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.