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TRIP REPORT: 2 Weeks in Berlin — Autumn, the Wall and eating my way around the world
Hello everybody!
I went to Berlin last year (October-November) and I'm here to share some things about it. I was supposed to stay for a month, but ultimately decided to cut my trip short because, while the city was interesting enough, it was very much still a city, with too much cement, the incessant sound of ambulances and police cars, dirty streets, and the lovely, persistent view of construction sites. After a couple weeks I'd had enough and booked an earlier flight back to Spain. This will not be a day-by-day trip report, I've forgotten the exact route I did every day, but just some of the highlights, my favourites and least favourites, photos, etc. About me:
NOTES ON SPENDING
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1668992c1a.jpg View from my hostel room near Alexanderplatz https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9555d0b8a3.jpg The street of my hostel in Mitte. It's the street where Humboldt lived, by the way. |
As mentioned, I'm vegan and was looking forward to doing a food tour of the city. During my planning, I realised Berlin has many international restaurants, so I decided to do a bit of a challenge where I tried to eat something from as many countries as possible. Unless I miscounted, I covered 17 countries.
These were some of my favourites! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7c037359f2.jpg There's a chain of Indian restaurants in Berlin called Amrit. I asked an Indian guy in my room whether the food there could be considered a decent representation of Indian cuisine, and he said they were rubbish. BUT, I absolutely loved the food here, what can I say. I went to the one in front of my hostel, along Oranienburger, as well as the one at Potsdamer Platz... twice. They have 4 or 5 vegan options and a heavenly peanut and banana milkshake. All dishes came with rice + a salad. It was sooo good. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...97e68c47d9.jpg The best place in terms of ambience was Restaurant Anastasia, in Friedrichshain. It was like a pub style place with cool red lighting, and the waiter / owner was a friendly man who smiled and laughed the entire time. His kids were running around the restaurant a bit and it was a cozy homey atmosphere. I found this place just because I was looking to try Uzbek food (I love Uzbekistan). They do general central Asian and Eastern European cuisine and vegan options are limited (unfortunately the Uzbek food wasn't vegan), but I got some Russian tscheburek and Ukrainian borschtsch. I don't know what exactly borschtsch is (photo), but it was delicious and warm. Definitely a memorable highlight of my trip. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ea6654bf5.jpg Another place that got a repeat visit from me was Vegano Flavors, mostly Turkish. I got to try lots of well-known foods like cig köfte, baba ganoush, fatteh and muhamara. It's a small no-fuss place with great food, what else can I ask for! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...169918d560.jpg For Ethiopian food I went to Langano. I know nothing of Ethiopian food, so everything on the menu was unknown to me, I just randomly picked shiro wat and they bought me this. I was expected to eat with my hands, but I've never done that nor seen it done before (there was nobody else in the restaurant to imitate), and after a few failed attempts I gave up and asked for a knife and fork. Food was interesting and decorations of the place were nice. I've tried making shiro wat at home because it turns out it's quite easy to make. I went overboard with the chickpea flour though, and the recipe I followed used way too much oil, plus I can't find all the right spaces at the supermarket here in Spain, so it will have to be refined. But I'm defintiely curious to try more Ethiopian food in the future. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20e7400c01.jpg I also had Jamaican at YA MAN Caribbean Soulfood. There were like three tables plus the counter, so we three patrons were sitting close together. All of the places on this list seem to be restaurants with repeat customers, and in this case there was also a Jamaican guy talking to the owner of the place. The food is a bit overpriced and expensive, but there isn't much competition for Caribbean restaurants so it remains, by way of its sole existence, one of the best places to try Caribbean food in Berlin! This here was ackee (a Caribbean fruit that's cooked), it tasted a bit like a salty half-cooked omelette but in texture it was very soft, almost runny, and melted in my mouth. Very different from other things I've eaten before. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7cda39dafd.jpg This place, BESH, is closer to the city center, with typical dishes from the Silk Road. They have salads and things at the counter and you can combine them in different ways to end up with a plate something like this. So I got plov and kofta (though you can't see them well, they're buried a little), with some typical bread, hummus, etc. And jasmine tea and namura for dessert. All of it was fantastic. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...567d46dae0.jpg And finally, last but not least, Bantabaa Food Dealer specialising in Gambian food. I went to try domoda stew but, upon realising it included kumera (I don't like kumera), I ordered the yassa instead. It was some very satisfying rice with mustard and lots of vegetables and fried plantains. The restaurant ambience was also enjoyable, with Gambian music and decorations around the place. Those are my top recommendations. I also mention Safran in Kreuzberg as an honorary mention. Their sabzi, the national dish of Iran, was very enjoyable, plus I had some lentil soup and safran rice, and they had a very long menu of many interesting Persian cuisine options. But unfortunately I didn't enjoy walking through the area to get to the restaurant, and that influenced my visit in a negative way. As for actual German food: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...741418ab08.jpg Currywurst, Berlin's most famous street food. There are some places that do vegan versions with fake sausage, such as Curry 61 (it's crowded though). I wasn't overwhelmed by it, but it was fine. It has lots of ketchup. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...383b3c0176.jpg The vegetable fries seemed to be everywhere. I don't know if it's a German thing, but I tried some too. It's a good way to have a filling meal. This is at Zur Gerichtslaube, I actually just went to see the bolted ceiling. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...378474305e.jpg Typical. There's a store in Hauptbanhof (central station) with a whole lot of pastries and things (vegan options clearly labelled) and you go around with some tongs, filling up a bag with whatever you want and pay at the counter. I found some amazing stuff there. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9d6b61c336.jpg These drinks are popular in Spain so I've had them plenty times before, but I'm in Germany so I tried a few different ones while there. They're all good. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ea5744ac8f.jpg Hamburger. I still don't know how to eat them properly. |
The vegan food challenge sounds fun (and a little risky, lol). What a great idea. I looked up shiro wat and it sounds good. And so much better than chips and wurst!
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Fun read, Peter_T! Thanks for including the pictures!
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Thank you for the comments, Adelaidean and Janeyre!
