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.