More pictures.
Photos:
Stift Neuburg seminary 2A#018
Heidelberg 2A#023
Marktplatz, Heidelberg 2A#029
Heidelberg Castle 2A#025
Photos:
Stift Neuburg seminary 2A#018
Heidelberg 2A#023
Marktplatz, Heidelberg 2A#029
Heidelberg Castle 2A#025
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Another Month in Heidelberg, Part 2
Today is PFINGSTEN, Whitsun (for “White Sunday”) the seventh Sunday after Easter. In the Christian calendar known as Pentecost, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. (per Wikepedia)
Later I leave for Handschuhsheim, a suburb of Heidelberg lying north and across the river. I take my usual #29 bus, buy a one-day ticket and at the bottom of the hill change to a #24 tram, which goes through Heidelberg, past the Hauptbahnhof (main station) and drops me at Handschuhsheim, where it’s a 5-minute walk to the Tiefstadt (deep or underground town) a former moated castle whose ruins have been renovated into an entertainment center. I find it absolutely fascinating. The central tower of the old castle has been renovated into a restaurant and dinning room while parts of the old castle courtyard had been roofed over and the whole space filled with tables and benches with people eating and drinking. There’s a huge bar, a grill station selling sausages, schnitzel, German hamburgers and French fries and a large counter serving Kaffee und Kuchen. The town band of about 20 musicians is playing. As I walk through Manuela, my teacher calls me over; she’s sitting with her husband Mike, all three kids and her parents. Her kids are delightful especially the baby Arian, that watches me the whole time with his big blue eyes and Paulina, the middle child that holds my hand when we walk over to get a closer look at the band. Manuela’s father is such a proud Opa continuously having one or two of the kids on his lap or taking them for a walk around or to the restroom. I spend the rest of the afternoon talking with them and feel very much at home. After they leave I buy a cup of coffee and slice of homemade chocolate cake and sit down. Pretty soon an elderly couple (ie. about my age) sit down and start talking to me about the music; by then the town band has been replaced by a very German band all in brown corduroy pants. When the elderly man hears that I’m from California, he wants to know about Hillary and Obama; he’s a retired Gymnasium (Grammar or High School) teacher. We have a lovely conversation; he twice asks if I had German parents or grandparents and eventually I tell him that I was born in Dresden and am spending some time in Heidelberg. Later I tell him the band is too German for my liking, they’re playing drinking songs, and he understands.
I took the tram back to the Hauptbahnhof, which is crowded with people and about the only place with open shops. I buy a London Sunday Times, printed in Brussels, and catch the next tram back to Rohrbach Sud, where the #29 bus to Boxberg is waiting. On Sundays both of these bus and tram- lines run only twice an hour, however they run on time and connect.
Handschuhsheim (literally hand-shoe or glove home) The coat of arms of the local Prince featured a hand wearing a glove.
Next day I spend most of the morning writing up my notes; then drive to Leiman, (pro Lyman) a small town about 20 minutes south to look at the Freuhlingsfest (Spring festival) being held in the center of town. It’s very warm and not too many people about. I have a crepe with Grand Marnier then drive to Stift Neuburg, a Catholic seminary and church located on the hillside across the river from Heidelberg for a special Pfingsttrompeten (Whitsun trumpet) concert. The tiny church is wall-to-wall people and the concert by the Trumpet Consort and Peter Shumann, organist from the Heidelberg cathedral, very interesting. They play music by Diabelli (1781 – 1858) as well as Bach, Mozart and Handel; some parts are a bit ragged; however most are extremely well played and I can follow the program without difficulty. Afterwards I drive along the river stopping to take photos in the late afternoon sunlight.