Adelaidean, it was a little risky, not all the things I tasted were so nice... But I think it was a fun challenge overall and I'll have to continue it wherever I travel to next. |
General things that surprised me about Berlin:
My first night, I was awoken by people in the dormitory at 5:40am. I couldn’t fall back to sleep, so I started getting ready to leave a while after 6, and then headed to the station to start my day. It was still dark when I left, but the sky started to lighten up a little during the train ride. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b7074fb580.jpg Arriving at Wannsee station, the sun starting to rise. My visit was to Wannsee, still within the Berlin AB zone. The goal was to visit three places: Königsweg bridge, Wannsee island and Peacock island. I was worried I would miss the autumn leaves if I left this until later in my trip, but there were still plenty days of orange leaves all over Berlin in late October. (Autumn came very late this year in Spain, in my town autumn proper didn't begin until December, and there are still leaves on the ground now in January.) Anyway, the forest walk was supposed to be simple. I had a map. The map was wrong. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6cae2a956.jpg I walked along the road for less than an hour, until I did a left turn-off onto a trail. The trail then follows the Berlin-Brandenburg border. I made it to Königsweg bridge without any problems. This is where one of the most recognisable locations of the series Dark is located: the railway tracks. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...766cd6b854.jpg Fans of the series will recognise this spot... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...616039862.jpeg The bridge as seen in the series. I sat in the same spot where Bartosz from the series sat. Unfortunately, Bartosz didn’t chose the driest place to sit, so my bottom ended up quite wet. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...55d1ca0a65.jpg The real deal! This was my priority of the day, it was quite exciting, and the sun had properly risen by that point. The best autumn leaves were around this area and the walk was very beautiful from there on. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...40a5e6f0d7.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...577b0fcb62.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e0b95b09b4.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...be650aaee4.jpg The problems began after that though. I ended up walking way past my turnoff (I swear there was no turnoff) and all the way through the forest to the next town. There I asked a woman with a baby where we were, and she pointed me the right way towards the river and Wannsee. I don't regret the long way around, it was a nice town with some very cute German houses. I was going to take photos, but it was a very lively place, with every neighbour out in their garden doing things, so I thought it would be a little rude/strange to photograph their homes. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f16001778.jpg The wall went through here, apparently. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d1b0db8358.jpg Town church https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f830f66abd.jpg A nice building. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3818efb455.jpg After leaving the neighbourhood I had to walk along a road for a while before finally crossing the river into Wannsee town. Plenty of leaves around there, too. I passed through Wannsee, ready to walk through that second forest and to Peacock Island. However, after a while it started to rain. I hid under some trees and made a hat out of leaves to stay dry. I sat there for twenty minutes before ultimately deciding I was too tired for another 2h of walking (I'd already been walking a few hours by that point), and so I abandoned my shelter and returned towards the station. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac0715535f.jpg The leaves around there were less spectacular, though lovely in their own way. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2dc313007a.jpg Walking through Wannsee, back to the station https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...298c1c14a1.jpg Close to the Yacht Club https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f000ef08e7.jpg Ferries depart towards Kladow Finally, as I arrived to the station and was daydreaming of the comfortable seats of the train, where I would be able to rest, I ran into another issue. The ticket machine wouldn’t accept my €20 note to pay for a €3 ticket, which was the smallest thing I had to pay with. I went to the counter to buy the ticket instead, but when I took out the cursed €20, the woman crossed her arms and said “nein”. I stared blankly at her, not quite understanding what she was saying—she gave no further explanation—, but when she glared at my money and said “nein” again (with a shrug), I figured she was following the same rules and wasn’t going to accept it, either. So I found a shop near the station and bought some useless things, finally getting some change and feeding the machine with coins. Back in the city, I got off at Schlesisches Tor station and crossed another river (so many rivers!) to see the Oberbaumbrücke. It's an old brick bridge. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6d6aeb44fa.jpg Oberbaumbrücke And then I just slowly walked back to my hostel in Alexanderplatz along the East Side Gallery and Karl-Marx-Allee. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ccc1e57d56.jpg There were lots of tourists at the East Side Gallery. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b3fe4cf5f5.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c78131bea.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...207841bdfd.jpg I can't say I was impressed with Berlin's architecture, I didn't find any single building that I stopped to look at, but there's an interesting feel to them all together. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5d93682c13.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4050fa81b.jpg I was impressed by the Alexa Mall though (I went for dinner there). I've only been to one mall before, in Spain, so maybe I'm just being a peasant in a city, but it felt like Harry Potter with the criss-crossing staircases. That concludes my first day! I don't have so many details of my other days, I only sent a couple emails to my parents that I can reread. So, with the first day out of the way, I’d like to just talk about some of my favourite sites and activities from here on, later some of my disappointments, and maybe just share some other photos of my trip. Feel free to ask any questions if you’re going to Berlin soon! |
That looks a stunning autumnal walk. I really like your photos.
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Today I'll cover all the Wall-related sites I visited. I didn't know much about the wall before my trip (I'm young and naive), but learning more about it was the highlight of my trip.
There are several memorials and museums in Berlin covering this part of the city's history. For one, there is a strip that follows where the wall used to be. I don't know if it follows the whole wall or just bits and pieces, but I came across it in a few places, cutting through parks and streets. I think it's a very visual way to show how the wall really did divide a city. Whenever I saw a piece of the strip, I had to stop and imagine what that place must've looked like not so long ago... https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1dceed5b43.jpg Wall through a park https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...39c98ee19b.jpg Apart from just walking around, I took a tour with "Berlin Underworld" (Berliner Unterwelten). As the name implies, they do tours underground, visiting hidden bunkers and tunnels that are otherwise off-limits to visitors. No photos were allowed, so I have nothing to show, but I can't recommend them enough. My "Under the Wall" tour was €18, they also have a tour for WW2 related sites, and a couple others (available in German, English and Spanish, possibly other European languages). The meeting point was Blochplatz, next to Gesundbrunnen station. It started to rain as soon as I arrived, but we were quickly ushered inside, and they had benches prepared in the first room so we could sit down while the guide pointed at a map and explained some history of the Berlin Wall. The whole tour has quite a few places to sit so it was not tiring, though there was a bit of walking involved. The theme was how people escaped from East Berlin underground, but we passed by some of the war shelters and also stopped along the way just to check out the glow-in-the-dark wall paint. There were lots of zig zag corridors, like a maze, supposed to stop any (horizontal) shockwaves. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ea535e816.jpg DDR watch tower on Erna-Berger-Straße Essentially, there were three ways people escaped from the East: using the underground train tracks, digging their own tunnel, or the sewers. That last one wasn’t pleasant to see. They had to wade through the toilet water and then do a bit of diving to get under the gates along the way. This method of escaping was called the “cologne tour”. Later they changed the gates and put sensors so nobody could go through the sewers. The train tracks route was difficult because of the number of guards along the way (and the gruesome traps). But apparently most of the people who escaped this way were the guards themselves, so they took to locking them in rooms during their shifts and they had to do their watch by looking through a little window. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cdfd6ba6ce.jpg After seeing those two, the guide opened a secret door and we found ourselves in the middle of the Gesundbrunnen train station. We took the train to the second part of the tour, Bernauer Straße, where the wall used to be, and we got to see some of the tunnels that people had built to try and pass under the wall. Most were unsuccessful because it’s hard to hand-dig a tunnel, and there was often flooding, roofs collapsing, police, etc. They had a "copy" of a tunnel as an example on the ground floor of a pub, so we could look closely at it from the open side section and discuss how one builds such a tunnel. After that, we went throw a narrow corridor and were able to look throw a hole in the ground into a real tunnel that has stood the test of time. It was a very interesting tour, and I'll definitely take their other tours if I return to Berlin one day! