Strolling through Berlin

Guten Tag,
I will be sorry to leave this lovely city, but my flight out tomorrow is very early, so I need to be all packed tonight and then just go out the door in the morning.  I have my bus ticket, and I know where the stop is to get the bus to the airport.  I can get something to eat and drink once I'm there.
Although the afternoon turned sultry, the morning was cool and pleasant, and I had a nice time walking around Kurfurstendamm.
Then I caught the S bahn and went to Brandenburger Tor via Hauptbahnhof. The idea was to walk from there back going through Tiergarten mostly until I could hook up with an S bahn station on my line home--or at least close to it.  My home U bahn is Adenauer Platz and I can connect with the S bahn one step up as Wilmersdorf is next to the Charlottenburg S bahn station.
I strolled under the Brandenburg Tor dodging touts and beggars.  I get approached a lot because I'm a woman alone, but I channel my inner Parisian and if I can't just ignore the person, I repulse them.  I'm not signing your petition.  I'm not giving you money.  I'm not going to take your "Free Tour."
It was a relief to walk past the Reichstag and cross the street into the woods.  Ah the deep green world!  There's nothing like the oak and beech forests I passed under near to where I live.  If I went to the mountains, I could find conifers, but it would still be dry.  Here I pass ponds, and I walked for a while along the River Spree.  I love freely flowing water!
I took whatever path looked interesting.  They were all strewn with acorns, and I wondered about squirrels.  I saw no signs of any, but the park seemed a great place for them nonetheless.  For that matter I noticed few birds.
I crossed the river and got a good look at some handsome modern architecture. At length--and to my relief because I was tired and footsore, I came upon my S bahn station.  I did not have to wait long, And here I am back in my Berlin home.  I've had some water and green tea, and now I'm ready to polish off the remains of the giant Doner Kebeb.  They make them well at the place I patronized.  I've looked at other places out of curiosity, but the ones there aren't as big or comprehensive in ingredients.  To wash it down, I have a last bottle of weissbier.
I truly enjoyed my visit here, and likewise truly appreciate all the readers who shared it with me!
Auf Wiedersehen und Vielen Danke!
[Updated at London Heathrow]  Ha! Doing all this traveling has paid off somewhat.  I have achieved an elite status with British Airways, and the counter guy when I checked in at Berlin Teigel told me to report to their airport lounge.  So I did--feeling like an imposter at first, and helped myself to the breakfast buffet and the comfy chairs.  This was very nice indeed!

Shopping and a Woodland Walk

Guten Tag,
Oof.  I'm tired and footsore, but I had a pleasant day, but since it's Monday, the museums are closed.  I am leaving very early Wednesday, so I decided to save Tuesday for sight seeing and do some shopping today.
I stuck to my neighborhood, and after getting some cash proceeded down Kurfurstendamm in the opposite direction from which I usually come.  I licked windows along the way, but my friends may be disappointed that I did not step into one of the high end designer shops to get them treats.  My friends are very gracious, but they are like me and don't like "souvenirs," so while I do look in touristy stores, I rarely buy anything in them in Europe.  The merchandise must appeal to someone--or maybe desperation is at work if someone feels duty bound to bring something--anything?--back!  Most of the items have no real use or aesthetic value.
I do not know how to make shopping interesting, so I'm going to share some observations on Berlin.  I figured out some reasons I like the city so well.  There is a lot of open space even in the center.  In contrast Rome was packed and dense crowded with buildings, and people, and that made the city feel very intense.  Berlin does not have Rome's layers, and most of the city is very modern, but I think it adds to the livability of the place. The infrastructure is sound, and things seem to work very efficiently.
The streets are filled with traffic, of course, and there is a lot of angry honking going on, but the streets are broad and straight unlike in many other European cities--even major capitals.  I also like the well paved and wide sidewalks, at this season of the year lined with leafy trees.
Another thing I noticed that I liked very much is that I spotted a lot of fathers out with very young babies.  It struck me, because I didn't see this in other places I've been to, and I seldom see it at home. Lots of babies--but in the care of mothers.  I was glad to see dads at work in Berlin.
After some hours of shopping, I even had enough gumption to take the U bahn back to Schloss Charlottenburg.  The palace is closed, but the park is open, and I enjoyed a long, refreshing stroll under the trees and along the river and the lakes.  At one point, a guy was doing some mowing, which added the lovely scent of fresh cut grass to the scene.
I came across a family of swans.  The cygnets were full size, but still had the gray feathers of their chickhood.  But alas, I am not as young as I used to be, and I get tired, so I dragged myself home, stopping only at the imbiss just outside my U bahn stop for another of those Giant Doner Kebebs--mit alles!  With everything.
It's so good, but the thing is a monster, so for five euros I can get two brilliantly balanced meals of bread, meat, and vegetables meals out of it.

Art and Cheese Fest

Guten Tag,
I doctored up the Prosecco with some fruit wine to make a kind of Kir Royale.  It's not that the Prosecco tastes bad--it just tastes like nothing.  I am so used to pulling cheap wine off grocery store shelves and getting something good, and then when I spent a little more this happens.  It's a lesson to me.
It turned out to be a nice day out, but I did experience some frustrations.  First of all the sky looked threatening.  I wanted to go back to Potsdam, but figured I shouldn't chance it, and anyway I had a Plan B.  Of course, by the time I emerged from Potsdam Platz U bahnhof, the day had turned and remained brilliantly sunny.
I was returning to the Kulturforum.  According to my guidebook there were three major museums worth seeing, and I had seen two of them.  Time for the third described as a world class collection of art on paper featuring illuminated manuscripts, drawings, prints and famous names like Durer, Rembrandt, and Picasso.  Sounded good to me!
Um no.
When I got there the nice folks said, they couldn't see me a ticket, and moreover, what I'd come to see wasn't on offer in the first place.  Eh?  Fine.  I was in the neighborhood so I went back to the Gelmaldegalerie.  This reminds me that people have been asking me for directions.  Ha ha!  This means I appear as if I know what I'm doing and where I am going.  I have become a falsche Berlinerin.
I spent hours in the museum on my first trip, and I did not see every single thing.  I still don't think I have even after another multi hour visit.  I did see things I had not seen before, and I paid more attention to works I'd previously skipped over because even I get art fatigue.
Of note were some Late Medieval Altarpieces and some splendid works by Rogier Van Der Weyden and Hans Memling among others.  I also came across French painters Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorraine.  According to the audioguide they became great friends and went on sketching expeditions together in the Italian countryside.  Sounds fun to me!
The Golden Age of the Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century is notable for its prodigious output of art--some estimated five million paintings--and most were snapped up to decorate the canalside homes of the wealthy Holland merchants in Amsterdam.  The Gemaldegalie has a LOT of these, and I gave them the attention they deserved this time.  The Dutch went in for sea scapes and landscapes as well as portraits, and still lives so exquisite they are almost painful.  Also in abundance are genre paintings, which on the surface are slices of everyday life, but which almost always hold a hidden and moral meaning.  So I had a good day out.
I decided to come home via S bahn because it is my birthday, and one should stretch oneself, so that was nice.  The S bahn is smoother and more comfortable than the U bahn in most cases.
Celebrating, Pil?
Yes, with a lot of cheese!  There's nothing like high quality saturated fat to celebrate another year of bodily aging. I have introduced the cheese to you previously, but let's review.  By the way both of these cheeses have rinds.  In the case of Rocamadour, I simply, like most people, mush up the disk rind and all.  Also like most people I cut off the thicker, more ammonia scented rind of the Livarot.  You can eat it.  Some people do.  We begin with Rocamadour goat cheese because it's milder, and because it comes to edible room temperature more quickly.  Do not eat cold cheese.  Please don't.  It's not good for you and not kind to the cheese.  Then comes the stronger and more complex Livarot.  Actually both of these cheeses deserve a fruity red wine to go with them.  Well, I don't have one.  That truly pathetic Prosecco is going to have to do.

