>Golden <nobr>Retriever —</nobr> how file uploads survive browser crashes</li>
<li>Redux without Redux</li>
<li>A word on accessibility and internationalization</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/media/2018/01/SypvSfSNf.jpg" alt=""></p>
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Eurotrip, The Movie: Part II2017-12-03T23:25:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/eurotrip-movie-part-two/
<p>My movie about the two-month journey across Europe continues.</p>
<p>Part 2: Berlin with friends, Transloadit team meetup, train to Zürich, boat ride and swimming in the lake, lookout tower, glazer and camping in the mountains, Moscow and some Saint-Petersburg.</p>
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<figcaption><a href="https://youtu.be/otF-BA5ZZ4Q">https://youtu.be/otF-BA5ZZ4Q</a></figcaption>
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<p>Subtitles available in English, don’t forget to turn them on. Thank you!</p>
<p><a href="/en/eurotrip-movie-part-one/">Part I</a><br>
<strong>Part II</strong></p>
Eurotrip, The Movie: Part I2017-10-14T09:53:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/eurotrip-movie-part-one/
<p>My movie about a two-month summer journey across Europe and Russia by hitchhiking, trains and cars.</p>
<p>Part I: Paris, couchsurfing, French cheese talk, hitchhiking to Luxmbourg, exciting road stories, some more couchsurfing, hitchhiking to Berlin.</p>
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<figcaption><a href="https://youtu.be/7CfdUFgLQog">https://youtu.be/7CfdUFgLQog</a></figcaption>
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<p>Subtitles available in English. Part II coming soon.</p>
<p><strong>Part I</strong><br>
<a href="/en/eurotrip-movie-part-two/">Part II</a></p>
Koti Home Automation And Mr. Rudolf, The Door Bell Bot2016-10-06T11:00:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/home-automation-experiments/
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<p>Ever since my friends Anna and Sergey gave me an Arduino Starter Kit for my birthday, I’ve been experimenting with hardware: programming microcontrollers and connecting sensors to build a small home automation system. Prior to that I was a software-only person, with neither experience nor interest in hardware whatsoever.</p>
<p>I thought I’d try that kit maybe once, since I had it anyway. I connected a thermistor to the controller and saw my home temperature displayed in the console in Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin! Seeing programs come to life, making things happen in real world and reacting to it got me excited for real. Turns out, those boring topics from school physics and math lessons have actual practical application. And I can be a part of it, with my own projects!</p>
<p>So here’s what I’ve been up to.</p>
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<h2 id="koti-home-automation"><a class="header-anchor" href="#koti-home-automation"></a> Koti Home Automation</h2>
<p>A year of fiddling went by and I built myself a simple but extensible home automation system called Koti, which means “home” in Finnish.</p>
<p>On the picture above is the control panel: you can turn the lamp (or any electronic device) on and off, monitor temperature and light level in the house, see how long it’s been since someone last moved, and activate voice commands in the browser.</p>
<p>It’s all open source, <a href="https://github.com/arturi/kotihome">check out the code</a>. Built on top of Arduino Uno and Raspberry Pi, with Node.js on client and server. Control panel is built in React, to be cool and all. Plus there is a Telegram chat bot as an optional way for talking to the house on the go, cause that’s what I do now.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/koti-telegram1475685086660.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p>Here is how I see my home automation setup:</p>
<figure class="bordered">
<img src="/media/2016/10/kotihome-arch1475683648618.jpg">
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<p>Here is what it actually looks like:</p>
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<img alt="The House Is Not On Fire" src="/media/2016/10/thehouseisnotonfire-51475634069536.jpg">
<figcaption>The hardware lives in a cardboard box in Moscow and occasionally scares my subletters</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It’s not crazy advanced or anything, but I am a little proud. Had a lot of fun building it, and learned a ton too.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/thehouseisnotonfire-41475684545915.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/thehouseisnotonfire-31475639461056.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p>Many people are doing similar and more creative projects, my favorite is Leonid Kaganov’s home server, with fingerprint scanner to open the door, and speakers that shame prankers who ring the door bell for fun: <a href="https://lleo.me/dnevnik/2010/04/27.html">part 1</a> and <a href="http://lleo.me/dnevnik/2014/07/07.html">part 2</a> (in Russian, use Google Translate, there are pictures too). And there is an open source <a href="https://ni-c.github.io/heimcontrol.js/">Heimcontrol.js</a> and <a href="http://dashboard.sidlee.com">SidLee Dashboard</a>, to name a few.</p>