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2f1ec431a3.jpgModel of what the Tränenpalast looked like during DDR days. Another site I visited was the Palace of Tears (Tränenpalast). It was very close to my hostel, so I was there shortly after they opened, and that was preferable since I had half an hour by myself before the crowds started to arrive. The Palace of Tears is a museum about the Wall located in the old border control of Friedrichstraße train station. They'd cut the train lines that crossed the border from East-West Berlin, but left this line. Friedrichstraße was open to both East and West Berliners, but Easterners had to go through a strict border control first. The museum tells stories of many people who passed through the station and the Fall of the Wall. They have a video with the same events repeated twice, once being the coverage shown in West Berlin, then the coverage shown in the East, making the propaganda very clear. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...741cf5866b.jpg Signs from the era that have been retired. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99b1b40bb0.jpg Interior of the museum. Every suitcase was the story of someone different, with their photos, documents, some personal items, and recordings. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a53880ae4.jpg Since Friedrichstraße station is still operating, they have some of the border boxes still up, and you can pass through them and see the DDR era signs pointing the way to the tracks. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...050413ca52.jpg The Topography of Terror is a museum on the rise and actions of the Nazi Party in Germany, but they have a piece of the wall there out front. Actually, there are a few surviving pieces of the wall around the city, so it's not difficult to find somewhere to see it. While interesting (there was a lot on how the population was brainwashed, social shaming, people who resisted Nazi rule, etc.), the information could've been presented in a better way. There were only panels with a lot of text and photos, nowhere to sit and lots of people trying to crowd around each panel to read the same bit. Some form of interactivity, differing ways of showing information, more space since it's a known popular site, etc. It wasn't possible to stay there for much more than an hour before I got too tired. You all know I can be harsh when it comes to museum design though... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b77f622fac.jpg The Wall at Topography of Terror. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...53236b21a8.jpg You get a nice view of Friedrichstraße from Friedrichstraße station. My photo didn't come out great, because of the lighting and also because there were the train tracks and the railing in the way. But I've seen some good photos online from this spot, so photographers can go there if they're interested in some lighting practice. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b992c42b9.jpg Finally, I also went to famed Checkpoint Charlie. Honestly, it wasn't worth the detour. I'd only go out there if someone is interested in the museums next to it. It's a very touristy place now. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dc0f250d91.jpg |
Despite my newfound interest in Berlin's history, some my favourite parts of my trip were actually my visits outside of the city! I did several day trips: Wannsee (above), Potsdam, Köpenick, Spandau, Oranienburg and Lübbenau. There were a couple other places on my list (New Venice and Werder, and a second attempt to get to Peacock Island), but I didn’t have the time for them in the end.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9ac0fc4e00.jpg View from the interior of the Köpenick palace I had low expectations for Köpenick, since I thought it would just be a quick visit to their palace and be gone. But I ended up spending a nice day there. The palace was quite charming from the outside, with those manicured circles of garden and a bit of a park. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...939390030e.jpg And the interior of the palace didn't let down either. It's on the smaller side, as far as palaces go, I’m sure, but the audioguide was very thorough and taught me a great deal of fascinating things, be it about rococó or Chinese artistic influences, the trend of making porcelain figurines inspired by Greek mythology, all sorts of things. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...908a50fd9b.jpg They had multiple curious objects in their collection (carpets, shell inlaid chests, chairs), and each seemed to have their own story. Most rooms had decorated ceilings, though in some cases the entire room was the piece of art! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6f1e08333f.jpg A mirror room, this pink room covered head to toe in plaster figures and shields, a room shrouded in darkness where I could only just make out scenes cut into the wood. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...772cd3f123.jpg Even the stairs were nice! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4433a16b7.jpg Most rooms had ceilings similar to this one. And the basement had a couple pots and the like that had been excavated from the area from times past, as well as a little prison cell. I think the workers and security guards were surprised I spent so long in the palace, but there were just so many things to stop and look at. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e24e3977c.jpg One of the decorated rooms Köpenick also has a couple nice streets to walk down. Germany seems to have a lot of cobbled streets everywhere, or at least I randomly happened upon many of them. This isn't so common in Spain. I guess in Spain we favoured the dirt roads in the past, and cobbled streets is seen as expensive. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ad41977733.jpg I would've gone out to Köpenick just for the VOC porcelain, honestly. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a37d527129.jpg Kietz street, near the palace That same evening I went to the opera. The musicians are dressed up in period dresses and the stage was in the palace ballroom, rather than in a proper opera house, so I had the intuition that the quality might be lacking, but it wasn't a problem. Since I'm a newbie, I decided on this "introduction" to some of the more famous classical music, rather than a 4h opera show. There are plenty performances in theatres around Berlin though, there's always something on, so there are options for those who want to hear the full opera pieces. I left my hostel at 7pm, after a few hours rest after returning from Köpenick, so I had an hour to get to the palace before the show began. As I soon found out, there are fewer trains at that time of day, and every connection I had to make prolonged my journey considerably. I had to switch trains twice along the way, and by the time I reached Richard-Wagner-Platz train station, I still had a 15min walk to the palace. I ran and made it in ten, arriving a few minutes before the show began. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec8150baa4.jpg A cute house Unfortunately, because I was late and seats weren’t numbered, I got last row (you only pay for the "zone", A-B-C, with the A being close to the front and C in the back). I'd say, if you're buying C zone, try to get there on time! I thought of dragging my chair out into the path a little so I could have a better view—without people’s heads in the way—, but it turned out all the seats of the row were stuck together with a metal bar. It wouldn’t have been very discreet to move the whole thing, so I had to abandon that plan, but the good thing about being in the last row was that there was nobody behind me. I was able to stand up without anyone realising and took a couple photos! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bea74ea32d.jpg They did Vivaldi and Händel pieces, with some others thrown in there. I say “opera” but there were only three opera pieces, the rest was music only. They did the commentary in German and English, the booklet was in French (no idea why), the opera was in Italian. So all around a very European performance. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4f122571c.jpg In Charlottenburg Palace's Orangerie building https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5abd126ada.png The show as seen from the last row During the intermission, everyone got up to drink wine in the hall (they always drink wine in the hall), and a bathroom break. At that time, you are able to walk up to the stage and walk around the hall a bit. You don't get entry into the palace main building though. It was very fun! |
Originally Posted by Adelaidean
(Post 17428400)
That looks a stunning autumnal walk. I really like your photos.
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You have done some interesting things, I’m noting some sites for future travel.
My father escaped from East Germany (tried to get to West Berlin but was caught and jailed) so I’m keen to see some of those museums related to that era. I was last in Berlin in ‘86, so the wall was still there. |
Peter who isn't Peter...you may be young and naive, but your photography is brilliant and you've piqued this jaded traveler's interest in a part of Germany that I have yet to visit, so well done you!
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wowee.... what a marvelous trip report. your photography is just so good.. totally brillian. I loved looking at them so much. I have never been to Berlin. It was on the list. So very interested in what you have written.
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https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...25dfa8f0e3.jpg