Technology and Treats

Guten Tag!
It's Birthday Weekend.  Yay.  Time for treats, but first I took a trip to the Deutsches Teknikmuseum or the German Museum of Technology.
I actually spent more time there than I anticipated.  It's a big museum and covers a variety of topics and manages to make them all both interesting and informative, so I have come away feeling I learned something.  Some of the exhibits are multi media and/or interactive.
I happen to like old trains, so the locomotive exhibit is where I went first.  They displayed a lot of old trains--both the real thing and models.  The rooms had an interesting musty scent of old iron.  The exhibit takes the viewer from the first crude rail vehicles pushed by hand to the personal train car of Kaiser Wilhelm II himself.  I found that throughout the museum while many things are also labeled in English not everything is, and my weak German does not lend itself to technical explanation.
From there I visited a windmill, a very intriguing exhibit of pharmaceutical research then went on to photography and moving images.  I found a very interesting display of textile manufacture complete with completed garments.
In the new wing I found sailing technology and flight from balloons to space travel.  I especially enjoyed the exhibit on sugar.  Normally it's something I try to avoid, but it's Birthday Week so . . .  I felt better about my plans for consumption after reading about the different kinds of sugar and their vital role in bodily functions and genetics.
The technology is nice, Pil.  What about the treats?
I took the U bahn back to KaDeWe and went up to the food hall on the fifth floor.  It was bustling on a Saturday afternoon.  I blew twenty euros on tasty treats.
Such as?
Such as what I'm having now.  I mentioned sugar earlier.  I'm having mine in the form of tartlette citron.
Sounds French.
Because it is.  From Le Notre one of the leading patisseries in Paris.  The cheese I got is French, too. But first lets deal with the tartlette.  I have polished off the meringue topping and am now working on the rich crust and sweet/tart lemony filling.  Divine doesn't even begin to describe it.  Of course I am hungry from all the prowling around.  I'm having it with green tea.
The cheese I got is stuff I love but cannot obtain in the United States.  Rocamadour is lovely mild goat cheese from Central France made in delicate disks.  They are pretty melty even at room temperature.  I have it spread on a cracker, which the French wouldn't like but since I'm not in France--who cares.   It's sooooo gooood.  So creamy and rich tasting for all its mildness.
Next up is a "stinky" cow's milk cheese from Normandy.  Livarot one of my favorites.  The taste is not as strong as the smell, but to me they are both wonderful.  I love saturated fat in most all its forms.  Is it too naughty of me at my approaching age and with cholesterol issues to indulge?
Nah.
What beer are you drinking with this cheese?
Now beer can go well with cheese, but I treated myself to a bottle of Prosecco, and I knew that it was not the ideal pairing, but it's ok, and the bubbles are celebratory!  But updated to add: The Prosecco was just not good with cheese--It's just not good!  Bummer. I got DOP and paid a little more than usual and ended up with a lot less.

Art in the Twentieth Century

Guten Tag,
I meant it to be a Rococo day with a return to Potsdam, but the day turned out unexpectedly rainy, so I stayed in town and hit a couple of museums.
I'm getting more confident about the S bahn. At least I know I can reach the Hauptbahnhof.  Nearby is another bahnhof this one having been repurposed.  The Hamburger Bahnhof has been transformed into a museum of Late Twentieth Century Art.  It's in an attractive building, but after the railway station was constructed it became clear after some years that it was too small and the station was abandoned in 1904.
When I was there the main hall was closed because they were going to do an installation, so I did not have the full experience, but it was interesting enough.  A lot of people do not like Modern or Contemporary Art.  I don't like a lot of it myself, but I also notice that when I go through even a first class "fine art" gallery that a lot of the works are--meh.  And my experience with Contemporary Art is that I have come upon works I have found unexpectedly moving or powerful.  So I go looking.
This museum is notable for its collection of Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg, and I did enjoy them the most.  I also found a series of collages interesting--and one of them was timely.  If I may be political for a bit . . . A photoshopped image of the current President of the United States tenderly touched the Berlin Wall.  "I'll build you a brother," was the caption.  I started to laugh.
I strolled back to the Hauptbahnhof and found a train going to my desired destination.  A change to the U bahn, and I ended up back of Kurfurstendamm.  I discovered a couple of days ago that the Kathe Kollwitz Museum was in my neighborhood and within walking distance of home, so I paid a visit.  I don't think Kathe Kollwitz is well known outside of Germany, but she is one of the major artists of the Twentieth Century specializing in both sculpture and graphic arts.
I can't say I like her works, but on the other hand, they aren't meant to be liked.  A socially conscious vision is evident in her art.  She lived in a working class neighborhood with her doctor husband and had a first had opportunity to witness the struggles of the poor and especially women to survive and live with dignity.  Kollwitz was a mother herself--one of her sons died in World War I, and themes of mother and child, and grief run through her works as well as the empathetic portrayal of the working class past and present.  Works in a variety of media are on display in the museum including bronze sculptures, woodcuts, drawings, and lithographs.
Her style and subject matter clashed with NAZI ideas and she was kicked out of the German Art Academy, and later she and her husband were interviewed by the Gestapo.  Her stature internationally as an artist probably saved her life, but she and her husband died before World War II ended.
Dinner is just some pasta and beer, but The Day is Approaching, so treats are in store.

The Wall

Guten Tag,
I wanted a relatively easy day today given yesterday's exertions, and Berlin has plenty of history on offer.  There are some things everyone knows about the city.  One thing may be currywurst.  The other thing is definitely the Berlin Wall.  I went to the remains and memorial today.
It took some doing at least for me to get there.  I had to take the S bahn and change lines.  Once the traveler finds the correct line the stops are listed on the display.  Finding the correct line is the trick!  But I did it.
My city map shows the border between East and West created by the wall.  Almost immediately after the city was divided into occupation zones, population began to bleed from the Soviet Sector to the French, British, and American Sectors.  The barrier evolved to control the population and culminated in the construction of the Wall in 1961.  The Eastern German authorities, desperate to prevent people from leaving, had continuously to improve the Wall in the face of ever more daring attempts by the people to escape the Communist "utopia."  Streets were closed and apartment buildings evacuated.  Watch towers, barbed wire, guard dogs, machine gun emplacements could not stop an estimated 100,000 people from breaking for freedom.  Some five thousand made it; about a hundred and thirty-six died in the attempt.
From the station it's a short and sign posted walk to the memorial which stretches along Bernauer Strasse.  A few remaining sections of the Wall were left standing.  The site, while informative, is refreshingly untouristy and remarkably moving.
Markers and multi media stations tell the story of the Wall's construction and the reaction of the inhabitants of the district on both sides.  A "Window of Remembrance" pays tribute to those who lost their lives trying to escape.  A flower wreath is placed before it daily.  There is also a small Chapel of Reconciliation.  Markers indicate the site of tunnels, successful and unsuccessful escapes.  A couple of information centers offer the visitor videos and books about the Wall.
It's a popular destination as you can imagine.  I saw a lot of coach and bike tours going around, but the independent traveler can also get guided tours from the information center.  I walked along Bernauer Strasse until I came to the end of the memorial and then walked back in a somber mood.  I remember the Wall's construction, and, of course, I remember the stunning and unexpected (to me) news of its fall in 1989.  The demolition of the Wall was a genuine grass roots movement as the population of both East and West Berlin worked together to eradicate the barrier that had divided the city.
I will celebrate the Fall of the Wall with a nice aperitif of sour cherry wine.  My understanding is that sour cherries are a natural source of melatonin, so maybe this will help me sleep better?  Yesterday I was so hungry once I got back in my room, I just had bread and cheese.  I'll be very carb heavy today.  I have some pasta I need to use up, but since I don't have much left, I'll also cook up some of those Kartofelnudlen and wash them down with some nice Berliner Bockbier--very refreshing on a warm late summer's day.