Photos:
Tiefstadt, Handschuhsheim 2A#001
Manuela, Mike and Arian 2A#005
Joshua, Paullina and grandparents 2A#006
Leiman, Freuhlingsfest 2A#017
Later I leave for Handschuhsheim, a suburb of Heidelberg lying north and across the river. I take my usual #29 bus, buy a one-day ticket and at the bottom of the hill change to a #24 tram, which goes through Heidelberg, past the Hauptbahnhof (main station) and drops me at Handschuhsheim, where it’s a 5-minute walk to the Tiefstadt (deep or underground town) a former moated castle whose ruins have been renovated into an entertainment center. I find it absolutely fascinating. The central tower of the old castle has been renovated into a restaurant and dinning room while parts of the old castle courtyard had been roofed over and the whole space filled with tables and benches with people eating and drinking. There’s a huge bar, a grill station selling sausages, schnitzel, German hamburgers and French fries and a large counter serving Kaffee und Kuchen. The town band of about 20 musicians is playing. As I walk through Manuela, my teacher calls me over; she’s sitting with her husband Mike, all three kids and her parents. Her kids are delightful especially the baby Arian, that watches me the whole time with his big blue eyes and Paulina, the middle child that holds my hand when we walk over to get a closer look at the band. Manuela’s father is such a proud Opa continuously having one or two of the kids on his lap or taking them for a walk around or to the restroom. I spend the rest of the afternoon talking with them and feel very much at home. After they leave I buy a cup of coffee and slice of homemade chocolate cake and sit down. Pretty soon an elderly couple (ie. about my age) sit down and start talking to me about the music; by then the town band has been replaced by a very German band all in brown corduroy pants. When the elderly man hears that I’m from California, he wants to know about Hillary and Obama; he’s a retired Gymnasium (Grammar or High School) teacher. We have a lovely conversation; he twice asks if I had German parents or grandparents and eventually I tell him that I was born in Dresden and am spending some time in Heidelberg. Later I tell him the band is too German for my liking, they’re playing drinking songs, and he understands.
I took the tram back to the Hauptbahnhof, which is crowded with people and about the only place with open shops. I buy a London Sunday Times, printed in Brussels, and catch the next tram back to Rohrbach Sud, where the #29 bus to Boxberg is waiting. On Sundays both of these bus and tram- lines run only twice an hour, however they run on time and connect.
Handschuhsheim (literally hand-shoe or glove home) The coat of arms of the local Prince featured a hand wearing a glove.
Next day I spend most of the morning writing up my notes; then drive to Leiman, (pro Lyman) a small town about 20 minutes south to look at the Freuhlingsfest (Spring festival) being held in the center of town. It’s very warm and not too many people about. I have a crepe with Grand Marnier then drive to Stift Neuburg, a Catholic seminary and church located on the hillside across the river from Heidelberg for a special Pfingsttrompeten (Whitsun trumpet) concert. The tiny church is wall-to-wall people and the concert by the Trumpet Consort and Peter Shumann, organist from the Heidelberg cathedral, very interesting. They play music by Diabelli (1781 – 1858) as well as Bach, Mozart and Handel; some parts are a bit ragged; however most are extremely well played and I can follow the program without difficulty. Afterwards I drive along the river stopping to take photos in the late afternoon sunlight.
Photos:
Tiefstadt, Handschuhsheim 2A#001
Manuela, Mike and Arian 2A#005
Joshua, Paullina and grandparents 2A#006
Leiman, Freuhlingsfest 2A#017
Another Month in Heidelberg, part 1
After class I have a quick bite then go to the Israel 60th birthday celebration right in the middle of town. The event is organized by the Students Union of the High School for Jewish Studies with the support of the Oberburgermeister (Lord Mayor) of Heidelberg. There’s an introduction from the German – Israel Committee and an address by Dr. Joachim Gerner, Burgermeister fur Bildung und Kultur (Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture) who had just returned from Israel. I talk to him afterwards about speaking at the local High School. There are information tables from The Friendship Circle Heidelberg – Rehovot (Rehovot, Israel is a sister city) and Die Neuapostolische Kirche (New Apostolic Church – who run a sort of “Jews for Jesus” group) The event also offers a crash-course to learn some Hebrew and later Israeli folk dancing. On the way home I make a quick trip to the little supermarket and find that beer costs €0.40 a half-liter bottle (about 70 cents) plus €. 08 deposit! However the bad news is that for the first time the price for beer at the Munich Oktoberfest will rise to over the €8 mark; that is about $12 a liter!