Station right in front of my hostel. You can see the Synagogue in the back there, but we'll get to that later... I woke up early on Sunday 6th November. On the first Sunday of every month many museums in Berlin are free, and I had lots of things to see that weren't included in my Museum pass. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...392452d0be.jpg View from the Technological Museum rooftop The first stop was the German Museum of Technology. It’s usually 8€, and I'd seen a really cool photo on the internet when planning my trip, of a plane indoors hanging from the ceiling, and I really wanted to check that out. I was there with a guy I’d met in my room, he’d just arrived to Berlin the night before and had no plans, so he came along to the museum. Note that you have to reserve a time slot online before going to museums on the first Sunday! We didn’t know this and we were able to do it at the door by scanning the QR code, but for other more popular museums you definitely want to do this in advance. The Pergamon was packed full with a very long queue when we walked past later in the day, and I can’t imagine anyone who hadn’t registered beforehand managed to get in. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec2e8ede3a.jpg Train from South Africa?! Simply put, the German Museum of Technology was incredible. If anyone is interested in trains, planes or boats (or all three!), I can’t recommend it enough. In fact, if you’re into any sort of technology, this is the place to be. My biggest Berlin regret is not spending enough time here. On a future trip, I will reserve a full day for the museum for a long relaxed visit, stopping to look at everything in detail. Maybe bringing along a sketchbook to draw some things, because it's the sort of place where inspiration strikes if you like to draw / write fiction. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5da73a37f4.jpg There's a platform where you can see all the trains from above. We started with the train area. There was a railway turntable outside, and there were retired trains parked in the building. Generally you can't go into them, but you can look inside from the windows, and they have some rooms of sleeper trains set up as they used to look back in the day, which looked like a scene right out of a movie. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6b4b75ee7e.jpg Nice old-school carriage. It makes me want to take a long train ride somewhere, just feeling the sun in on my face while I doze off. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a4e480156a.jpg As well as the stationed trains, in this area they had some models and a train diorama of an old station. People seemed to stick to the trains though, so I had this to myself, and I went around and around the tables, crouching down to try and get a good view of the miniature world. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e66de02787.jpg Detail of one of the models. It was huge, with lots of little scenes of everyday life. The museum has models of lighthouses, hot air balloons, old aircrafts, military flying gear, a goldsmith workshop, rooms on metalworking, engines, a section on Covid vaccines, a plane on the terrace, everything. You name it, it’s there. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c985a6042.jpg Goodbye trains, hello boats! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3f34677528.jpg The museum is entertaining for both kids and adults. They have some more kid-focused areas, especially towards the entrance, so there is a bit of shouting down there, but the rest of the place was open enough that every visitor had their own space. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3040f00a9f.jpg Anyway, there were several floors and I think even a third building. We only saw a couple of the main things. Because my travel companion wasn’t overly interested in the museum, we left after less than a couple hours and moved onto something else. This is why it's important to travel with like-minded people! :P https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e57bf04b24.jpg Some steampunk looking aircrafts. Though does it count as steampunk if they're real history? We took the train to Nikolaiviertel, which is Berlin's traditional district. We had to cross a big road but there were no zebra crossings in sight. Thankfully, half of it was cut off due to construction, so we could jaywalk without much concern. Nikolaiviertel is a very small area though, just a couple streets and little else. There do seem to be a few small artsy museums, but we didn't see any of them. We were there for the church! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3bd5506f2c.jpg This is the photo I saw online... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf61aed26e.jpg But there are heaps of them hanging every which way! We definitely got lost in the museum. Living in Europe, I'm used to seeing some impressive churches and cathedrals, so I took a walk around and was ready to leave. I'm sure Germany has more spectacular churches that I didn't get to see. As always though, the lighting in churches can be quite entrancing and makes for some interesting plays of shadows and brightness. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3ac88538c3.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc0f0e99ba.jpg We ate some currywurst for lunch in a park before parting ways, him going off to visit some German friends, and me going back to the street our hostel was on. The New Synagogue opens to visitors on the first Sunday. I met a Hungarian woman while we were waiting to go in. She didn't speak English, nor I Hungarian, but to my surprise she spoke Spanish! We had a bit of a chat. There wasn't a queue, but they had the police out front keeping watch and checked bags at the entry, so everyone had to go through the control. Also, no photos were allowed inside. It's sad that even these days the Jewish community still needs to protect its safety... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c3fc9aeaa8.jpg Nikolaiviertel It’s called “new” Synagogue, I’m guessing because it was reconstructed, or because there’s an older one, but it dates to before the war. It was mostly destroyed in WW2 so the mini-museum was more about the reconstruction of the building and the architecture, and they've managed to keep the old façade still standing out back. I've never been in a Synagogue before (Spain kicked all the jews out of the country, so there aren't many historical buildings or modern ones to see), making it very interesting for me to visit. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...85cb720e8f.jpg To end the day, I had tickets for the "Arise Grand Show". I'd initially booked this for another day further along my trip, but since I was going to leave Berlin earlier than expected, I contacted them and asked if I could change my dates. They kindly did without any extra cost, but there was only the afternoon show left, rather than the evening show. My ticket didn't work at the machine when I arrived, but the lady at the counter printed out another one for me there. They were very kind to me throughout! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0e4fabdcac.jpg It's a very popular show with thousands of reviews online, and that was confirmed when the theatre was packed full of people, no empty seats. My cheap seat ended up being quite good. I got a good close-up view throughout, both of the main stage and a little stage that was off to the right side, right next to me. The ones in front row got splashed a little during a water dance. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6d72b01a69.jpg No photos allowed during the performance, only before and after. This is the end where everyone is clapping. They did acrobatics (trapeze, and that one with the seesaw-swing thing), which were my favourite part of the show, but there was also dancing and singing. There seemed to be a storyline to follow, something about Time reviving the main singer's dead girlfriend, or something. I'm not sure I understood it. And the girlfriend was a prostitute? There were some unexpectedly sexual dances, so the mother with her several kids in the row behind me may have been a little uncomfortable... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...63d3aac51b.jpg The hall where people drink wine during intermission. They changed their costumes every few minutes, the stage also lifted up in the air sometimes. It had The Greatest Showman vibes, if you've seen that movie (I haven't, but I assume it's like that). Overall, it was entertaining, and nice to see something sitting down after all my running around. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...83d0805520.jpg Oh, and I stopped by Brandenburger Tor to see it lit up. |
Thank you for everyone's kind words! :embarassed::blush:
Adelaidean, there is another wall museum near Checkpoint Charlie. I didn't go to that one, but you might want to look into it. The underground tour and Palace of Tears are highly recommended though. Melnq8 and millie2112, thank you for the compliments on my photos :P I hope you make it out to Berlin some day, and that you see something interesting in my report to do while there. I skipped some of the Berlin "must-sees", but there are so many things to do in the city that you can find a bit of everything. |
Your commentary and photos are great.
I remember reading your ‘train pass’ report from Spain, also really interesting. |
I'm enjoying your report very much, Peter_T. We lived in West Berlin for a couple of years just before the wall came down, so I find your report very interesting. I look forward to visiting again... we went through that station at Friedrichstrasse to enter the east side several times and I'd like to see behind the scenes. The underground tour also sounds fascinating. Checkpoint Charlie museum used to have several artifacts related to escapes but I haven't been there recently.
Adelaidean, if you ever choose to share your father's story, it would be fascinating... but I understand that sometimes things this personal are not what people wish to share. |
Trophywife, I think it’s interesting, but don’t want to hijack this thread.
Briefly, his family came from a village near Wroclaw, and his father conscripted to the war- so when the village had to evacuate as the Russians were advancing, his mum (who’d probably not been more than 20 km from her village) had to pack up 2 children and join the convoy, walking for weeks in the winter of ‘45. Those that survived, stopped in Saxony. Eventually, my grandfather deserted, and reunited with his family, contact through a Berlin relative, and resettling south of Leipzig. Then the tough immediate post war years, Stalinism, and an increasing number of young people fleeing to the west. West Germany transmitted radio that my Dad was able to secretly tune into. Desperate to leave, border was guarded so tried via train to Berlin, did not have appropriate papers and was jailed as a warning. Following year (mid 50’s) he had fake papers, and a return ticket. Which he didn’t use. ;) A few years in West Germany, and a poster advertising work in Australia…and he was off. Met my mother in the migrant hostel in Adelaide. She did have a German friend who paid for access to a border farm, the farmer met those prepared to risk escaping at night, walked them partway, then you’re on your own. She was terrified, about 20, I think, in the dark, heard the guards, she was hiding in the forest, but fortunately no dogs. So she was not discovered. Much harder later on. |
Thank you for sharing that, Adeladean. I grew up hearing about "the Iron Curtain." I think these personal histories are important to keep alive and your dad's story is fascinating.
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Don't worry about "hijacking" the thread, Adelaidean! Thank you for sharing your father's story (and how your parents met!); as Trophywife007 said, it's fascinating. Visiting museums about the Wall is interesting, but hearing about real people's stories is much more valuable.