San Souci, Potsdam

Guten Tag,
I went to see the San Souci complex in Potsdam today.  In a word:  Spec Ta Cular!
I had a long day, and since housekeeping hasn't done my room yet, I'm not settled in.  But I had a very satisfying if tiring day out.  I did not see everything in San Souci Park.  I may have to go back in a day or so.  I'll see what I feel like.
It was easy for me to get to Potsdam.  I got a day pass for all three city regions and took a short U bahn ride to where I could transfer to the S bahn.  It's a short walk from the U bahn Wilmersdorf to Charlottenburg S bahn station, and from there a straight shot to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof--the end of the line so I could not possibly miss it.
I had booked a timed visit to San Souci Palace a few days before, something that is highly recommended during the busy season and probably vital on weekends, and the Citadines folk kindly printed out my ticket.  I gave myself plenty of time to get there.  From the Hauptbahn Hof one needs to take a bus to the park, but I found it right away and used my day pass.  I got off at the park entrance because I had plenty of time, but the bus makes several stops around the complex.
The park is huge!  It's also very beautiful and done up in the beloved Rococo fashion that Frederick the Great loved so well.  Fountains and statues abound.  Vistas are carefully contrived.  There is both lush woodland and formal gardens.  Entrance to the park is free, so the visitor could spend a pleasant day here just wandering around without visiting any of the palaces.
Yes.  Palaces.  Frederick was a builder and a patron of many arts and crafts.  Unlike his militaristic dad, Fredrick took to music, philosophy, and the Rococo.  He loved the French language and culture and like many other absolute monarchs around Europe wanted to build something that would rival Versailles.  I say he made a pretty good run of it, but as I said all over Rococo rather than Baroque.
I had a good leg stretch to get to the actual San Souci Palace, a Rococo gem built to Fredrick's specifications.  I was early, but they let me in anyway.  The excellent audioguide is included in all admissions.
San Souci is a French phrase meaning "without care," and this was Frederick's summer palace where he entertained his artistic and philosophical friends, including for a few years, Voltaire.  The palace while elegant and ornate is also intimate.  It's a palace designed for pleasure and a life without care.  If you like marble, gilt, and glass beautifully arranged and lovely period rooms with some incredible furniture.  I was also taken, just like Fredrick, with the enchanting paintings of Watteau on display.
After this visit I hiked around the grounds, taking a zillion photos.  I decided I wanted to visit the Neues Palais, which Frederick build as a more official royal residence.  It's a longish walk across the park, but you can't miss it as it is huge and visible from way off.
I saw a lot of visitors with dogs.  I am sure that said dogs are not allowed inside, but what do the folks do with them if they want to go in?  I saw no signs of doggy parking or daycare.
I obtained a ticket and an audio guide.  The new palace was built when Frederick was older, but he insisted on the Rococo fashion of his youth even though the trend was Neo Classical by then.  Subsequent rulers used and remodeled the Neues Palais.  Some rooms have been restored to Frederick's taste, others have not, and the contrast is interesting.  All the rooms are gorgeous.  I could not get enough of the inlaid marble floors and the gilt and painted woodwork decorating the walls.
But after that I was worn out with just enough gumption left to attend the nice museum shop and make my way to the nearest bus stop.  I had a pleasant ride through Potsdam and quickly caught the S bahn hack.

Cold War Memories

Guten Tag,
I'm back early because I have a Big Day tomorrow and also because I got tired and hungry.  I took a trip down an historical memory lane.  When I began teaching so many years ago, it felt So Weird to get to the part of history I actually lived through and remembered.  I grew up with Germany and the city of Berlin itself divided, and the Soviet Union looming over Eastern Europe and seeming to threaten the West.
I did not live through all the history I saw today, but the events certainly shaped my consciousness even as a child.  I was a daughter of the military, and we always lived in "prime target" areas.  Looking back on the the civil defense drills we did against the bomb were ridiculous.
I began with a trip to the cash machine at my bank's German partner.  The machine spit out an hundred euro note.  Useless in most cases.  Shops and museums are reluctant even to change a fifty.  I moved on the next machine and got a few more usable notes.  Then I set off to the U bahn.
I popped out at the Kochstrasse stop, which is happy to tell you that Checkpoint Charlie is nearby.  The wall, except for a few stretches, is gone, but this site of the well known crossing from Free Berlin to the Soviet Sector has been preserved.  It was the third crossing--so designated by the third letter of the alphabet, and in American military usage C was clarified as Charlie.  The Soviet masters of East Berlin did not at all like the easy crossing, and at one point sent tanks to intimidate the Americans. The checkpoint was also a favored escape route for East Berliners.  The check point hut, American flag and sandbags are there and make a great photo opportunity.  I saw an American soldier in uniform posing with the flag.  If you want to be a trapped tourist, there are a lot of opportunities for you to spend money.
I went on to another noted Cold War site--the Templehof Airport.  The airfields and buildings are still there, and the buildings can be visited on a tour, but they weren't running when I was there.  The buildings also house refugees on a temporary basis.
Admission to the airfield is free, and a lot of joggers, bikers, and skaters take advantage of it.  A fair number of us tourists also showed up.  Templehof was Berlin's main airport until 1975 and continued to operate for years after.  Berliners vehemently resisted any attempts to develop the site so it was left largely as it was.
In German the Berlin Airlift of 1947-48 (even before my time!) is known as the Luftbrucke--the air bridge.  Stalin found the existence of West Berlin personally offensive and determined to starve it out, so he blocked all land routes to the city.  The other Allies were just as determined to save West Berlin not just for the sake of the population but as a symbol of freedom against totalitarianism.  The United States called the lift "Operation Vittles." Planes took off or landed every thirty seconds from Templehof field.  The planes carried mostly food, but also medical supplies and fuel.  West Berliners went short of nearly everything, but they endured.  East Berliners continued to go short of nearly everything, but that was hardly their fault.
The city is truly reunited and integrated and the proud and prosperous capital of a United Germany once more.
Plum wine is my aperitif.  It's a lovely plum color and is tasty enough.  I like the cherry and other stone fruit kind a little better, but it is important to do research.
For dinner I'm having Kartolffelnudeln or potato "noodles" a sort of German version of gnocchi but much heavier and they get fried.  They are supposed to be fried in butter, but I find olive oil works just fine.  They are a lot like frites or chips--crisp and potatoey.  All they need in my opinion is a sprinkle of salt. Yummsy!

U and S Bahn Travels

Guten Tag!
Today is Monday--Labor Day for those of you still laboring.  It's not a holiday in Germany, but the museums are closed, but you do know what is almost as much fun and culturally enlightening as museums?  That's right--stores!
I began with my Monday morning trip to the grocery store where I picked up a couple of day's supplies.  Do you know why Europeans shop for food so often.  Partly it's their love of freshness, but also even in actual residences the refrigerator is small like mine is.  We can discuss dinner later.
Let's talk about public transportation.  Berlin has plenty of various sorts.  Today I armed myself the a day pass or Tagcarte, so I could zip around freely on whichever mode of transportation I chose.  I feel most comfortable on and familiar with the U bahn, but I do need to branch out.
Berlin's transport seems to be run on the honor system.  I suppose most people who live here have some kind of pass.  I saw a woman show the driver hers on the bus yesterday, but on the U and S bahns no one checks.  Ticket machines are on each platform and by each bus stop.  You can choose your preferred language.  All machines take coins, but not all take bills, and you cannot use bills of larger denomination.  Once the ticket is obtained the traveler must validate it in the machine before boarding the train/bus/tram.  The validation machines are inside the bus.  Once validated the ticket is good for two hours and however many transfers you need.  You just can't backtrack.  I have not seen any sign of the transportation police, but I'm sure they are out there.
I transferred from the U bahn to the S bahn to get to the Hauptbahnhof, which is not on the U bahn.  The problem with the S bahn is that there are a zillion lines, and I can't figure out which goes where, but I did find the line to the main train station, and I determined to pay it a visit, as I think it's sad to go to a German city and not see its Hauptbahnhof.  Berlin's is huge and modern with several S bahn lines plus connections to cities in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.  There is also a big shopping center offering fast food and whatever else the traveler may need.
I hopped back on the S bahn for a short trip, and then hopped back on the U bahn for a shorter trip.  My target was right there--the Berlin branch of Galeries LaFayette!  When I heard such a thing existed, I knew I had to visit.  I helped myself to a squirt of expensive perfume, had a quick look around the store, and then headed for the basement food hall.  It's Birthday Week.  I was after macarons, and I found them!  More about them later.
Then feeling I ought to do something touristy, I strolled down Unter den Linden, created by the Kings of Prussia as Berlin's poshest thoroughfare.  I assume the trees that line the boulevard are in fact linden trees. They did look different from the chestnuts in my neighborhood.  At one end stands Brandenburg Tor--the famous Brandenburg Gate, which is the symbol of the city.  It's a Very Touristy thing to do.  Then I picked up the S bahn again only to transfer to the U bahn at a very familiar stop--Potsdamer Platz.  I got off not too far from home.  My target was the KaDeWe.
This is the nickname of the Kaufhaus des Westens the largest department store in Berlin and a close rival for Harrods in size and comprehensiveness of its offerings.  In fact as soon as I entered I said to myself, "This reminds of of Harrods."  On the ground floor are boutiques with high end luxury goods and very elegant and idle shop assistants.  Clearly some of the store caters to those with disposable income.  I dispose of my income taking trips though.
Unlike Harrods there are parts of the store that real people can shop in, and I saw them doing it. As I've mentioned the Germans dress very well when they want to.  I took myself up to the top floor where the food hall was--of course I did.  And I have to say this one put Galeries LaFayette (at least the Berlin branch) to shame.  It's huge and has products from a lot of places in Europe--mostly Germany, France, and Italy.  So much chocolate and other confections were displayed I almost ended up in a sugar coma.  I swooned at the cheese display.  Actually I was after green sauce, but maybe that's just a Frankfurt thing.  They had everything but that.  As I said it's not that far from me.  I have a feeling I'll go back.
I went back to Kurfurstendamm stop and walked home.  It was warm by then, and I am tired.  So let's do a birthday week tea!
I notice you eat desert first, Pil.
What's your point?
Just an observation.  What flavors are they?
I just got four, and I have some green tea to accompany them.  We'll taste them together.  I will try not to wolf them down, but I am hungry.  First up, orange and pain d'espices (what we could call gingerbread.)  Good macarons are So Celestial!  That was a nice combination.  Next, let's try caramel.  Ooh Ahh!  This one is even better.  What a lovely taste!  All right.  Next up is apricot.  It's tasty, but I think I should have saved the caramel for last though.  Last is lemon.  It has a bright lemony flavor.  I enjoyed all of them!  But I'm going to have to stop with the sugar for a while.