<p>I gave a detailed talk about my project at an awesome New York JavaScript meetup, <a href="http://www.meetup.com/QueensJS/">Queens.js</a>. Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/notonfire">slides</a> and watch the <a href="https://youtu.be/Z-NpPj6aKJE">video</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/Z-NpPj6aKJE">
<img alt="The House Is Not On Fire" src="/media/2016/10/thehouseisnotonfire-2.jpg">
</a>
<figcaption>Originally titled “Divide and conquer your house”</figcaption>
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<h2 id="mr-rudolf"><a class="header-anchor" href="#mr-rudolf"></a> Mr. Rudolf</h2>
<p>In winter of 2016 I moved to New York.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/img_99491475695633866.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p>And I wanted to continue with my experimental projects on the go. But it made no sense to <nobr>re-create</nobr> the whole home automation experience at a temporary sublet, so I looked for something more portable. Around that time I discovered <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13678"><abbr>ESP</abbr>8266</a> and, based on it, <a href="https://aliexpress.com/item/New-Wireless-module-CH340-NodeMcu-V3-Lua-WIFI-Internet-of-Things-development-board-based-ESP8266/32683073762.html">Node<abbr>MCU</abbr> board for $3 on Aliexpress</a>. Also known as the more robust <a href="https://www.adafruit.com/product/2821">Adafruit Feather Huzzah</a>. It’s a small Arduino-compatable microcontroller with <nobr>Wi-Fi</nobr> and an ability to deep-sleep (thus consuming very little battery) and wake up either by timer or hardware interrupt, such as a button.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/esp82661475696948714.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p>So I began exploring and asking myself how could I put this awesome tech to test. At that time we didn’t have American sim-cards and the intercom in our building was broken, so we couldn’t get packages delivered. Which I always believed to be so easy and “all the cool kids in America are doing it”. Here is how it went for us: <abbr>USPS</abbr> would just leave a note at the door saying “we couldn’t deliver, get the package at your local post office”, which is all right. But <abbr>UPS</abbr> would drive around with my package for a few days, and then leave a note saying “well, we couldn’t deliver, so know you have to get it yourself at our location somewhere on the South Pole. Good luck!”.</p>
<p>This madness had to stop. I went to <a href="http://tinkersphere.com/">Tinkersphere</a>, which is basically an Aliexpress website come to life, and bought a hot yellow button, a battery case and some wires. The result:</p>
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<img src="/media/2016/10/20160317-img_89141475695801913.jpg">
<figcaption>On the left is my neighbourhood in Ridgewood, on the right is a cool macho picture, and a note from <abbr>UPS</abbr> saying “we couldn’t deliver your package”, and in the middle is the broken intercom and the button I added to it</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><img src="/media/2016/10/20160317-img_89251475695801919.jpg" alt="image"></p>
<p>So it’s a simple button, connected to <abbr>ESP</abbr>8266 that sleeps until pressed. Then it wakes up, connects to a <nobr>Wi-Fi</nobr> network (I borrowed the password from local barber shop), and sends a request to my <abbr>VPS</abbr> server, which in turn sends me a message via <a href="https://core.telegram.org/bots/">Telegram Bot <abbr>API</abbr></a>.</p>
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<img src="/media/2016/10/20160316-img_89111475696587770.jpg">
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<p>All of the code I used for the server and <abbr>ESP</abbr>8266 is also <a href="https://github.com/arturi/mrrudolf">open source</a>.</p>
<p>And I gave a light and fun <nobr>10-minute</nobr> talk about this <nobr>project —</nobr> after which I’m known as <nobr>developer-comedian —</nobr> at my favorite JS meetup in the universe, <a href="http://brooklynjs.com">Brooklyn JS</a>, with real cool demo of the button in action. Check out the <a href="https://youtu.be/CvorlYi4L_c">video</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/mrrudolf">slides</a>.</p>
<a href="https://youtu.be/CvorlYi4L_c">
<img src="/media/2016/10/robot-talks-1.jpg">
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Berlin2016-06-17T11:55:00+00:00https://arturpaikin.com/en/berlin/
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<p>I moved to Berlin for the month of August to explore hidden beaches and a swimming pool on a river, tepee village, bike lanes, Back to the Future from a gentrification point of view, abandoned airport and a farm on a parking lot.</p>
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<p>This time, for the first time in history of my travels abroad, I’ve brought my <a href="http://arturpaikin.com/ru/strida">Strida bicycle</a>. Air Berlin was cool about it, I mean, it’s a tiny foldable bike and fits perfectly in a normal luggage, but some airlines might still want you to pay extra, which is crazy.</p>
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<img src="/media/2016/06/img_67461465925029266.jpg">
<figcaption>Unpacking Strida and inflating its tires at the Tegel airport</figcaption>
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<p>Bringing a bike turned out to be a great idea. Bike lanes in Berlin start almost right at the airport and last forever. Everywhere I went in the next few <nobr>weeks —</nobr> even Potsdam, about 40 km from <nobr>Berlin —</nobr> I did so by bike. Used the subway like twice.</p>