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There is a very nice bookstore in Berlin, called Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus. It's very big, and has a dedicated English section that occupies two floors in a room off the side, as well as another room for all other languages.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3014d876a4.jpg Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus bookstore https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d1de8d83b0.jpg Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus bookstore cafe I'm not here to talk about the bookstore though. I like to read some local books before I visit a new country, to get to know some background or cultural nuances I might otherwise not pick up on. I’d already read some German stuff before (Perfume, Hannah Arendt, The Carpet Makers by Eschbach, Gudrun Pausewang), most of which are part of my all-time favourite books, plus there are many German series/movies that I’ve loved (Dark, The Reader, Biohackers); so I was looking forward to making my way through some of Germany’s famous authors. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0fc5810777.jpg Satisfying set-up of orange and blue books. I work in cover design, so I like to visit bookstores just to look at cover trends. I read some poems from Brecht, a little about Hegel... but, after seeing the name "Humboldt" everywhere as I was planning my trip, I looked him up and eventually settled on a book called "The Invention of Nature" by historian Andrea Wulf, a biography of Alexander von Humboldt. I always enjoy historical biographies, so it seemed like the perfect fit. And indeed, I soon got really into it. He did so many things that it feels almost like an adventure novel. Some of you may recognise his name from the Humboldt squid or the Humboldt current, he revolutionised the sciences and methodologies used in his day, he "discovered" climate zones, talked about human-induced climate change... in the 1800s! The author dedicated large parts of the book to abandon Humboldt and comment on the lives of his contemporaries and those whom he met or inspired: Simón Bolívar, Charles Darwin, Goethe, Thomas Jefferson, even Napoleon. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...897c4c76f5.jpg Great book! I read a lot of historical biographies, so it was fun seeing mentions of “characters” I’d previously encountered in other books (such as Louis Antoine de Bougainville, from when I read Tupaia’s biography). Reading books from this time period always makes me think: what a time to be alive! There was a quote from the book that I appreciated: With progress as the century's watchword, every generation envied the next. No one worried that nature itself might be destroyed. Isn’t that mindset quite different from what (young) people believe nowadays? I don't think there is much optimism for the future anymore. Even the advances of technology, while cool and exciting, are looked at with much suspicion. Anyway, I became somewhat obsessed with him, and wanted to do some "Humboldt sightseeing". As mentioned, I booked my hostel on Oranienburger Straße, next to where his house had been (though Humboldt hated Berlin). There's a plaque there now: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a32ce3b279.jpg Humboldt's house was here. I'm assuming that's what the sign says. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...507f547ede.jpg Spotting Humboldt around town As is to be expected then, the Humboldt Forum soon became my must-see. Today I'm going to talk about that museum, as well as the other random things in the vicinity. The Humboldt Forum has a lot of international cultural artefacts, some acquired through dubious (colonial) means, others being more recent acquisitions. Every time I visited the Forum I got lost, and I'm still not sure I understand the layout of the place even after three visits. My biggest interest was the Africa collection, then the America one, and finally the Asia and Oceania collections if I had time, since I have already travelled around a few countries in Asia and grew up in New Zealand. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...436e98964a.jpg It's worth noting that, despite each of my visits taking up a couple hours (so some 6h in total), I only managed to see the second floor. They have a third floor, a rooftop, the Berlin Exhibition, and other things, which I didn't have time to enjoy. Some of their best pieces are the Polynesian boats they had built a few years ago, they have several of them in a large hall and children or short people can even climb onto some of them (if I remember correctly; please check that while there rather than trusting me blindly!). It was nice to see they had several rooms dedicated to South East Asia, Melanesia and the Polynesian triangle, since those areas are often overlooked but have so much interesting history and art. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e634824031.jpg A house in the Oceania section. Their Africa collection is also large, but I found some context lacking in the first room. Overall, I can't say I learnt much while there, despite seeing many cool things, because I wasn't able to place them at a location or even know which people group they belong(ed) to. The general display had the name of the expedition (ex."Wissmann, conquering Congo"), with no further information. Knowing more about each society's customs, the roles of the different objects on display, some photos of the people or scenery, stories, history, etc., anything like that would've been a welcome addition to just glasses and glasses full of things without context. Their second room, focused on Cameroon, was much better, and even talked about separate kingdoms within Cameroon (Bandjoun, Bamum, etc.) with plenty photos and information about the colonial period. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...def274660f.jpg The most impressive for me, however, were the Benin bronzes. In the Benin Empire they made bronze heads when a queen mother died, to put on top of the tomb. They’ve been giving the Benin bronzes back to Nigeria, but they still have a few on display. While I have a great interest in West African precolonial history, my "expertise" generally remains limited to Liberia as well as the typical big ones (Mali, Songhai, Hausa, etc.), and I have mostly neglected those along the coast (sorry, Dahomey). The Ghana Empire and trans-Saharan trade remains my favourite era of African history to learn about. My knowledge of the Benin Empire is thus limited to a single book I read once (story, more like; it was a kid's book). It was titled "Arhuan the Giant" by Marietta Iyinbor and Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu and, following the tradition of Western storytelling and Hollywood movies, I figured the main character would be the hero of the story. I was somewhat surprised when he didn't win! The story featured Queen Idia, Esigie and Arhuan. I thought it was a legend (there were magical realism elements that made the story hard to believe)... imagine my shock when I entered the museum and found, right there in front of me, the bronze head of Queen Idia! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c79c17cf21.jpg I was practically jumping up and down in excitement there in the museum (I may have cried a little), and I looked around to see if anyone around me was equally overwhelmed at the sight before them, but this area of the museum was almost empty. The guards were talking in the next room, looking bored. I hope the Forum returns all the artefacts to their rightful owners some day but, selfishly, I was happy to have seen this at least once. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9075e3218b.jpg Their American section was under construction, so the North America areas were only half there, but they had some magnificent Mayan objects. Dare I say, much better than the America Museum in Madrid... The books and illustrations were my favourites. I can imagine the artist/author had those same pages in their hands, once. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ba483e3d6c.jpg To the East of the Humboldt Forum, across the river, is the St.Marienkirche, the other church I visited (free). This one was equally white and had a similar architecture to Nikolaikirche. Is this what most churches look like in the country? I liked this one a little more than the other one. There was nobody there and I felt the atmosphere more relaxing, more down-to-earth (no pun intended). https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4907c2c098.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9f6e178b13.jpg Neptun fountain I think Berlin has enough charm that just walking around some streets in Mitte you will happen upon interesting things. I went to Neue Wache, past the Humboldt University, fell over in the street (but managed to lift my camera in time; I'm glad my subconscious has the right priorities), and sat in Hegelplatz as I did some people-watching (there was someone learning to juggle) and rested my feet for a while. Then I got up again, went to Bebelplatz, where there's an underground memorial covered in glass that you can see from above, in a stand against the Nazi book burnings that took place, but the glass was fogged up because of the rain so not very visible. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...77f587e64c.jpg Train stations in Berlin don't have turnstiles. You still have to buy a ticket, and there's a little machine to validate it, but you can easily go in and out of the stations as you please. Even stop somewhere along your journey, go to a shop or cafe, and then hop back on the train with the same ticket. It's very convenient! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af168407cc.jpg Gendarmenmarkt Gendarmenmarkt has the Concert House (an orchestra was playing when I walked past), but those of us stuck outside had a concert of our own! A violinist was playing a wonderful piece, so I found a comfortable place on the steps to sit some more, and listened to the music as I watched the moon. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d3c87b234.jpg Gendarmenmarkt https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d7773c3a2d.jpg Honestly, there is not much to say. I spent the afternoon walking around, just enjoying the city in a leisurely way and seeing everyday scenes. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0861afcde2.jpg For those of you who don't have a Humboldt obsession, but you may have appreciated some other German authors, the Dorotheenstadt cemetery is full of famous authors, philosophers, musicians and others. Bertolt Brecht, Paul Dessau, Anna Seghers, Hegel, Heinrich Mann... they're all buried there! There's a long list on wikipedia. Even for those who don't care for the names, visiting a cemetery in Germany was pleasant, if one can say such a thing. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...288c3f7a89.jpg It's because they have these little gardens in front of the tombstones, I'm assuming so there are always fresh flowers there. Such a great idea! It makes the place look beautiful. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47cd687e21.jpg |
What an intriguing report! (I selfishly wish you had stayed for the intended month) but totally understand your desire to leave when you did. Thanks for all the detail ⭐️
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I just love all your unexpected excursions and accompanying thoughts. Fun, informative, fascinating.
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Hello everyone! I've been busy for a few months but I'm finally back to finish this trip report. I'd hate to leave it half way through. We still have three day trips to cover (Potsdam, Sachsenhausen, Spreewald), and then Postdamer Platz and Museum Island areas in Berlin plus some other general things. So there are still a few posts to come!