Museum Insel Part Zwei

Guten Tag,
I had a good day to kick off Birthday Week with a successful trip back to Museum Insel.  I even voluntarily got on a bus, and I have treated myself to a pear tart for tea.  Fruit right?  It's practically health food.
But first.  I can't believe I forgot to include this yesterday, but on my way to the U bahn I came across a market!  Well, of course, I had turn aside and at least do a walk through.  It was the Trondelmarkt--a second hand good market, and it was quite large and very busy.  I saw some nice things and it seems like a good place to pick up a souvenir or two.
The weather looked uncertain and also it's Sunday, so I decided to chance a visit to Museum Insel to pick up the museums I couldn't see last trip.  I hoped other tourists would have a later start or be discouraged by the weather.  After some serious detours caused by construction in the area, I arrived.  I did not have to wait at the ticket kiosk, and I did not have to wait to get into the Pergamon Museum.
Pro tip.  Go to the ticket kiosk and get the comprehensive ticket even if you know you can't get to all five museums (If you do it's an incredible bargain at less than four euro admission for each) because it saves time and is cost effective for even two or three museums.  Anyway, they don't sell tix to the Pergamon Museum in the museum.
The Pergamon Museum is under extensive renovation, so the Altar is not on display, but plenty of other good stuff is.  It really should be called Museum of Western Asia. The Ishtar Gate is amazing!  Plenty of other Assyrian and Babylonian goodies are on offer, but do not miss going up stairs. This museum has an incredible collection of beautiful Islamic Art, including rugs, metal work, stone carving, and ceramics.
When I emerged I managed a pitying smile for the poor saps waiting to get in--the line was long by then--as I proceeded to the Neues Museum.  It may be new, but the contents are Ancient!  Here is Berlin's Egyptian Collection.  The most famous piece is the Bust of Nefertiti from the New Kingdom, and it is just gorgeous in person.  But a lot of interesting works are on display dating from the Stone Age and going through the Bronze and Iron ages and then more from Western Asia.
I was especially taken with a magnificent exhibition of jewelry and other artifacts from the Migration Period around 500 C.E.  I have a fondness for the Barbarian Taste  I suppose it's in my Northern European blood, but I sure do go for the buckles, broaches, and all the cloisonne and interlacing involved.
My smug mood evaporated when I saw the line for the Alte Nationalgalerie. With a resigned sigh I got in it.  A long wait ensured, and it began to rain.  Fortunately I had my umbrella.
At length I was admitted.  I was tired by then, so I ignored a lot.  I was after what everyone else was--Caspar David Friedrich and especially his Wanderer, which sums up the Romantic Spirit.  I was surprised to find quite a few works by Gustave Corbet including his Bon Jour M. Courbet! as well as some lovely Constables and a few Renoirs.  So it was worth the wait in line.
Worn out I turned for home, but because of the construction I despaired of getting across the street to walk to my U bahn stop. But then I spotted a bus stop where a bus would soon arrive to take me to the Zoological Garten U bahn, so I had a nice ride seeing more of the city, and I got home safely--along with my yummy pear tart.  I was very hungry so I ate it along with a cup of green tea. while I was composing, and I'm feeling refreshed.

Tiergarten

Guten Tag!
Or rather ooof!  I am tired having walked a lot in and around the titular Tiergarten.  Regular readers of this blog are aware of my passionate fondness for woodland walks.  Berlin offers the visitor an unparalleled opportunity--right in the center of the city!
But first I need to recruit my forces with some tea, an egg, and bread and butter.  I'll have apero later.
Tiergarten translates to animal park, and the area used to be the hunting grounds of the Hohenzollern and their pals.  It was transformed into a urban park in the eighteenth century, and it is one of the largest city parks in the world.  I barely scratched the surface.
Fortunately I was back to being binocular today, and the weather was very pleasant--clear, but cool.  I set off via U bahn pausing only to buy some postcards.  It pays to comparison shop!  Some places were charging double the price I paid.
I got off at Zoological Garten, but I had to walk around the zoo to get to the park.  Now when I say park, I do not mean manicured lawns, etc.  This is old growth woodland, carefully managed to be sure and with well maintained paths, but I had entered the green world that I craved.
As it is Saturday, I shared the paths with joggers, bikers, and folks walking their dogs.  The S bahn or suburban train runs right by the park, and it is also bisected by a very wide, busy street, so one does not escape the traffic noise.  Nevertheless, my time there was pleasant and renewing.
I came to one edge of the park where I encountered a monument called the Siegessaule, which honors the victories of Bismarck.  After snapping a photo I turned back to the green.
Apparently being among trees is therapeutic.  The Japanese have a practice called "forest bathing," which Europeans are beginning to adopt.  It does not usually involve actual baths, but rather immersing oneself in nature.  This is not something I can easily achieve at home.
I was not in a hurry.  I strolled along streams and by lakes.  I said hi to some ducks.  Tiergarten is a genuine nature reserve, but most of the creatures do not come out in the daytime when people use the park.
I do not know a lot about trees.  I can recognize oak, but I can't tell you what kind it is.  I saw a lot of beech trees and some conifers--pine I'm guessing.  It was too late for the Rhododendrons, and few wild flowers appeared as the tall trees blocked the light unless it was at the edge of a lake.
I walked a long time, and I got tired.  I made my way out of the park, but I did not exit where I entered.  I had only a vague idea of where I was.  I saw an S bahn station, but after consulting my map, I decided to carry on to a U bahn (Ernst Rueter Platz) stop on the line home.  In the distance I spotted a jetting fountain.  Aha.  Often fountains = platzes.  And so it proved.
My feet tell me that they are glad to be home.
Dinner is some pasta washed down with weissbier. It is satisfying.

Decorative Arts through the Ages

Guten Tag,
I'm back early, and I set out late, both due to a problem with one of my contact lenses.  It happens rarely but is annoying when it does.  Finally I had to give up and set off monocuarly.  Fortunately I was going back to Potsdamplatz, a U bahn route I know well, and I was returning to the Kulturforum, and this time I knew how to find it, so I figured I'd be ok, and I could save the other activities I planned for a two eyed day.
And it was just as well because the Kunstgewerbemuseum was far larger and more elaborate than I had anticipated.  The collection is both wide ranging and fabulous.  I saw objects from the High Middle Ages to the mid Twentieth Century, and a variety of media were on offer.
Germany is noted for its woodcarvings, but I was also taken by the extensive exhibit over many periods of history of engraved glass.  Southern Germany was a glass producing area back in Roman times, and the artisans had hundreds of years to perfect their craft.  The designs etched into the various vases and goblets were both delicate and elaborate.
The display of exquisite game boards and pieces from the Renaissance was also fascinating.  I could recognize chess and backgammon, but the others remained a mystery to me.
What do you like?  Jewelry?  There's plenty of it in a variety of styles--all gorgeous.  Textiles?  Embroidered cloths and magnificent tapestries await you.  Ceramics?  Carved Furniture?  Religious Art?  All in abundance and very beautiful.  Most of it was from Germany, but a lot was from Italy as well.
Jugendstil or Art Nouveau and Art Deco were also represented.  I have a weakness for the tableware, and I wished to abscond with a few of the smaller tables, which I thought would do very well in my condo.
I especially enjoyed the costume museum.  I coveted some of the ball gowns from the Nineteenth Century--although I confess I find the fin de siecle bustles pretty funny.  Fashion is, of course, completely irrational, but most of us find it easier to go along with it up to a point.  The costumes on display were from the richer classes and included shoes, hats, and everyday garments.  Formal wear from some great Parisian designers was there--Chanel, Dior, Elsa Shiaparelli, and more.  The Early Twentieth Century was nicer than the mid century when mini skirts and odd materials hit the fashion scene.  I can't imagine real women wearing some of that stuff.
But it's nice to relax with my apero.  I am drinking fruit wine made of stone fruit, and very nice it is.  The alcohol level is comparatively low making it a very pleasant aperitif. I always make an effort to do educational cultural research for my readers.
Speaking of which--dinner is currywurst mit frites.  Let's have some history!
Can't we eat first, Pil?
No.  This is a Berlin Classic and deserves some respect, but like almost every European food stuff--there is controversy. . .
What everyone can agree upon is that the origin of currywurst is during the Allied Occupation of Germany after World War II.  British and American soldiers in particular were willing to share goodies with the Germans they met.  The British contributed curry powder.  The Americans catsup or ketchup.  According to tradition a resident of Charlottenburg (my neighborhood!) named Herta Heuwer obtained some curry powder and catsup from some British soldiers and mixed it with sausage.  Some versions of the story say she also had Worcester Sauce.  The combination proved popular and enduring.
What's the controversy?
Well--ahem--Hamburg says the combo was first made there.  Needless to say Berlin merely sniffs at such a claim.  Everyone agrees that frites are a later addition.
Can we eat now?  I'm starting to slaver.
Ok.  I've poured the weissbier to accompany.  I had a choice of sausage, and picked the more robust looking one.  So good!  I am not sure the sauce would be to everyone's taste, and it does rather overwhelm the sausage.  It does not taste like curry, and it does not taste like catsup.  It's unique. I like it fine, but this is not something I'd eat every day or more than once on the trip.  It's not exactly health food.  You can find it everywhere in Berlin and indeed everywhere in Germany.