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<figcaption>The average speed inside the city is <a href="http://sootfreecities.eu/city/berlin">about 30 km/h</a>. It feels relaxed and safe.</figcaption>
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<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_67781465925435111.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Lena managed to find a really good deal on a room in <nobr>Neukölln —</nobr> my favorite area in Berlin, full of great bars, parks and delicious <nobr>falafel —</nobr> it was around 300 euros for 3 weeks. If you find yourself looking for a place in Berlin, before Airbnb try here: <a href="http://www.wg-gesucht.de">http://www.<nobr>wg-gesucht</nobr>.de</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/roomsurfer">https://www.facebook.com/groups/roomsurfer</a>.</p>
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<p>This is how you use a German washing machine if you don’t speak German:</p>
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<p>The city has some of the best coffee roasters in the <nobr>world —</nobr> Five Elephant and The Barn. The former was conveniently located 3 minutes by biсycle from my apartment.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_70161465929156402.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>There is a Berlin vibe going around Five <nobr>Elephant —</nobr> visitors, houses, the area itself. Coffee and sometimes their signature cheesecake have quickly become my morning ritual.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_68721465929526014.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>On a sunny day, before coffee, I’d go downstairs for fresh croissants at the French bakery. The building where we stayed had a beautiful inner yard with a table, which sadly nobody used. Lena and I made breakfast and brought it downstairs. I think that really impressed our German neighbours.</p>
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<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_72461465930953529.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Another favorite spot in the area is Görlitzer Park. Also, very <nobr>Berlin —</nobr> a bunch of people with dogs, bikes, barbecues and weed, which the park is mostly known for.</p>
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<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_77191465937723173.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><em>Yes, I’m all about food and parks, and bikes, and food. Bare with me.</em></p>
<p>Our roommate Jan is an artist and he invited us to visit his exhibition. One of the <nobr>creations —</nobr> a swimming pool full of trash, gives a perspective on how much plastic we waste.</p>
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<p>Time for ice-cream at California Pops.</p>
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<p><s>So Portland</s>, I mean, Berlin: a swimming pool right on the river. Queues on a warm summer day are something, but it’s worth a swim and chill at least once.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_68961465939064184.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>This used to be a public toilet under the overground train track, now it’s a popular burger spot (veg options available).</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_76431465939197397.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Famous queue to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mustafas-gem%C3%BCsed%C3%B6ner-berlin">Mustafas Gemüse Kebab</a>.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/08/img_76201470589141588.jpg" alt=""></p>
<h2 id="wow-so-portland"><a class="header-anchor" href="#wow-so-portland"></a> Wow so Portland</h2>
<p>The Tempelhof airport remains on the top of the list of my favorite places in Berlin.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_77351465939664440.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>It’s an abandoned airport that Berliners (the people, not the doughnut) voted to keep as a public space/park. The airport building served as an <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/11863246/Refugee-crisis-EU-ministers-Germany-border-control-Austria-army-live.html">emergency refugee shelter</a> in 2015.</p>
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<p>People have nice little gardens.</p>
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<p>The cross-walk is lit at night, thumbs up!</p>
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<p>Wedding reception at a park.</p>
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<p>Indian food is my favorite food. Especially “Paneer Tikka Masala” (not in the picture).</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_77071465940094550.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>We found a weird play at a local theatre, mixing Back to the Future and neighbourhood gentrification. The theatre is like a brother to my favorite The Brick in Brooklyn.</p>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_77831465940249191.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><a href="http://www.etberlin.de/production/knick-knack-to-the-future-ruckzuck-in-die-zukunft-copy-waste/">Knick-Knack To The Future | Ruckzuck in die Zukunft</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The project focuses on the processes of urban development using the Back to the Future movie trilogy as its point of departure.</p>