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e74ce6b553.jpg Today I'll share some photos of my trip to Potsdam. Potsdam is the most famous and popular of Berlin day trips, the Versailles of Germany with the palaces of Frederick II of Prussia, so I started quite early in the hopes of avoiding crowds. I shouldn't have been worried because it was a Monday and, as it turns out, everything in Potsdam (including the palaces) are closed on Mondays. So there weren't many people out and about and it seems that any visitors who were there stuck to the palaces / gardens and skipped the rest of the city. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75689029f1.jpg This "man carrying the world" is a statue I must've seen a hundred times during my trip to Berlin. I'm sure it was a popular motif back in the day. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...314801bf18.jpg I decided to walk from the train station to the gardens. It would take about half an hour if you go straight there, but I stopped at a couple places along the way, namely the old town square which has the church and an obelisk, a couple museums, then I crossed the Einheit Platz where I sat down and had some breakfast, and onto the Dutch Quarter. The Dutch Quarter was built in the 1730s to attract skilled workers from the Netherlands. A large number of well-trained craftsmen were needed to help with the expansion of Potsdam, so newcomers were offered a home and attractive work contracts. It's a neighbourhood of several streets of red brick houses. People live in them so there are cars all over and it's a little difficult to get some good photos, but it's a nice area for a walk and there are cafés and trendy boutiques as well. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c11e0d47c.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20aaab0a3c.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ff9ffccb9b.jpg After a nice stroll around the picturesque area, and cars were starting to run around as they were setting up some sort of market in front of the church or people were off to work, I continued my journey through town. Around the Nauener Gate (the tram goes through it!) and down Hegelallee, which is a nice long tree-lined street, through the Jäger Gate... https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a26e8db7d.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd18b333fb.jpg It looks like Barcelona but cleaner. I'm still surprised by how many streets have pavements like this in Germany. Isn't it a lot of work to lay down?! I had to stop for a long time at the end of the allee because the traffic light took forever to turn green. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...336c96a17e.jpg And finally I reached the park with all the famous palaces. There are several trails / roads through the park so I had some trouble deciding which one to take--I wanted to do all of them--I finally settled on circling a small lake with ducks to Friedenskirche (church). There were some noisy teenagers hanging around in one of the wings so I skipped that area and only saw the patio. There was nobody else in the park at that time, so they might've been skipping school! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ff3507a55.jpg I don't know if it's possible to go inside or up to the second level. I didn't see any open doors. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b031611380.jpg I wonder what the rooms look like... Old-fashioned furniture? Offices full of papers? I'm imagining a modern-day convent look. I guess we'll never know! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33848a0708.jpg The autumn leaves were past their peak by this point, the second week of November, and a lot of the gardens were looking bare with naked trees, but there were some photogenic spots like this one. The church was a little eery, with it being so quiet and so early. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2b317147b4.jpg Nice sunlight and shadows though. Anyway, after that I tried to go to the Sanssouci Picture Gallery but I got lost. I had a screenshot of Google Maps with the paths and there was supposed to be a trail and a little bridge that crossed over the river right next to the church, but I couldn't find it. There were lots of trees and no semblance of a trail, and I walked up and down quite a bit until I finally found a gap to go through. There was a gardener in the area and he was riding a bike with a cart attached to the front, with a ladder and other tools inside. I would've thought it was a Dutch thing but it's curious how much Germans like to cycle as well. In Spain the gardeners just pull their trolleys and carts along behind them. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06d9df2db8.jpg Anyway, so I made it to the Sanssouci Picture Gallery. It was closed, of course, but I walked around it and looked at the statues. The palaces are part of the Potsdam UNESCO site but if not for the statues it would've looked like a pretty normal old building from the outside. Photos show that it's grand from the inside, so the first-glance appearance is misleading! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd50539c9d.jpg And then I went off to the other buildings in the area. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9421606013.jpg The gardens should be looked at from the sky above, with all the hedges and patterns. They look quite odd at ground level sometimes. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1eb1979e6e.jpg My favourite was Sanssouci palace, if only because yellow is my favourite colour. And more statues holding up the roof, like in Köpenick. After that, instead of walking through the gardens, I decided to go around the back of the palace. I'd spotted a windmill in the distance and wanted to see it up close. Compared to the open and empty winter landscape of the gardens, behind the palace was a nice walk with more trees and there were "secret" balconies and stairs that I explored. It felt like I was discovering something and there were pretty good views over the gardens from there. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e972db1046.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7ccdee1f9.jpg Found it! I headed back down to the gardens for some more walking, through fruit trees and hedges, rails for grapes in summer, fountains and mysterious wooden sheds that looked like the beach houses from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And I came across a little building dedicated to Neptune which was entirely covered in shells inside. If I thought the stone pavements of the streets were a lot of work, this is a whole new level... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12e6c89819.jpg I didn't feel like walking to the end of the gardens, Neues Palace seemed quite far away and, to be honest, all the buildings looked fairly similar. I'd already seen my must-see, the yellow one, so I cut my losses and turned around. I still had quite a bit of walking to do to get to my next site, the Russische Kolonie. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cea990e8a2.png That group of tourists were also Spanish! More people were starting to arrive as I left. The Russische Kolonie is a little Russian village built in 1827. After the Napoleonic Wars there were 62 Russian soldiers remaining in Potsdam and they founded a soldiers' choir. When the Tsar died in 1825 only 12 of the singers were still living there and this colony was built to house them. Every household received a cow and they had the right to pass down their holdings to male descendants but were forbidden from selling, renting, or mortgaging the houses. I thought it would be a sort of open-air museum after what I'd read online, and we'd be able to go in and out of the houses, but it turns out that people live in them. Bar a café and a little museum, which were closed on the Monday I was there, there isn't much to do but walk up and down the road. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f33240e56d.jpg Still, they were nice houses. There were lots of fruit fields around them so I had to do a long detour to get to the accessible road. Only the two cross-shaped roads are open to the public. I recently found out there's the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church nearby, if anyone wants to see more Russian buildings, but I was unaware at the time of my visit! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ac55eeb457.jpg After that visit, I started my journey back to the train station. I went through some nice smaller streets and back through the Dutch Quarter. The market was in place then, mostly a few food stalls, and I stopped by to see the Ringerkolonnade too. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cf3b6b3344.jpg There's a lot to see in Potsdam. Monday is a good day to go if you want to avoid other people, but if you want to go inside the palaces I recommend any other day. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...645ace0a18.jpg Ringerkolonnade. I try to cut cranes out of my photos sometimes, but they are quite ubiquitous in Berlin and surroundings... And that concludes my Potsdam trip. I took the train back to Berlin, it's a very cheap trip (€3.80?) and spent the rest of the day in Dahlem, but I'll talk about that in another post! I will certainly return on a future trip to see the interiors and other buildings in the area. |
Thank you nyse and Adelaidean for your kind words! And I apologise for the long hiatus. Hopefully you are all still interested in hearing about my trip!
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Dahlem can be quite lovely. Looking forward to the report
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Thanks for continuing your report, Peter_T; I'm looking forward to more!
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What a fascinating trip report, and the photos! Just wonderful. Will be hanging on for more!
Lavandula |
Bookmarking, likely to be in Germany next year.
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Glad you’re continuing!