Berlin is Window Lickin' Good!

Guten Tag,
For shocked novice readers, I do not mean that anyone actually applies a tongue to glass.  It's an expression I picked up in France--lecher le vitrine--literally to lick the window--but idiomatically to gaze longingly at the goods on offer, i.e. window shop.
As it is rainy and blustery today, I opted for a favorite stormy day activity--snooting around shopping malls.  I like visiting grocery stores and other shops to see what's there.  In my experience this can be as good as a museum as far as culture goes.
Armed with my umbrella and stout shoes, I U bahned out to Potsdamer Platz, home to two big malls.  Ironically this bastion of conspicuous consumption used to be split by the Berlin Wall.  When the Wall came down the city planned exciting developments, and it is a pretty nice place to spend a rainy day.
Both malls--the Arkaden and The Berlin Mall feature a combination of brands you'd recognize--as many in the United States and elsewhere (Zara, H and M, etc) are European, but others would be new to you.  Some are Pan European chains.  Others are German.
And the visitor cannot possibly starve. Both malls have comprehensive food courts, and by comprehensive, I mean German, Italian, Pan Asian, and (bleah) American fast food.  I was pleased to see that the McDonalds was not busy.
So I had a very pleasant time looking.  I was accosted by a guy selling skin care and given a sample.  I think they are told to look out for older women who look like they are making an effort.
I came across a post office at The Berlin Mall, and I figured that I was going to make a fool of myself buying stamps anyway, so I might as well get it over.  The charming man who waited on me claimed not to speak English, but I can ask for Briefmarke in German, and hold all my fingers up for Zehn, and say Vereingite Staaten and Carte Postal.  But when I said my very basic German words, he echoed in English.  My stamps have vintage automobiles on them.
I got off the U bahn at Zoologischer Garten.  This is the place where I got off the bus my first night here, and I retraced my route to Kurfurstendamm.  If it was not too blustery (and it was not) I was going to walk home from there--now that I know where things are!
I visited the Karlstadt department store--you can find one in any German city--and visited the basement where I knew the gourmet grocery store would be.  I was dissatisfied with the tea selection at my local grocery, and I was going to run out of tea, so I came away with some Twinnings.
Then I strolled back along Kurfurstendamm.  Name any luxury brand, and I can truthfully claim on my way to have passed a store dedicated to it.  Although Berlin is a casual city during the summer the Germans dress very well when they need to, and I saw a few things in the windows that I would actually wear.  Mind, I wouldn't buy the items, but I would wear them.
I like Berlin a lot, but I am puzzled by one thing.  The city seems very low key and mellow.  Central London, Paris, Rome are all intense and sometimes frantic.  I have not come across this in Berlin, but maybe I've just been in the wrong places at the right time.
Time for Apero. Apparently the Germans have borrowed the expression as well as the thing.  I have my nice Sour Cherry wine and some nuts.  I'll check back in for dinner.
The beer of the day is Berliner Kindl, but I got the dark brock. Nice!  It's almost chocolately with a sort of roasted flavor and will stand up nicely to the Maultaschen.  It's a good hearty dinner for a blustery day.

Everyday Life in the Historic City

Guten Tag!
I am feeling very confident about my use of the U bahn--at least the two lines I use the most.  I know my way around the stations, I know which direction to go in (as in the Paris Metro you look for the sign showing the last stop in the direction of your desired stop), and I am getting good at working the ticket machines.  Today was hot, but I was in the mood for more history museums.
My first stop was the Markisches Museum, which offers a history of the city narrated by a personification of Berlin in an audio guide.  As I was given to understand there would be period rooms and reconstructed streets, I was somewhat disappointed. The concept is interesting.  The architect of the museum wanted to create rooms reflecting the period and exhibits.  There's an early Gothic/Romanesque hall, a guildhall, a late nineteenth century barbershop, and a few things of that sort.  The audio guide introduces the visitor to prominent and influential Berliners.  I did learn why there are paper mache looking bears here and there in the streets.  The bear is Berlin's spirit animal.  The strongest part of the museum to me was the account of the struggle to endure and rebuild after World War II.  In exchange for meal vouchers, thousands of women spent long days clearing the rubble from streets.  They took pride in their work.
People from my generation will understand the term "Care Package." Sure we expanded the meaning to any welcome gift of necessities, but back in the day impoverished Europeans depended on them for survival.  I remember hearing incessant anti Communist propaganda as a child, and commercials urged donations to help the starving and stave off Soviet domination.  One of the exhibits was an actual Care Package!  It was pretty basic stuff for the most part but did include some sugar and chocolate.
Then I went to the DDR Museum.  It's near Museum Insel and being easy to get to was also crowded.  I found the exhibits in this museum more satisfying and felt I got a sense of life in East Berlin and the constant tension felt by the government at their failure to even to keep up with the West let alone create that promised workers paradise.  They tried hard.  I'll give them that.  Many imitations of capitalist output were produced, but never in enough numbers to meet demands.  A waiting list of sixteen years might get the consumer a Trabant, an automobile subject to regular breakdowns and for which replacement parts were non existent.  Here is where I found period rooms, including a cell for the political dissident and a recreation of an interrogation room used by the secret police to root out those dissidents.
Since it's hot, I did not cook much.  I had some nuts and I hard cooked some eggs, which I'm having with aioli and some cheese.  I chose a beer from Bavaria that I liked--Paulener.  It's a weissbier, and I do not feel disloyal to Berlin in drinking it as beer from Bavaria is popular all over Germany.  Mmm.  It's tasty and refreshing--the perfect accompaniment to an improvised dinner.

Museum Isel Part Ein

Guten Tag!
I zonked out early last night and slept late this morning.  I think I can say officially that I am over the jet lag.
The European Union really does not want people to smoke--not one little puff.  Not even e cigarettes.  It is in the interest of the country to have healthy inhabitants, and also there's the whole socialized medicine bit, and it's also nice to keep costs down and resources unwasted.
I have mentioned previously that fewer people smoke on the street in Berlin.  I think I might have discovered one reason why.  I made another trip to the grocery store this morning.  It was busy, and I was waiting in line, I spotted the tobacco shelf behind the cashier.  Not only does it say in large back letters: "Smoking is Deadly," there are photos of people suffering the effects--lying in hospital beds, kids having asthma attacks.  Yeah.  That would inhibit me, too.
The plan was to visit Museum Isel or Museum Island.  It's not really an island, but there are plenty of museums, and I knew just how to get there because it's next door to the German Historical Museum.  I knew I would not be able to see the whole thing in one go, so I decided to hit the antiquities first.
I especially wanted to see the Altar of Pergamon and the Istar Gate.  Me and every other visitor to Berlin!  The place was packed even though I got there early, and I had to wait in line for twenty minutes for a ticket to the complex.  I was not keen on waiting another two hours to get to see the Altar.  It's open Monday when the other museums are closed, so I'll try then.
But I did get a ticket, and I was right there so I decided to go to the German Art Museum.  I climbed stairs.  A gate barred us from going further.  I went down stair and around the corner.  Nothing.  Finally I found a very discreet sign--yes it was small and hidden--announcing that since the air conditioning was broken the museum was closed until further notice.
Well, phooey, but there are other museums.  I followed the signs for the Bode Museum and once there, began to be satisfied with my outing.
The Bode Collection, housed in a magnificent marble building, is eclectic, but I have a taste for Late Medieval Art and plenty of wonderful works were on offer.  One fascinating bit was the interspersing of African Sculptures among the Western Art.  The displays were chosen because the theme or pose of the African statues were similar to the Western ones. Of note were the polychrome wood carvings, some meant for altar pieces, others for private devotion, and some were large enough to be architectural elements.  Wilhelm von Bode was an expert on Dontatello and two of his works are displayed, the Pazzi Madonna a marble bas relief, and a bronze figurine of David (clothed this time) and Goliath.  Other works possibly by the master or emanating from this workshop or imitators are also displayed.  The museum holds mostly sculptures, and I found the Late Medieval and Renaissance most compelling, but the Roman and Byzantine works are also worth a look.
I went back to the Altes Museum for more antiquities.  This collection, too is housed in an incredible building.  Both museums I saw are domed and all over marble and grand staircases.  They are worth a visit for that alone!  This time Hindu statutes were displayed alongside the Western Art.  This is a great idea, and I found the juxtaposition illuminating.  Do you like red figured and polychrome Greek Vases?  I happen to as well as Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Sculpture.  Not everyone is as keen on the Etruscans as I am, but you'll find them there as well, along with a really marvelous exhibit of Roman portraiture.
Both of these are major museums, and there is more to come on Museum Isel, but for now let's stroll back toward Gendarmenmarkt, famed as the loveliest square in Berlin, and in my opinion it earns its title.  Two grand churches dominate the scene--one a Franciscan church (what would Francis have thought of all this grandeur?) and one is called the German Cathedral.  A concert hall in the Neo Classical  style completes the ensemble.  The square got its name from Gens d'Armes, a regiment in the Prussian Army formed from Protestant refugees from France.
The reason I took another trip to the grocery store was that I'd seen some fruit wine on the shelf, and I decided I needed to--uh--do some research into German Culture.  I reasoned that such an item would make a very nice aperitif.  I was right!  I got some made of sour cherries, but it's slightly sweet and very fruity.
Dinner is boring for you, but nice for me--some Italian filled pasta with oil and garlic.