<p>In Back to the Future, Part II, the teenager Marty McFly travels to the future in a <nobr>souped-up</nobr> sports car and lands in 2015. There not only does Marty encounter holograms, hoverboards and his thirty-year older self; the city of Hill Valley is also wholly transformed.</p>
<p>The real 2015 may not look so futuristic, but cities have still changed immensely. Some neighborhoods have become impoverished while others have appreciated tremendously in value. And some impoverished neighborhoods are experiencing this appreciation right now.</p>
<p>First come the artists and studios, followed by the students and the cupcake cafés and then the well-to-do and boutiques. And this process takes place over increasingly shorter periods of time.</p>
<p>copy & waste intends to open a fictional store, a concept store: <nobr>Ruckzuck —</nobr> Cupcakes & Time Travel. Here customers can enjoy cupcakes and cappuccino in a Back to the Future <nobr>ambiance —</nobr> during the day. At night, the store also offers time travel. Like Marty McFly, the visitors can travel to the past or dash to the future to prevent certain things from <nobr>happening —</nobr> or from not happening.</p>
<p>The basic question in all of this is: what kind of city do we want to live in?</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_77871465940249207.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Before the play everybody bought beer in bottles or cans: drinking while enjoying a play or performance is a common thing to do. I’m gonna tell you a secret: beer is not great in Germany. I mean in a way I like it: with taste and character, you know, like wine. In Berlin, it’s customary to drink something very basic and cheap like Berliner Kindl by the canal. At first, I was skeptical, spoiled by the Russian “craft beer revolution” that introduced me to 30 beer flavors from all around the country and the world, but then it grew on me, I accepted Berliner Kindl by the canal, and began to enjoy it.</p>
<p>It is possible to find a few craft beer pubs though, if you look hard.</p>
<p>Fun fact: drinking beer and wine is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_laws_in_Germany">legal in Germany from the age of 13</a> when accompanied by an adult, and from 16 without an adult. In Berlin, everybody drinks beer everywhere, and it’s totally <nobr>chill —</nobr> I haven’t seen drunk people or conflict much, somehow drinking culture has matured here. It’s interesting compared to the US where people under 21 are not allowed to drink alcohol, which I believe is crazy.</p>
<h2 id="hidden-from-muggles"><a class="header-anchor" href="#hidden-from-muggles"></a> Hidden from muggles</h2>
<p>Next <nobr>up —</nobr> weird bars! For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what this place is called, but it’s super rad. Right on the bank of Spree, nevertheless some people seem to just pass by, not noticing.</p>
<p><em>Update: it’s called <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/K3roXEyFfYu">Holzmarkt</a>!</em></p>
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<p>And if you look right across the river you’ll see the Teepeeland. As Faces of Berlin <a href="http://facesofberlin.org/in-a-teepee-on-the-spree/">puts it</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>On the riverside of the Spree, right between Berlin’s famous nightclubs Kater Holzig and Magdalena, a small village has arisen. They call themselves ‘Teepeelanders’, as they’ve built teepees and Mongolian yurts to live in. In Teepeeland there are no rules, Roll explains. “We don’t like that word. But wait, actually, there is one rule”, he laughs, “no public masturbation.”<br>
Welcome to Teepeeland!</p>
</blockquote>
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<p>The village is free for anybody to visit and live at. It’s also in the city center and the government decided to let it be for a while. I actually think that’s how things should <nobr>work —</nobr> the world is free for everybody, come and live where you want, rent-free. Just bring your tent and a laptop. And grow your own food, share or trade with neighbours.</p>
<p>Speaking of food. <a href="http://prinzessinnengarten.net/about/">Prinzessinnengarten</a> is a parking lot turned into a garden/farm with tomatoes, peas, carrots and other types of food growing.</p>
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<p>Also here is a volunteer bike repair spot. Friendly people hang around and teach you how to fix breaks, adjust something, repaint or whatever.</p>
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<figcaption>On the left Hans is helping someone with their bike, while on the right you can see a house in <nobr>progress —</nobr> also a <abbr>DIY</abbr> project where everyone interested may come and learn to build houses, while helping build this one.</figcaption>
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<p><img src="/media/2016/06/img_76481466009794512.jpg" alt=""></p>
<h2 id="further-reading"><a class="header-anchor" href="#further-reading"></a> Further reading</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/paulozoom/status/652532989210005504">Sometimes I think I’m cool</a></li>
<li>Great <a href="https://34travel.by/post/berlin">Berlin guide</a> (in Russian)</li>
<li><a href="http://blog.elenazaharova.com/post/august-in-berlin">August in Berlin</a> — Elena’s version</li>
</ul>