I enjoy your wanderings. |
I'm glad to see so many people are still interested in this abandoned report :)
ANUJ, I hope you find something in my posts that you'd like to see if you make it to Berlin! Please let me know if you have any questions about the area. I'm not a Berlin expert but I'll try my best to answer. |
Hello again! :)
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e3edc3374.jpeg Museum island, as I mentioned in a previous post, is an island in the centre of Berlin filled with museums. The thing is, the term is a bit confusing because not all the island is part of "museum island", only the north part counts (I made a mistake before when I said the Humboldt museum is part of the island; it isn't). Not only the name is confusing, but finding the entrance of each museum was possibly my biggest challenge in Berlin. One of the main reasons I didn't visit the Pergamon, bar my lack of time, was because I didn't manage to find the entrance until my last day, since half the area was cut off by a construction site. So I'd like to take the time to share where each museum entrance is:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3ececa40e6.jpg Almost sunset time along Bodestraße I bought a yearly pass to visit all these museums, and though the Pergamon museum is included for free, the Das Panorama exposition, even though it belongs to the Pergamon, apparently isn't included. Today I'll talk about the Neues Museum, because that's where I got the pass. My plan was to see a piece of the museum (I bought the cheapest pass which only allowed entry two hours before closing) see the things that most interested me, and then return later in my trip once I'd done the same with all other museums in the area. That way I could choose my priorities and, at least in theory, not miss out on any of the best things. I hadn't yet decided, at that point of my trip, to leave Berlin early, so I didn't know I'd never end up returning, but my plan worked well and I saw the things I most wanted to see. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9bc2f2303d.jpg The inner hall of the Neues Museum. I started with the second floor and did a bit of a speed through since it had a lot of Mediterranean (Roman, Egyptian) displays that looked like things I've seen plenty times before. For some reason I thought this floor would be more Germany-related, but only the last room (room 206) had displays on the Middle Ages in Germany and that was the area I enjoyed the most. Lots of swords, clothes and armour and information on general early Medieval lifestyle that were quite unique. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d70c8a3da.jpg Like everyone else there though, I didn't miss seeing the Nefertiti bust. No photos were allowed of her, but it's that famous one I'm sure you've all seen in photos in books and online. I'm very familiar with that bust because I once designed a cover for a children's book about Nefertiti, where the protagonists were divers discovering an underwater temple, and I made the rocks around them in the shape of Nefertiti's bust. It became one of my favourite covers I designed when working for the editorial, but in the end there were so many changes to the cover that this option ended up being scrapped and the final version was something completely different. That's the problem with working in cover design: the covers you fall in love with aren't always the most marketable... Since no photos were allowed, visitors stepped outside and pretended to be very interested in the architecture of that specific room, taking a photo with the bust in the background through the door of the neighbouring room. I'm sure the guards got tired of telling so many people off, so they glared a little at the cheeky trick, sighing, but didn't say anything. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...93d01a5550.jpg The rooms of the museum were very beautiful though. Honestly, though I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, I remember the architecture more than the actual displays. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5e41ef913.jpg Even the floors! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...86754791d9.jpg Speaking of book covers, I didn't enjoy the Roman rooms much because I'd been doing months of research on the myth of Galatea and Cyprus during Ancient Grece times for a book, and when you read too much history of a single time period it eventually loses that sense of glamour that secrets and mysteries tend to have. You begin to see the violence, cruelty and sexism that permeates every object on display. Fascination turns to frustration, admiration of their artistic talents becomes indifference... Sometimes I want to go back to uni so I could be a historian, but I wonder whether I'd end up hating history and humanity after a few years of it. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...858baf1c05.jpg Anyway, beyond the Medieval room, what I enjoyed most of the second floor were the displays on writing. The first writing systems, where and when they overlapped, how writing was done and recorded. Some very cool alphabets and very clear information teaching it all! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b7fd38a69.jpg Looking out the window towards the Alte Nationalgalerie. According to Google Maps, that's a statue of Frederick William IV, who built some of buildings in Potsdam. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...337107aa74.jpg After the second floor, and somewhat disappointed at the lack of German displays (I was in Germany, after all), I headed to the 3rd floor to see the "Golden Hat", apparently one of the museum's most notable items. What greeted me, because I'd gone up the stairs and started from the other side, was a room of skulls, helmets, shields and clay jugs belonging to the Amlash culture of Northern Iran. It would set the tone for the rest of the floor. While not the official theme, it was all about early age survival, wars and hunting, so a lot of weapons were shown. The German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, as I found out, has the oldest (identified) battlefield in Europe, dating to 1300 BC, where they've found the bones of 120 people and at least five horses, as well as clubs and arrowheads. They have a vertical panel where they've laid out lots of the bones in the way they found them. As in, strewn about half buried in dirt, one of top of the other. It was fascinating to see them like that, rather than nicely sorted. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5160634cbf.jpg Another floor The Hanzaplatz Elk, a giant elk skeleton, and a Stone Age wax man were also found in the area. But this floor was less crowded than the one below, and other visitors all gravitated towards the famous hat. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...035ef127ea.jpg I'd never heard of such a hat before, but it seemed to be all the rage with the long line of people waiting to take a photo of it. The Berlin Gold Hat is the best preserved of four gold hats in Europe (x3 from Germany and 1 from France), dating from the Bronze Age, 1000-800 BC. A sun cult appears to have been widespread in Central Europe at the time and the hats are assumed to have been worn by priests or representing deities, as well as working as calendars / astronomy tools. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec2d990a9e.jpg I don't know if there's much I can say about it. It was, indeed, very golden! A lot of hammering clearly went into its making, lots of little circles, bumps and symmetrical design. I wonder if the makers of the hats also received some prestige within their communities, or whether it was a thankless task. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...82b31cc1e3.jpg Overall, pretty good museum. Most of the it is dedicated to Egyptian displays, including most of the two bottom floors I didn't get to see, with a helping of Roman / Greek / Cyprus, and only the occasional German and other regions mentioned. And if you're into architecture, I think it's worth a visit for the building alone! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e69068b5e.jpg That same night I went to the Babylon theatre, an old building someone recommended because they do silent movies on weekends (Sunday nights?) with live organ music, though they end very late at night. But when I went to check it out they were doing a special Halloween show that I didn't want to see (I can't watch scary movies!), so I just went to the Vietnamese restaurant next to it for dinner before going back to the hostel. The restaurant is very very popular, tables are hard to come by, so I offered to share with an Indian guy who arrived seconds after me, and we ended up going to one of the bars across the street too for drinks after dinner. So, despite the lack of movie, it was a good night! |
You really do bring those museums to life, and your comments on book covers is interesting - I’m ashamed to admit I’d never considered the work that goes into design.
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Hi Peter_T, what a super TR this is turning out to be. You asked about churches, if all churches in Germany are like the Marienkirche, and the short answer is no. In Protestant parts of the country (like Berlin and Potsdam) they are more austere, but if you visit Catholic parts of the country (for instance Bavaria), particularly the Baroque churches are very ornate. This is a woefully general guide, I am no expert in church architecture, but there is a big split between north and south Germany in many things. Germany used to be 271 little countries until the 1870s and there is still a lot of diversity in architecture and culture, as well as in religion.
Lavandula |
Originally Posted by Peter_T
(Post 17472276)
I'm glad to see so many people are still interested in this abandoned report :)
ANUJ, I hope you find something in my posts that you'd like to see if you make it to Berlin! Please let me know if you have any questions about the area. I'm not a Berlin expert but I'll try my best to answer. |
Today we’re going to talk about my biggest disappointments in Berlin. It’s a short post, because my disappointments weren’t really that bad, it was more a case of bad timing or mismatched expectations.
To balance out the negativity, I'll try to make my next post about my favourite day of the trip! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a11744f47.jpg The best time to visit is in the morning, before everyone starts their bike work commutes. The first place on the list is Tiergarten. It had been built up to be a wonderful forested area in the centre of Berlin, perfect to escape the city, according to the internet, and full of autumn leaves. In reality, most of it was trails filled by a constant stream of cyclists, people walking their dogs, joggers and walkers. With so many people, it didn’t feel like much of an escape (cyclists in Berlin are like the Dutch; they’re fast and they’ll run you over if you’re not careful). I preferred my day trip to Wannsee. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a93c387936.jpg The autumn leaves also weren’t as spectacular as I’d hoped. The photo above is the best I got. I walked all the way from the English garden, past the lamp “museum” (it’s a trail flanked by old relocated lamps), the rose garden and to the Global Stone Project, so pretty much from one end of the park to the other. All in all, there were a couple nice spots, but I wouldn’t have gone out of my way for it. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...87a05530b6.jpg Victory column (Siegessäule) If someone wants to enjoy a walk in nature, I think it’s better to simply leave Berlin and do a day trip a little further from the city. I think Germany is such a nice and green country that you won’t have to go far! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ad6f6c4897.jpg Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Second on the list of let-downs is the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, mostly because I wasn’t able to go inside. I’d checked the timetable on their official website before going, but when I arrived it was closed. There were two different timetables up on the door, neither matching the one of their website, and I never managed to figure out which times they really open. There were a couple other tourists at the door also looking confused, and we all left after a couple photos of the outside façade. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5526686b80.jpg The Upper West Tower building It's a pity because the interior, with all the blue lights, looked pretty interesting in the photos I'd seen! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f17ea0b2d9.jpg Finally, the one that takes the cake is the Reichstag Building. It was one of my must-sees in Berlin, so I regret to inform that my visit was more frustrating than anything else. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...570f11ad87.jpg The area around the Reichstag is cool though, with Futurium and other contemporary buildings. Probably the best place to visit in Berlin if you're into modern architecture. I had to book a time slot to visit the Reichstag in advance from their website and I picked the 8am visit in the hopes of avoiding crowds (since this is one of Berlin’s most famous sites). This was a mistake, as I soon learnt. I was sent an email confirming my booking, which I read attentively, and it told me to be there no later than 15 minutes before my visit was scheduled to begin (i.e. 07:45 hrs). I decided it would be good to be there even earlier, just in case, so I sat close to the building watching the sunrise at Brandenburger Tor and the river. The west entrance seemed to be cut off due to construction, so it took me a good half hour to find the entrance after that. When I found the spot, I got in line at 7:45am, as was asked of me. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3e03d86d2d.jpg Apparently, the stereotype of German punctuality is just that: a stereotype. There was no need for me to be there at 7:45am because the building was closed. In fact, it remained closed until after 8am, and the queue began to fidget and worry as they weren’t opening the doors. I was waiting for almost half an hour before we were finally allowed in, through the security check, and then I was asked to wait some more before entering the building. When everyone from the queue had gone through security, we were guided like sheep up the outdoor steps and into a big elevator with mirrors on all sides, taking us up to the rooftop. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d05abcb830.jpg Because we’d gone up as a group, there were 20 of us entering the hall at once, and the quiet morning visit I’d envisioned wasn’t very quiet at all. The worst of it, though, is that I failed to take into account that autumn mornings in Germany mean fogged up windows. I couldn’t see any of the views, so the 180º windows were lost on me. Only on the way down did the top half of the windows start to clear up a little. I couldn’t see but I stretched my camera in the air and got a couple photos of the views… We could go outside of the dome, but the views weren’t as good as those higher up. When I left, a couple of window cleaners arrived and started wiping up the fog, but it was around 9am by then and I’d spent far longer than I intended to at the Reichstag, so I departed instead of waiting around. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4e644bee91.jpg Stretching my arm... All in all, I’d recommend booking a later time slot if travelling during the colder months. A time of day where there won’t be much fog, and hopefully the security check will be open when you get there! |
Adelaidean, as the saying goes, the best design is the one nobody notices!