A Trip to Spandau

Guten Tag,
It's Monday, so museums are closed, but Spandau is open, so I took a trip out to the historic Berlin suburb.  Well, the town is considered part of Berlin now, but the Spandauese (Spandonians?) will tell you proudly that their town is older than Berlin.
Regular readers of my blog know of my fondness for the art of the aperitif/aperitivo, which is practiced in various forms further south in Europe.  It is not a German custom, but I could not help but notice as I strolled about the city, that it is catching on here at least during the summer.  There is not a cafe but offers an Aperol Spritz and other aperitifs.  I think it would be rude if I did not join in.
I like sparkling wine, and Germany produces its own, little known version called Sekt.  I got dry or trocken, but it also comes in semi sweet and sweet.  I'm having it with some nuts I brought from home.  It tastes a lot like Prosecco to me, and I find it tasty and refreshing.  You will be able to find it in the United States, but you'll have to hunt because most of it is consumed domestically by thirsty Germans of good taste.
I began the day by attending the grocery store.  The day is overcast, windy, and cool.  I had to wear my sweater.
Spandau was very easy to get to--at least for me, it being on my local U bahn line.  Since we have a longish U bahn ride out, I will tell you the posted rules: No food, No drink, No pets.  I have not heard loud music on the train, but I have seen a couple people eating, and a couple of well behaved dogs having a ride with their people.  Sometimes beggars climb aboard to solicit funds.  I have not seen them the past two days, but I'm sure they are out there.
I emerged from the U bahn and followed the signs to the Zitadelle or castle.  I love a good castle, and this one is in the Renaissance, i.e. post gunpowder, period, and is among the best preserved in Europe.  The fortress is in a star shape with comparatively low walls and jutting bastions for the cannon.  It has a moat.  The interior is mostly a military museum, but some interesting nuggets of history emerge.  The place was remodeled and luxed up to provide a residence for the Electors' widows, but it still served an important military function.  Alas it could not hold out against Napoleon or the Russian incursion.
A Medieval castle with a wall and round tower once sat on the site, but only archeological bits remain.  The existing round tower is called the Julius Turm.  I climbed it--yes all the way to the top via a spiral staircase at first and then a series of stairs and walk ways.  I emerged and enjoyed the panoramic views.
One of the most fascinating parts is what's called the "Archeological Window," which reveals the original foundations of the original fortress.  It was built by the pre Hohenzollern Dynasty, the Ascanians otherwise known as the House of Anhalt.  One of them became Margrave of Brandenburg in the twelfth century.  The family is credited with founding Berlin.  The River Havel flows by the castle, and the site although strategic was water logged.  Stone and wooden piles had to be driven into the soggy ground in order to provide a secure foundation.
Then I strolled over to Spandau's charming and pedestrianized Alt Stadt.  It's very pretty and only somewhat touristy.  I saw lots of real people going about their everyday business.  I also came upon a market!  So I had a pleasant time strolling about and licking a window or two.  On the way home because I still had some gumption and confidence, I got off a stop early, so I could look around.  I did not get lost coming back at all.
Dinner will consist of left over Doner Kabab.  I was right.  The thing was so huge I could not finish it in one go.

Very Fine Art--and a Lot of It!

Guten Tag,
The Gemaldegalerie is a world class art museum, and I had never heard of it until I started researching Berlin.  Keeping in mind that Modern Art is housed elsewhere, apart from Leonardo and Michelangelo, every artist is there.  It is a truly huge and magnificent collection.
But first we have to get there, and that proved a bit of a chore.
I got some solid sleep and was feeling ready for a deep immersion into art.  The U bahn stop was on the same route I'd taken home yesterday--very easy to get to.  I emerged expecting some kind of sign to point the way.  Now as it happens there was, but it was for the museum complex not the art gallery, but I did not realize this until I was coming back.  You want Kulturforum.
I looked around the U bahn and S bahn stations hoping for a map or information desk, but it was Sunday and nothing was open.  I chose a direction at random and started forth.  After a short walk I came upon the Memorial to the Jewish Dead, a stark and moving art installation consisting of gray blocks.  I know it doesn't sound like anything, but it is powerful in person.  I spoke to a security guard.  Unfortunately the site needs them because some idiots don't understand the concept of respect.  She and I pored over my map, and she called for assistance.
The advice was to take a bus.  A bus?  Forsooth!  I was already lost.  I did not need to make it worse, but I thought I'd go find the bus stop, and then perhaps I'd be on the right street and could find the museum.  At the bus stop I came upon a map which encouraged me.  I set off down Potsdammer Strasse.
By that time I was in dire need of a toilet, so I turned aside into the Sony Center, which looked like it might have a public toilet.  I had to pay a euro, but the facilities were nice.
I soon found my target, got my ticket, and the audio guide included in the admission.  Wow!  I was instantly impressed.  Many of the works were acquired by the Kings of Prussia.  Some were bequests from private collectors.  I did not see everything, but I did hit the highlights, and those lights are very high indeed.
The emphasis is on Renaissance and Baroque, but do you like Giotto?  I do. I saw works by Giorgione I didn't know about.  A tondo by Raphael is one of the gems of the collection, and I could make a long list of artists and works.  I do have to mention a version that Botticelli created of his Venus--only her--no shell or background.  It's gorgeous.  The exhibit of Rembrandt and Rubens is distinguished.  I saw two paintings by Vermeer that were new to me.  Just exquisite.  The painting that must not be missed is Caravaggio's Victory of Love.  Caravaggio was not a nice man.  He did not paint nice paintings.
Dinner is doner kabab.  I stopped at a busy hole in the wall on my way home and ordered a big one "mit alles" with everything.  This is a monster.  I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it this evening.
Quit teasing us, Pil.  What's in it?
Gyro meat stuffed into a fluffy pita to begin with.  You can count on that, but otherwise no uniform recipe or ingredients exist.  They originated in Turkey, but are ubiquitous in Europe and especially popular in Germany.  Mine has chopped onion, pickled beet, cabbage, chopped cucumber and tomato plus three kinds of sauce.  I am hungry, but this is sooooo goooood!  I'm having it with Berliner Kindl because I liked it so much the first time.