On Saturday I go over to the Hotel ISG and spend an hour on emails. I cannot access the Internet in my guesthouse. The weather has been lovely and sunny with highs of about 80 and about 50 at night; the humidity seems very low. Montserrat Caballé, the famous opera diva and now 75 is giving a recital this evening in Heilbronn, about an hour away on the road to Stuttgart. Instead I drive down the hill to the huge Famila Shopping Center, which being Saturday is a zoo! I drop off shirts at the cleaners and pay up front €2.50 a shirt (about $3.75) and they’ll be ready on Wednesday. I walk through the enormous supermarket and treat myself to a plastic ice cube tray and a proper coffee mug plus a few other food items for €12. In addition I stop at the Provencal-type olive shop and spend another €10 on olives, hummus and a delicious cream cheese spread.
Later I drive into Heidelberg, stop at my favorite bar by the cathedral and have a very special experience. I order a beer, when a gentleman comes over and asks if he can sit down. We start talking and I tell him that I’m in Heidelberg taking German lessons. He asks where and I tell him “F & U Academy”. He laughs and says that he’s the Director, his name is Karl-Heinz Rippel; such a coincidence! We have a lovely conversation in German, with him correcting me every once in a while. He apologizes and I tell him that I appreciate it. I also tell him about living in Boxberg, he gives me his card and suggests that I come to see him and he will help. I talk about moving to Wiesbaden and he thinks it a bad idea. “Wiesbaden like Baden Baden and Bad Homberg are very quiet and only for old people! Heidelberg and Munich are lively with lots of young people and lots to do”. He is right about Heidelberg; if I lived in town I could go to a concert or other event every night.
We part and I go to the organ concert in the cathedral. The concert is very interesting and includes works by Buxtehude, Bach and César Franck. I talk to two Americans, one an organist, who explains that this Steinmeyer organ is about 10 years old; many German church organs were installed or rebuilt for the 2000 Centennial. This pipe organ is air driven (by electricity) and the pedals and keys are all mechanically connected to the pipes; however there are also electronic connections, which regulate the pipes. Fascinating!
Photos:
Heidelberg 2A#012
Israel Day, Heidelberg 2#003
Israel Day, Heidelberg 2#002
Cathedral, Heidelberg 2#005
On Saturday I go over to the Hotel ISG and spend an hour on emails. I cannot access the Internet in my guesthouse. The weather has been lovely and sunny with highs of about 80 and about 50 at night; the humidity seems very low. Montserrat Caballé, the famous opera diva and now 75 is giving a recital this evening in Heilbronn, about an hour away on the road to Stuttgart. Instead I drive down the hill to the huge Famila Shopping Center, which being Saturday is a zoo! I drop off shirts at the cleaners and pay up front €2.50 a shirt (about $3.75) and they’ll be ready on Wednesday. I walk through the enormous supermarket and treat myself to a plastic ice cube tray and a proper coffee mug plus a few other food items for €12. In addition I stop at the Provencal-type olive shop and spend another €10 on olives, hummus and a delicious cream cheese spread.
Later I drive into Heidelberg, stop at my favorite bar by the cathedral and have a very special experience. I order a beer, when a gentleman comes over and asks if he can sit down. We start talking and I tell him that I’m in Heidelberg taking German lessons. He asks where and I tell him “F & U Academy”. He laughs and says that he’s the Director, his name is Karl-Heinz Rippel; such a coincidence! We have a lovely conversation in German, with him correcting me every once in a while. He apologizes and I tell him that I appreciate it. I also tell him about living in Boxberg, he gives me his card and suggests that I come to see him and he will help. I talk about moving to Wiesbaden and he thinks it a bad idea. “Wiesbaden like Baden Baden and Bad Homberg are very quiet and only for old people! Heidelberg and Munich are lively with lots of young people and lots to do”. He is right about Heidelberg; if I lived in town I could go to a concert or other event every night.
We part and I go to the organ concert in the cathedral. The concert is very interesting and includes works by Buxtehude, Bach and César Franck. I talk to two Americans, one an organist, who explains that this Steinmeyer organ is about 10 years old; many German church organs were installed or rebuilt for the 2000 Centennial. This pipe organ is air driven (by electricity) and the pedals and keys are all mechanically connected to the pipes; however there are also electronic connections, which regulate the pipes. Fascinating!