lavandula, thanks for the info. I hope to visit more churches whenever I go back to Germany, gain a better understanding of them. And I'm sure different regions will have different culture, architecture and customs and will feel very different from visiting Berlin. If I am able to travel next year, Denmark is at the top of my list, and I might try to include Hamburg / Lübeck / Flensburg in that. Any church recommendations around there are very welcome! ANUJ, 3-4 nights is a good amount for Berlin. Perfect to cover your must-sees plus a possible day trip somewhere. |
Hi again Peter_T, in that part of the world all the significant buildings are built in small red bricks ... you might google 'brick gothic route' and see if that appeals to you. We followed the road/route from Lüneburg (well, actually from Hamburg) only as far as Parchim (including towns along the way), but it would have been interesting to go further. I am not trying to put Parchim on the map, it really wasn't much but the churches along that route all have the same small bricks. It is clearly something the marketers have put together and exists as a thing only out there on the internet as hoteliers don't know about it. Nevertheless it is interesting and the architecture in Lübeck is similar. Too many years since I was in Flensburg and Copenhagen, hoping to do this as a drive one day in the future.
In Lübeck I hope you will make some time to visit Café Niederegger - it has been in the same family for over 200 years and they are the family that make and export Niederegger marzipan. Their cakes also have marzipan in them (some of them, anyway) and you can even try a marzipan coffee. A good experience. Lavandula |
I'm going to pretend there hasn't been a two-month break in between posts and keep on with my trip report. :embarassed:
Today I'll be sharing my day trip to Lübbenau, not to be confused with Lübben, the town next door. This is a very scenic water town along the Spree river, with boat rides and canoes and traditional houses. After so many days in Berlin, I was looking forward to seeing some of the German architecture, so this was a must-see visit on my list. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1c1f645b9a.jpg Double decker train! I woke up quite early so I could make the most of my day. I went to the station to buy a discounted roundtrip ticket, as the internet had suggested, but at the station they told me the ticket only works for some of the slower trains. I'd have to wait an hour for the next cheap train, or I could just buy the normal ticket and hop on the next one. Since the price was only a couple euros difference in the end, I took the first train, and had great views from the second floor of the double-decker train, plus plenty space and peace and quiet at that time of day (in the afternoon, on my return to Berlin, the train was quite crowded). https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3db93bcaa3.jpg The bench where I ate my breakfast Lübbenau station is a bit of a walk from the town, but nothing someone young can't manage. I arrived so early to the town, in fact, that everything was closed. The plan was to rent a canoe and explore some of the canals from the water, but that plan was also scrapped. With my ample time, I just walked to the museum through the town centre, a trail passing by some fields, then Lehde town and I arrived to the museum around opening time (10am). https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...40c5cd887d.jpg Planes never sleep https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a2aa6af50.jpg Breakfast muffin. I'd bought it that morning at a shop in Alexanderplatz station. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c364bd774b.jpg The road to Lehde The museum in question is the "Freilandmuseum Lehde"; an open-air museum that has preserved some of the traditional houses from the area and opened them for the public to poke around. People from Lehde used to use the canals as transportation for everything. The museum includes a boat shed and boat workshop with all the tools and a video on how they're made. Then there are several houses with the hay beds and kitchen crockery, a barn, stable and vegetable patches. A charming miniature town, essentially. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48a34ac54c.jpg In the open air museum This was, hands down, one of my favourite sites from my trip. I spent a good 2-3 hours here, going in and out of every building, washing some clothes on a board, waddling around with the handmade shoes... Then they have an actual little museum, with mannequins and Sorbian costume people used to wear (up until the 1880s, the photos weren't that old!), arts and crafts, wedding customs, and lots and lots of photos. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c1ce66880.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...26b5e77f43.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a39ffbb5b.jpg I was going to try and walk back to Lübbenau through another trail, but I couldn't find it. I walked up and down a couple trails, but they seemed to lead in the opposite direction, or cross into someone's private property, so I eventually just stuck to the same trail I'd used that morning. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd700d3cc8.jpg Not without first walking around Lehde town though. This is where all the canals are, and definitely worth at least an hour to check out all the side streets. I stopped on every bridge I found, waiting for a boat to pass, and sooner or later one would, or some canoes, and I could get some good photos like that. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...08e6bdd29e.jpg Some of the women who worked there had the traditional clothes on. I thought I might regret not renting the canoe, but I didn't regret it at all. I would've had less freedom to explore the town and see the houses if I was confined to the water! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dd55562770.jpg Making some friends https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3977c3206.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bc973cc946.jpg And there were two woodpeckers. Some might not find this very noteworthy, but they're very hard to spot in Spain. I've heard them before, but never seen one, so it was quite special to finally be able to catch sight of one in the trees. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...80b20c4a2c.jpg Walking around town https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bb27399a2f.png Can you see the woodpecker? Back in Lübbenau, it was lunch time by this point, I stopped by Schloss Lübbenau and walked around their gardens, around the back streets of town. It's worth going around Lübbenau too. The main street has the shops, but the houses around town are cute and colourful. Very movie-like. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2dfdab6412.jpg Many houses had these cute little house-mailboxes https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...42daae65f7.jpg Schloss Lübbenau https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4b5a18861.jpg Around Das Erlebnis restaurant; this is where the boats depart and the tourists gather. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...27bd3f3603.jpg Diogenes, is that you? https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8bb09e3884.jpg Autumn-themed https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...34feffe8ad.jpg Lübbenau town, the main street https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a788da633f.jpg Lübbenau town, a side street. Love the pebbled streets. Definitely worth a visit to Lübbenau if you're going to Berlin! |
Originally Posted by lavandula
(Post 17476849)
Hi again Peter_T, in that part of the world all the significant buildings are built in small red bricks ... you might google 'brick gothic route' and see if that appeals to you. We followed the road/route from Lüneburg (well, actually from Hamburg) only as far as Parchim (including towns along the way), but it would have been interesting to go further. I am not trying to put Parchim on the map, it really wasn't much but the churches along that route all have the same small bricks. It is clearly something the marketers have put together and exists as a thing only out there on the internet as hoteliers don't know about it. Nevertheless it is interesting and the architecture in Lübeck is similar. Too many years since I was in Flensburg and Copenhagen, hoping to do this as a drive one day in the future.
In Lübeck I hope you will make some time to visit Café Niederegger - it has been in the same family for over 200 years and they are the family that make and export Niederegger marzipan. Their cakes also have marzipan in them (some of them, anyway) and you can even try a marzipan coffee. A good experience. Lavandula |
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