A Trip to the Historic Center

Guten Tag,
Oof, I'm still jet lagged and my feet ache, but I had another good day out, and I ventured from my part of town in the west of the city to the historic center where I visited the Deutsches Historisches Museum.  I wanted something engrossing but easy to navigate.  The weather was fresh and cool--no rain to my disappointment, but maybe some drops will materialize.
Since it's Saturday after loading up the dishwasher my first trip needed to be down the street to the grocery because most stores are closed on Sunday, and while I don't mind picking up some fast food, I'm not keen on going all the way to the Hauptbahnhof for supplies.
I walked down Kurfurstendamm to the Uhlandstrasse U bahn station for the first leg of my train journey.  I had to change twice more to get to my destination.  Despite its name the U bahn does not run underground the whole way.  I really got a sense of how big a city Berlin is and how complex.
The route I had chosen involved a lot of walking to transfer lines rather like it is in Paris.  I actually figured out a better route coming back that involved only one transfer and dropped me off much closer to home.
A lot of construction blocked the route to the museum and the view, but I discovered that some other things I wanted to see were close by, so now I know where to find them.
The museum is in a handsome Neo Classical building.  It's big and holds a lot of exhibits but has an airy and uncrowded feel to it.  Unlike Story of Berlin, this museum covers the main time line of all of German History and places it in a European and World context.  The only complaint I had is that the lighting was low, and sometimes it was hard to read the English labels.  Occasionally there were no English labels.  The visitor can rent an audio guide.  I did not.
The museum emphasizes kings and battles although other topics emerge occasionally.  A lot of portraits are displayed, and it does help if one knows who these folks are to begin with as (ahem) I do.  A section on Reformation and Counter Reformation is not all that enlightening, but I enjoyed looking at the weapons, armor, and artifacts from the various periods.
At one point the visitor may touch some chain mail, and a sign invites one to try and lift it.  I could but it is heavy!  When worn the weight would be distributed around the body, but it would still take strength and energy to bear such a thing--especially in battle.
One thing I really enjoyed was the costume exhibits.  I rather took to two muslin dresses in the Empire style, and I am convinced they would fit me nicely.  I also liked the few period rooms they had set up.
Of course things take a dark turn when the visitor reaches the Twentieth Century.  The collection of political and propaganda posters was truly harrowing.  Germany deserves credit for not white washing the uglier aspects of its history.   Some people in the United States do not show the same candor and courage about our nation's past.
I ended up walking a lot and got tired by the end of my visit, so I came home and am treating myself to a cup of tea and a slice of toast thickly spread with butter.  I'll describe dinner and drink later.
Ok. It's later.  The beer of the day is Erdinger Weissbier.  It's brewed from wheat and is markedly less hoppy.  I think it tastes smooth and rich.  I've made a sandwich out of German ham and cheese.   Now this is decidedly unorthodox as Germans rightly believe each ingredient is good enough on its own.  But I asked, won't both be twice as good--and with beer, too.  The cheese is mild and creamy, and the ham fragrant and slightly smokey.  Shall we have a bite?
Of course, I am hungry, but this tastes soooo good.  I suppose I should have tried them separately first, but I'm going for the combo!

Schloss Charlottenburg

Guten Tag!
The day turned blustery when I was making my way home this afternoon, and the sky looks like it wants to rain.  Now that I'm home, I hope it does.  The weather changed, and we enjoyed lovely cooler air.
I had a great day out, and I think I have found my place in Berlin. When I visited Vienna and Munich, I loved Schoenbrunn and Nymphenburg.  Lovely Schloss Charlottenburg reminded me of those beautiful places, and the extensive park is full of riverside, lakeside, and woodland walks.  Since I am at the beginning of my trip and still jet lagged, I barely scratched the surface of the grounds, but I can return again and again.
Since I settled in my apartment, I could begin the day with a proper breakfast of dark rye bread and hummus.  Then I had an easy walk to the U bahn at Adenauer Platz and a short ride to Richard Wagner Platz, then about a seven minute walk to the palace, which was built originally for Sophy-Charlotte, the wife of the Elector of Brandenburg Friedrich III.  It's called Schloss or castle, but it is a Rococo gem, and I would consider it a must see in Berlin.
An excellent audio guide is included in the admission.  The visitor begins in the magnificent state rooms all over mirrors and gilt. Unfortunately because the period is Rococo, rooms are infested with putti of the worst description.  They are everywhere!
In addition to being messed about by Austrian and Russian invaders and Napoleon, the palace was heavily damaged in the Allied bombing of Berlin in 1943, so much of what one sees is reconstructed. Some of the original furnishing did survive and other artifacts were transferred from other palaces.  The royal family's art collection hangs on the wall along with some amazing tapestries.  Some rooms are very grand and some more intimate, and I enjoyed the period pieces and the explanation of the function of each room. Because it was a week day and I got there early, I had these rooms mostly to myself.  The palace will be crowded on summer afternoons and weekends, so plan accordingly.
Friedrich the Great of Prussia favored French Culture and bought a lot of French Art.  I was surprised to see several works by Watteau including his famous Return from Cythera.  I had no idea it was in Berlin.  Alas, even this beautiful painting features putti.
I like looking a fine porcelain, and a lot of exquisite services are on offer along with some of the Prussian Crown Jewels.  Don't miss Queen Louisa's diamond earrings--glittering and beautiful but so large, I'm not sure I could hold up my head if I wore them.
I also visited the Neuer Pavilion for an exhibition of Romantic Era German Painters.  I didn't care for most of them, but I liked the evocative works of Caspar David Friedrich.
Then for I went for a stroll along the River Spree, and wandered a bit along the paths beneath the trees.  I turned to go through the flower garden and its sprouting fountain.  Ahhhh.  This is why I come to Europe!
Here are some other reasons to like Berlin.  Fewer people smoke on the street.  Such a good thing! There are some free public toilets called City Toilets, and they are automated like the ones in Paris.  I have not needed one, but it's nice to know they exist.
Hey Pil, I bet all that walking worked up an appetite.
Dinner is not that exciting, I'm having capetellini which is a form of Italian pasta--Italian food being the universal culinary language of Western Civilization although Asian food has become very popular in the past ten years, and Berlin has its share.
Drink?
Let's try a local brew called Berliner Kindl. Will that satisfy you?
For the moment.
Apparently one can tour the brewery, but it's not on my list of things to do.  However, I do like this a lot.  It's better than what I had yesterday, or maybe I just prefer the style.  But I'm confused because the brew seems to be a Helles Bock.  It's less hoppy and tastes like sweet wheat, so I guess it's a light bock.  By the way I know nothing about beer.  In the spirit of full disclosure I confess I had to google the terms.  And I am just going to say no to the summer time trend here of mixing beer with American soft drinks.  Gurgh!

Settled in Nicely

Guten Tag!
Let me sink into another sip of Warsteiner.  It's turned hot and sultry, and cool beer is very refreshing.
I like Berlin!  I didn't do much today due to jet lag, but I enjoyed getting to know my part of the city a little.  My new digs are a little off Kurfurstendamm with a few hotels around, but mostly it's a real people neighborhood and not touristdorf.
Given my experience yesterday, I viewed the directions from Sofitel to Citadines with some skepticism--and rightly so as it turned out.  For example, if you want me to really turn right, don't instruct me to turn left.  The directions were like a mirror image of what I really needed--and yet not consistently so, but I was mentally prepared this time.  Of course, I did manage to lose my sweater and had to double back fortunately not too far before I found it.
My route took me down Kurfurstendamm, the main shopping street in Berlin replete with handsome buildings (really the whole city has them) and one luxury brand after another.  It's a broad street lined with chestnut trees casting a welcome shade.  Apparently Bismarck meant the street to be Berlin's answer to the Champs Elysees.
My room was not ready, but I anticipated that.  I dropped my bags and went off to The Story of Berlin, a museum that recounts the history of the city.  Unlike most major European cities, Berlin is neither a Roman or ecclesiastical foundation.  It's fortunately seated on an easy crossing point of the River Spree and thus attracted merchants who formed a settlement, but it's not known exactly when.  The city is first mentioned in records in the thirteenth century.  The exhibits are multi media although I wished for more artifacts, especially in the earlier periods.
The presentation grows stronger in the more modern period with the Industrial Revolution, Rise of Prussia, and the two World Wars.  The establishment of National Socialism is particularly well done and very chilling. The Cold War gets a solid look in as well, with a good explanation of the division of Germany and Berlin itself and the reunification.
I'm glad you had a nice time, Pil, and I was glad to hear about the beer, but what's for dinner?  Eh?
After I got home from the museum and moved into my apartment, even though I was footsore and wilted, I walked down to the grocery store.
Now, you're talking!
Well, I was before, too, but it was about history, so you didn't care.  I got some breakfast supplies consisting of humus and bread, and treated myself to butter and aioli as well olive oil.  Let us sample some of the other items.
I rarely drink beer at home, and the occasion is generally an offer of some fancy craft beer from knowledgeable friends, but I do like German beer.  Brewers may grumble, but I think the strict purity rules create a superior product.  I like helles and weissbier.  What I'm drinking now is a rather hoppy Pilsner.  I drank a lot of water first though.  Some people forget to hydrate on trips. They end up sorry.
Maultaschen is a German noodle resembling ravioli and is cooked the same way.  The story goes that naughty monks wished to hide their consumption of meat during fast days by hiding it in dough.  I doubt the Almighty was fooled, but otherwise this was a good idea.  I dress mine in olive oil and garlic powder, but if I could find some green sauce I'd use that.  Truth to tell these yummy noodle affairs would be good with anything.
They are larger than ravioli, and mine are stuffed with pork and beef.  So good!  But for someone my age not something I'm having every day.