Photos:
Heidelberg 2A#012
Israel Day, Heidelberg 2#003
Israel Day, Heidelberg 2#002
Cathedral, Heidelberg 2#005
Saturday, May 24, 2008
With Eliane in Heidelberg and Speyer
Monday is a wonderful day, warm and sunny and we decide to drive to Speyer, which Manuela my teacher) mentioned as worth visiting. The town was also mentioned in the Jewish Museum in Berlin as having one of the oldest Jewish communities in Germany. Speyer is delightful; we take a look at the Dom (cathedral) the largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany, which is huge and very interesting. We then walk into the beautiful old town located immediately in front of the cathedral. We buy some postcards and Eliane finds several bargains at a local boutique. After lunch at an outdoor café we walk to the Medieval Jewish Court, where the city has preserved a Mikveh (Jewish ritual bath) and the only remaining wall of the synagogue, which were built between 1110 and 1120! In the Middle Ages Speyer was one of the most important Jewish communities north of the Alps. The community became important as a center for Torah study producing many important scholars. The community flourished till the beginning of the 16th Century, when the Jews were expelled. The communities of Speyer, Worms and Mainz formed an alliance, known as the “Shum”, named after the Hebrew initials of the three towns, which was considered an authority in religious matters all over Germany. Of the 77 Jews living in Speyer in 1939, 51 were deported and all but 15 were murdered by the Nazis. No Jewish community exists today. The ruins of the Jewish Court have been preserved and protected by a large glass roof designed by a local sculptor.
On the way home we stop at the Famila Center, a huge shopping center with an enormous supermarket located on the highway near Boxberg. We buy a few things and have a quiet dinner at home.
Next day is also warm and sunny and we drive to Heidelberg and Eliane does some last minute shopping, while I sit by the river and read the newspaper. In the evening we drive to Ladenburg, the Roman city where Henry and I had such a good traditional German dinner. We have an aperitif in the village square and talk to a local couple enjoying a cup of coffee and huge pieces of cake. They are very friendly, they live in the little town and he works in Heidelberg. They recommend a Greek restaurant, however when we got there, they’re fully booked and cannot fit us in. We walk over to Zum Sackpfeife (at the bagpipes) the same restaurant that Henry and I visited. This time we are shown to a table out in the courtyard and have a fabulous dinner. We start with a white asparagus appetizer; the best asparagus to date because it’s cooked to order and served al dente. Then, from the menu section “for two or more” choose Alemannspies, which includes six small broiled steaks of beef, pork and lamb, over Risotto, which is more like rice pilaf and 4 or 5 different salads all served on a huge carved wooden board. It’s delicious and we certainly do it justice!
On Wednesday Eliane finishes packing and we drive to the Crowne Plaza hotel in Heidelberg to catch the Lufthansa shuttle to Frankfurt airport. In just over an hour we arrive at the airport for Eliane to check in at United and then go downstairs for lunch at Marché, which is her last chance for Bratwurst und gebrattene Kartoffle. I walk her as far as security and she leaves for Los Angeles and I have a Haagen Dazs icecream before catching the shuttle back to Heidelberg.
Photos:
Dinner at Ladenburg 2#160
Dom, Speyer 2#130
Mikveh, Speyer 2#147
Mikveh, Speyer 2#143
On the way home we stop at the Famila Center, a huge shopping center with an enormous supermarket located on the highway near Boxberg. We buy a few things and have a quiet dinner at home.
Next day is also warm and sunny and we drive to Heidelberg and Eliane does some last minute shopping, while I sit by the river and read the newspaper. In the evening we drive to Ladenburg, the Roman city where Henry and I had such a good traditional German dinner. We have an aperitif in the village square and talk to a local couple enjoying a cup of coffee and huge pieces of cake. They are very friendly, they live in the little town and he works in Heidelberg. They recommend a Greek restaurant, however when we got there, they’re fully booked and cannot fit us in. We walk over to Zum Sackpfeife (at the bagpipes) the same restaurant that Henry and I visited. This time we are shown to a table out in the courtyard and have a fabulous dinner. We start with a white asparagus appetizer; the best asparagus to date because it’s cooked to order and served al dente. Then, from the menu section “for two or more” choose Alemannspies, which includes six small broiled steaks of beef, pork and lamb, over Risotto, which is more like rice pilaf and 4 or 5 different salads all served on a huge carved wooden board. It’s delicious and we certainly do it justice!
