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.