Berlin

Guten Abend!
Kind friends who take an interest in my travels asked me for many months what my next destination was.  I didn't know.  I was torn between returning to somewhere I'd been to and loved and trying out a new place.  I didn't know much about Berlin beyond the Wall and the club scene, and I had no interest whatsoever in the latter, but on a sudden whim I decided to look into the city, and I found that it would make a worthwhile destination.
Now since I'm here and blogging you know this story has a happy ending, but it was rather an ordeal to get here.  The flight to London was smooth and in fact we left early and arrived a whole hour early.  I sat around terminal 5 and picked up some food from Pret a Manager, and that turned out to be a good decision.  The flight from London to Berlin was likewise smooth.
We had passport control just for our flight and our own baggage machine.  I could see the plane out the window, and they were doing a lot of stuff, but what they weren't doing was unloading the luggage.  We waited and waited.  After about twenty minutes (and this was by no means a large plane) the machine started up and produced--three suitcases.  It chugged along empty for a while,  and then stopped.  We waited and waited some more.  Then ten minutes later the lights began to flash, but the conveyer belt didn't move.  At length the bags began to appear.  I retrieved mine and set off for the bus station.
I hate busses!  But this time I don't blame the bus, but google maps for giving me bogus information!  I'd screwed up my reservation at the Citadines, so for my first night, I booked in a Sofitel.  Easy peasy.  Just take the bus to the designated stop and walk two minutes.  But we got to the end of the line without my stop being stopped at!  I asked the driver but he couldn't help.  Fine.  I remembered an alternate route on the Ubahn or subway.  When I got to the stop I saw a sign for the street I wanted.
Only I couldn't find the street or the Sofitel.  It was getting dark and I wandered around for about an hour and a half.  Fortunately European cities are safe, and I did not feel anxious beyond feeling completely lost. I went to another hotel and asked and got good but incomplete directions, and then I asked the doorman of a fancy hotel, and he gave me the scoop.
I was worn out and feeling grimy, but the young man at the reception at Sofitel was so charming I felt better instantly, and he made me even happier by mentioning the upgrade I got.  It's a nice room with a lovely view, so I am happy to be here.
I ate half my sandwich for "dinner" and can have the rest for breakfast.  I have tea making facilities in my room, and Hermes (ooh la la!) toiletries in the bathroom, where I am about to repair to shower.
Tomorrow the touristing begins!

Arrivederci, Roma.

It's not goodbye, but see you later, because I do intend to return.
Ciao!
It has been an intense three weeks, and I am tired.  I will leave tomorrow morning--sadly.  I went shopping today, and sniffed a lot of soap.  Nice, but not good blog material.
Rome has been a challenging city for me.  It's not the language barrier.  That hardly exists.  A lot of people speak English, and they have a helpful attitude.  I can put my finger on two things that made Rome an interesting and worthwhile challenge.  First, there is So Much.  Do you want history, art, food, drink?  It's all on offer in overwhelming abundance.  The city has an energy to it--a vigor.  Don't think laid back Italians.  I didn't see any.
I was fortunate to be able to stay, and I got to see most of what I wanted and some things I didn't know I wanted to see.  What I missed out on were sites that had to be booked in advance.  I just couldn't get myself together to schedule the visits.  Next time.
The other thing is transportation.  Other European Capitals have extensive metros or trams.  The visitor can easily get where she wants to go or very nearby. Rome has two lines and is working on a third.  The issue is that every time a hole is dug in Rome, the likelihood is that some potentially valuable hunk of antiquity will be turned up.  And the busses are confusing and really not made for tourists although they can be useful.  I made a habit of trying to figure out the nearest metro to what I wanted to see and then I'd plot a route.  I got a lot of exercise that way.
I also got to follow my Mediterranean Diet otherwise known as stuffing down mountains of pasta and pizza and using olive oil and parmesan with abandon.
Didn't you get tired of pasta, Pil?  You ate so much of it.
Nope.  I don't get tired of ruins either.
And the indulgence of my daily aperitivi.  What a lovely custom, but since I am not nearly as active at home as I am on trips, I won't follow it often.  But I had lush olives, savory prosciutto on crostini, creamy cheese, and Prosecco every day.  I drink it at home, but--ha ha--NOT everyday.  Also in Italy what I found in the stores is "extra dry," which is slightly sweeter than the brut commonly found in the United States.  Because Americans have theirs with dinner and the sweeter wine makes a better aperitivo?  I don't know.
I went to the big supermarket this morning and got some things to bring home, so I can continue eating Italian.  I got some tried borlotti beans and some farro, which is a traditional kind of grain that is enjoying a revival.  I also got a package of very tiny farfelle (known as bowties in the U.S.) which are just so cute. The teensy pasta is for soup.  I'll make good use of it.
Let's talk about lipstick.
Kinda random, Pil.
Well, I couldn't help notice that most Italian women were following the matte lipstick trend.  Now because of my age, I don't think it's for me, and anyway it's a hard look to pull off for anyone.  I have seen it look very pretty even on older women.  The key seems to be avoiding bright or dark shades and going with something soft and subtle, but avoiding chalkiness.  Chalky lips look like the Zombie Apocalypse.
I have gotten a lot of traffic on the blog for this trip.  Muchas gracias to the readers in Peru and Chile.  I don't think I have had readers from South America before.  But I appreciate everyone who takes the trouble to read, and I hope you are feeling inspired.  Maybe relax with your friends and family with an aperitivo?
And for our ultimo cena in Italy for now--pasta!  It's a huge bowl of angel hair dressed with garlic, olive oil and parmesan accompanied with the last of the Orvieto.  Divine!

Grazi, Amici!

Aqueducts! And a Sweltering Walk in an Archeological Park

Ciao!
It was a relief to get home and out of the heat.  I have had two glasses of water, and now I am ready to enjoy my aperitivo and talk to you.
While doing some research this morning I happened upon information on the Park of the Aqueduct.  Although this is not on the normal tourist radar it is easily accessible by metro and even on my own Line A.  I've seen plenty of ruins--but the remains of an aqueduct?  Well, it sounded good to me.
Having consulted google maps, I set off and alighted at the proper stop.  Now my instincts were correct, and I set off in the right direction.  But google maps, as sometimes happens, screwed up.  I was given to understand that the park was two minutes walk away and would be right there in front of me.  When this did not occur, I turned around and tried other directions.  Nada.  Although I noticed that a lot of businesses were open out there in the suburbs.  I went back to the metro stop hoping for a a sign or map or something.  I did find a map, so I set out again.  I was about to give up when I spotted--an aqueduct!  Yay!  And it's amazing to find so much open space in Rome.  The park is quite large with a lot of paths, and today I shared it with bikers, picnickers, and joggers as well as folks walking their dogs.  I was able to get pretty close to one of the sections of aqueduct, so that was cool. The Romans were first rate engineers, and their water delivery system still amazes.  They brought water down from higher elevations--usually a lake at a steady downward gradient, and if the stream had to go through a mountain or cross a valley or river, the Romans would excavate and also build the spectacular arcaded platforms to carry water.  Some of the aqueducts--although much restored and repaired--are still in use!
Then I took the metro back a few stops to explore another archeological park, the Caffarella.  This time I found it easily, but also by this time the afternoon had turned very hot and humid.  Once again this is a huge open space nearish the city center and is part of the Via Appia Antica complex.  The old Via Latina runs alongside it, and there are many ruins, but they are spread out.  I came upon only one.  There are lakes, too, but I didn't get that far.  Once again this green space is used and appreciated by the Roman public.  There were a fair number of people there, but as far as I could tell, I was the only foreign tourist.  A lot of paths run here and there.  A fence is supposed to keep people out of unsafe places, but the Romans have torn holes in it.  I did not venture through them although I might have done for the sake of a tasty ruin.
I got to see a couple of nice "real people" neighborhoods in Rome and see weekend life going on as well as experiencing some history, so it was a pleasant, balanced day.
I have left over gnocchi I need to use up, so even though it's not Thursday that's what I'm having--with pesto--so good!  And of course extra parmesan.  Shall we have a bite of a tiny, tender potato dumpling enriched with pesto sauce and parm?  It's fast, easy, and one of my favorite dishes I've had here.  And let's not forget a sip of chilled Orvieto Classico.  I think it's my favorite of the local wines I've tried, and I'm pretty sure I've seen it in the USA should you decide to test my taste.