On Wednesday Eliane finishes packing and we drive to the Crowne Plaza hotel in Heidelberg to catch the Lufthansa shuttle to Frankfurt airport. In just over an hour we arrive at the airport for Eliane to check in at United and then go downstairs for lunch at Marché, which is her last chance for Bratwurst und gebrattene Kartoffle. I walk her as far as security and she leaves for Los Angeles and I have a Haagen Dazs icecream before catching the shuttle back to Heidelberg.
Photos:
Dinner at Ladenburg 2#160
Dom, Speyer 2#130
Mikveh, Speyer 2#147
Mikveh, Speyer 2#143
Dresden and Berlin...Berlin 3
And more Berlin photos.
Photos:
The Wall 2#061
Brandenburger Tor 2#066
Berlin 2#0078
Berlin 2#080
Photos:
The Wall 2#061
Brandenburger Tor 2#066
Berlin 2#0078
Berlin 2#080
Friday, May 23, 2008
Dresden and Berlin...2
More photos.
Photos:
Berlin 2#036
Jewish Museum 2#050
Schloss Charlottenburg 2#055
Schloss Charlottenburg 2#094
Photos:
Berlin 2#036
Jewish Museum 2#050
Schloss Charlottenburg 2#055
Schloss Charlottenburg 2#094
Dresden and Berlin...Berlin
On Sunday morning it’s off to Berlin. In 2 hours we’re at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof and find a taxi to Heerstrasse 17. Frau Rolle, mother of the owner is waiting for us at the curb and shows us around the flat, basically one room plus kitchen and bath! We spend the rest of the day exploring the neighborhood, most of the shops are closed and have dinner at a lovely little restaurant run by two women, where Eliane has Spargel Kalbschnitzel (white asparagus with a veal schnitzel) and I eat Konigsberger Klopse (meatballs in a caper cream sauce) which is delicious and reminds me of my Mother. We also buy two 7-day tickets for the Underground and buses. The buses are on strike and we manage only one ride; however the U-Bahn (underground) works very well and we use it daily. After the opera the trains still run at about 10 or 12-minute intervals. (BART are you listening?)
Monday morning we start with breakfast in our new home then figure out the U- Bahn and take the U2 line from Theodor-Heuss-Platz, about two blocks from the apartment to Potsdamer-Platz to see the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This is a very moving memorial of about 2,700 concrete slabs, each 95 centimeters wide and 238 centimeters long (about 3 feet by 8 feet) in tight rows; their heights range from ground level to 4.5 meters (about 15 feet) high. Each slab sits on its own foundation. The memorial was designed by Peter Eisenman of New York and in its own way is just as moving as the Viet Nam war memorial in Washington DC. We spent a long time at the memorial although the Information Center, underground and beneath the memorial is closed (it being Monday) From the memorial we take the U-Bahn to Halesches Tor to see the Daniel Libeskind designed Jewish Museum. We spent several hours in the museum; the exterior is quite amazing and thought provoking; however the inside is very confusing and the gallery tour very difficult to follow. On the way home we buy sausages, potato salad and fresh rolls for dinner and visit the supermarket downstairs for supplies for breakfast.
On Tuesday morning we decide to check out Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg castle) which we find by U-Bahn and bus and are delighted to see young people in costume selling tickets for the dinner/concert in the castle’s Orangery; we buy tickets for Thursday evening. After looking at the outside of the castle we do the Bergruen Museum directly across the street. This is a delight; it is one of Berlin’s newest, a collection of works by Picasso, Matisse and Paul Klee formerly owned by Heinze Bergruen, the Paris and Berlin art dealer. The audio guide, in English, has many explanations of the pictures by Bergruen and details of his acquisition. Outside the museum we pick up the Severin & Kuhn double deck bus tour and start our Berlin city tour. We decide to hop off outside the KaDeWe (Kafhaus des Westens – Department Store of the West) the largest store in Europe. We have a lot of fun starting out on the 6th floor, the food hall! We look around and find a Paul Bocuse café and La Notre patisserie from Paris; however we have Wurst und Sauerkraut (sausages) for lunch. Then continue the city tour back to our starting point and bus and U-Bahn back home.
Today (Wednesday) we take a look at the Gemalde Gallerie, the national gallery of old masters, which is huge and full of paintings by all the old masters. We look at beautiful Durers, Rembrands, and Rubens then take a break. In the evening we have opera tickets, bought on-line months ago. We take the U-Bahn to Under-den-Linden (Under the Lime Trees) and pick up our tickets. The Don Giovanni at the Staatsoper under den Linden is totally amazing; in modern dress with absolutely minimal scenery and costumes; the entire emphasis is on the singing and the music!
On Thursday morning Eliane goes to the Gemaldegallerie (Gallery of New Masters) while I stay home and take it easy. In the evening we go to the dinner and
concert (Berliner Residenz Schloss & Konzerte) at the Schloss Charlottenburg
It’s very grand and we get all dressed up! First there is a sit-down dinner by
candlelight served in a very grand room. Then we move into another part of the
Palace for a concert of Baroque music including Mozart, Bach and Handel played
by candlelight with the orchestra in costume. It is totally delightful and a lot of fun.
On Friday morning we visit the Neue Synagoge – Centrum Judaicum, museum and community center on Oranienburger Strasse, which we have no trouble finding. Jews have lived in Berlin since 1295 and when the Nazis came to power in 1933 about 172,000 Jews lived there, about one-third of all German Jews. In 1939 there were more than 100 synagogues. It is estimated that 55,000 Berlin Jews suffered deportation and death at the hands of the Nazis. About 6,000 survived in Berlin, most of them because of their marriage to Gentile partners and some in hiding. Today Berlin has the largest Jewish community in Germany. The huge Rykestrasse synagogue in the former East Berlin was recently completely restored however is rarely open to the public. The very grand Neue Synagoge, which we visited was built in 1866 and was heavily damaged by the “Reichskristallnacht Progrom” (Night of Broken Glass) in 1938. The security at the synagogue is a bit crazy-making; there are 3 policemen outside and metal detectors inside. However the people are very pleasant and helpful. The building has been only partially restored including the magnificent dome, which we reach by way of elevator and very steep circular staircase. There is also a very interesting exhibition of Jewish life in Berlin before the war.
Then we take a look at Checkpoint Charley, the most visited spot in Berlin. It’s wall-to-wall people and in one of the many souvenir shops I found the kaki bag that I saw on many people and buy one for Lysa. In the evening we go to the dinner and show at the Winter Garten Cabaret at the suggestion of my teacher, Manuela. Dinner is served in an upstairs dining room, all red plush and then we go downstairs to the theater, where we have a tiny table for two to watch the show; of course we order a glass of champagne, actually German sparkling wine! The theater is full, all tourists I think, and the show consists of song and dance numbers plus a high-wire act, amazing jugglers and a guy who jumps and does multiple somersaults from a narrow board held on the shoulders of two other guys.
On Saturday we decide to do some major shopping. We start out at Wilmersdorfer Strasse, a pedestrian zone with several big department stores, small shops, cafés and restaurants. At the Karstadt department store I buy a bright red knit shirt for €20. In the middle of the pedestrian area there’s a Biergarten with live music, which is doing a land-office business. I sit and enjoy the music while Eliane shops. I love this street; it feels genuine with very few tourists. After lunch we take the U-Bahn to Ka de We and continue shopping. Next door at Peek & Cloppenburg I buy a beautiful blue tie to go with the new blue shirt. The tie is only twice the price of the shirt!
Later we take the U-Bahn to Deutche-Oper station, about 3 stops; have dinner at a small Italian restaurant across the street, and see Marriage of Figaro at Berlin Opera. This is done in traditional style with traditional scenery and costumes. Susanna is a bit weak, however all of the other singers are top class!
Sunday is our last day, we order a taxi for 8AM by phone and of course he’s already there when we come downstairs. The train trip to Frankfurt is a bit of a disaster. First of all the elevator and escalator up to the platform are both out of order (very un-German!) I speak to a railway guy and he says “don’t worry, have patience and come back in 20 minutes” Twenty minutes later two women guards push our heavily laden luggage cart to another elevator take us up to another platform and across to our train for Frankfurt. Did I tell you that there are no direct trains from Berlin to Frankfurt Airport? We have to change trains either at Frankfurt Main or Hannover and decide on Hannover. So we get off the train in Hannover and I cannot find a luggage cart; we drag our many suitcases to the elevator and go down to the main level where I find a luggage cart and we take the elevator up to the correct platform to see our train to Frankfurt Airport leave. The next direct train is in two hours (we do not want to deal with another change) so we got downstairs find a café and have a second breakfast; a Deutsches Fruhstuck fur zwei (German breakfast for two), which consists of, are you ready: two glasses of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) two boiled eggs, a plate of sliced meats and cheeses plus fresh rolls with butter and jam and coffee. It almost makes it worthwhile to miss the train! We catch the next train to Frankfurt Airport, pick up our rental car and drive to Heidelberg with only one minor getting-lost.
Photos:
Our Berlin Apartment 2#100
Theodor-Heuss-Platz 2#34
Memorial to the Murdered Jews 2#037
Memorial to the Murdered Jews 2#042
Monday morning we start with breakfast in our new home then figure out the U- Bahn and take the U2 line from Theodor-Heuss-Platz, about two blocks from the apartment to Potsdamer-Platz to see the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This is a very moving memorial of about 2,700 concrete slabs, each 95 centimeters wide and 238 centimeters long (about 3 feet by 8 feet) in tight rows; their heights range from ground level to 4.5 meters (about 15 feet) high. Each slab sits on its own foundation. The memorial was designed by Peter Eisenman of New York and in its own way is just as moving as the Viet Nam war memorial in Washington DC. We spent a long time at the memorial although the Information Center, underground and beneath the memorial is closed (it being Monday) From the memorial we take the U-Bahn to Halesches Tor to see the Daniel Libeskind designed Jewish Museum. We spent several hours in the museum; the exterior is quite amazing and thought provoking; however the inside is very confusing and the gallery tour very difficult to follow. On the way home we buy sausages, potato salad and fresh rolls for dinner and visit the supermarket downstairs for supplies for breakfast.
On Tuesday morning we decide to check out Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg castle) which we find by U-Bahn and bus and are delighted to see young people in costume selling tickets for the dinner/concert in the castle’s Orangery; we buy tickets for Thursday evening. After looking at the outside of the castle we do the Bergruen Museum directly across the street. This is a delight; it is one of Berlin’s newest, a collection of works by Picasso, Matisse and Paul Klee formerly owned by Heinze Bergruen, the Paris and Berlin art dealer. The audio guide, in English, has many explanations of the pictures by Bergruen and details of his acquisition. Outside the museum we pick up the Severin & Kuhn double deck bus tour and start our Berlin city tour. We decide to hop off outside the KaDeWe (Kafhaus des Westens – Department Store of the West) the largest store in Europe. We have a lot of fun starting out on the 6th floor, the food hall! We look around and find a Paul Bocuse café and La Notre patisserie from Paris; however we have Wurst und Sauerkraut (sausages) for lunch. Then continue the city tour back to our starting point and bus and U-Bahn back home.
Today (Wednesday) we take a look at the Gemalde Gallerie, the national gallery of old masters, which is huge and full of paintings by all the old masters. We look at beautiful Durers, Rembrands, and Rubens then take a break. In the evening we have opera tickets, bought on-line months ago. We take the U-Bahn to Under-den-Linden (Under the Lime Trees) and pick up our tickets. The Don Giovanni at the Staatsoper under den Linden is totally amazing; in modern dress with absolutely minimal scenery and costumes; the entire emphasis is on the singing and the music!
On Thursday morning Eliane goes to the Gemaldegallerie (Gallery of New Masters) while I stay home and take it easy. In the evening we go to the dinner and
concert (Berliner Residenz Schloss & Konzerte) at the Schloss Charlottenburg
It’s very grand and we get all dressed up! First there is a sit-down dinner by
candlelight served in a very grand room. Then we move into another part of the
Palace for a concert of Baroque music including Mozart, Bach and Handel played
by candlelight with the orchestra in costume. It is totally delightful and a lot of fun.
On Friday morning we visit the Neue Synagoge – Centrum Judaicum, museum and community center on Oranienburger Strasse, which we have no trouble finding. Jews have lived in Berlin since 1295 and when the Nazis came to power in 1933 about 172,000 Jews lived there, about one-third of all German Jews. In 1939 there were more than 100 synagogues. It is estimated that 55,000 Berlin Jews suffered deportation and death at the hands of the Nazis. About 6,000 survived in Berlin, most of them because of their marriage to Gentile partners and some in hiding. Today Berlin has the largest Jewish community in Germany. The huge Rykestrasse synagogue in the former East Berlin was recently completely restored however is rarely open to the public. The very grand Neue Synagoge, which we visited was built in 1866 and was heavily damaged by the “Reichskristallnacht Progrom” (Night of Broken Glass) in 1938. The security at the synagogue is a bit crazy-making; there are 3 policemen outside and metal detectors inside. However the people are very pleasant and helpful. The building has been only partially restored including the magnificent dome, which we reach by way of elevator and very steep circular staircase. There is also a very interesting exhibition of Jewish life in Berlin before the war.
Then we take a look at Checkpoint Charley, the most visited spot in Berlin. It’s wall-to-wall people and in one of the many souvenir shops I found the kaki bag that I saw on many people and buy one for Lysa. In the evening we go to the dinner and show at the Winter Garten Cabaret at the suggestion of my teacher, Manuela. Dinner is served in an upstairs dining room, all red plush and then we go downstairs to the theater, where we have a tiny table for two to watch the show; of course we order a glass of champagne, actually German sparkling wine! The theater is full, all tourists I think, and the show consists of song and dance numbers plus a high-wire act, amazing jugglers and a guy who jumps and does multiple somersaults from a narrow board held on the shoulders of two other guys.
On Saturday we decide to do some major shopping. We start out at Wilmersdorfer Strasse, a pedestrian zone with several big department stores, small shops, cafés and restaurants. At the Karstadt department store I buy a bright red knit shirt for €20. In the middle of the pedestrian area there’s a Biergarten with live music, which is doing a land-office business. I sit and enjoy the music while Eliane shops. I love this street; it feels genuine with very few tourists. After lunch we take the U-Bahn to Ka de We and continue shopping. Next door at Peek & Cloppenburg I buy a beautiful blue tie to go with the new blue shirt. The tie is only twice the price of the shirt!
Later we take the U-Bahn to Deutche-Oper station, about 3 stops; have dinner at a small Italian restaurant across the street, and see Marriage of Figaro at Berlin Opera. This is done in traditional style with traditional scenery and costumes. Susanna is a bit weak, however all of the other singers are top class!
Sunday is our last day, we order a taxi for 8AM by phone and of course he’s already there when we come downstairs. The train trip to Frankfurt is a bit of a disaster. First of all the elevator and escalator up to the platform are both out of order (very un-German!) I speak to a railway guy and he says “don’t worry, have patience and come back in 20 minutes” Twenty minutes later two women guards push our heavily laden luggage cart to another elevator take us up to another platform and across to our train for Frankfurt. Did I tell you that there are no direct trains from Berlin to Frankfurt Airport? We have to change trains either at Frankfurt Main or Hannover and decide on Hannover. So we get off the train in Hannover and I cannot find a luggage cart; we drag our many suitcases to the elevator and go down to the main level where I find a luggage cart and we take the elevator up to the correct platform to see our train to Frankfurt Airport leave. The next direct train is in two hours (we do not want to deal with another change) so we got downstairs find a café and have a second breakfast; a Deutsches Fruhstuck fur zwei (German breakfast for two), which consists of, are you ready: two glasses of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) two boiled eggs, a plate of sliced meats and cheeses plus fresh rolls with butter and jam and coffee. It almost makes it worthwhile to miss the train! We catch the next train to Frankfurt Airport, pick up our rental car and drive to Heidelberg with only one minor getting-lost.
Photos:
Our Berlin Apartment 2#100
Theodor-Heuss-Platz 2#34
Memorial to the Murdered Jews 2#037
Memorial to the Murdered Jews 2#042
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