Auf Wiedersehen, Berlin

On December 9, 2023December 9, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn BerlinLeave a comment

After more than 20 hours of traveling (and waiting), we’re finally home. We left our hotel at about 8 am CET (Berlin time) and arrived home a little before 10 pm EST. Because of the train strike, we had to do some research, but we found a U-Bahn train that was running and that took us to an AirPort Express bus. The bus was very crowded with people and luggage, and we had to stand the whole way. We left very early for our 2:00 pm flight, and it was good that we did. The security line was a long and winding road, and we made it to the gate just in time to get some food and some Peppermint Schnapps for some friends. (You know who you are.)

Long Security Lines at the Berlin Airport

The flight to Reykjavik was okay, but the Reykjavik airport is a real zoo. (For those who are counting, I heard Little Drummer Boy five times on this trip, once in German and four times in Icelandic.) We went through passport check, found our gate, waited a bit, were herded onto a bus again, boarded the plane, and then waited on the tarmac for 45 minutes before we took off. The flight itself, however, was quite pleasant. We had exit seats with the blessed extra legroom and a view out the window. Because we were traveling west, and the timing was right, we followed the sun for hours as it set, and it was beautiful.

View Out the Plane Window (iPhone camera does not do it justice)

We arrived in Boston, got through customs incredibly quickly, and took a bus to Portland. We scraped a lot of ice off our car, and made the drive home.

In all, our Berlin adventure was a fun-filled, action-packed success. We encountered beauty everywhere in the art we viewed and the music we heard. We learned a lot, and found German people to be very kind and helpful. I have many more pictures that I’ll be posting soon on the Berlin page (found under the Photos tab) of this blog, so be sure to check back in a few days.

We hope you enjoyed our trip with us, and we hope we’ll see more of the world in the future. We know we won’t be able to travel like this for too many more years, but we will continue do it for as long as we physically can.

Auf wiedersehen, Berlin!

Berlin Rooftops viewed from the Reichstag Building Dome

Berlin History, Sights, and the Greatest Orchestra in the World

On December 7, 2023December 10, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn BerlinLeave a comment

Today was a day to learn all about Berlin history, geography, and culture. We started the day with a visit to the Reichstag Building, home of the German Bundestag. This government building has a huge glass dome with spiraling ramps that allow visitors to get a 360º view of Berlin while listening to a very informative audio tour.

Inside the dome is a column of mirrors that shift to regulate the natural light that illuminates the plenary chamber of the Bundestag below. The views are magnificent, and probably even nicer when the sun shines. At the base of the dome is a historical timeline exhibit showing the history of the building.

From there we set out to see what is left of the Berlin Wall. We made our way to the Berlin Wall Memorial which is another place that would be better visited in summer. It’s an outdoor exhibit and recent snow and ice made walking treacherous. Even so, we were able to view parts of it and get a sense of the scope of the wall.

Memorial for the Victims of Communist Tyranny

We then walked to the East Side Gallery, a collection of murals on the longest surviving section of the wall. This section is almost a mile long and contains 105 paintings from artists all over the world. The most famous is My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love by Dmitri Vrubel. We know it’s the most famous because there was a big crowd in front of it. I got my photo of it from across the street.

*My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love,* East Side Gallery

Our next stop was Alexanderplatz, where we found the iconic World Clock and, of course, another Christmas Market.

We then hopped on another train to go to Museum Island. At the Humboldt Forum, we toured the Berlin Global exhibition, a presentation that explores Berlin’s connection to the world while asking us to think about our own communities and reflect on our values. If we ever come back to Berlin, I hope we find time to explore the other museums here.

At about this time as we were headed back to our hotel for dinner, we learned that German transportation workers were planning a strike which would disrupt train service in Berlin, Sure enough, we got on one S-Bahn train that stopped before our destination, and we had to get off and find another way to go. By evening, most S-Bahn trains were not running, but that did not deter us from attending our evening event.

The reason for our trip to Berlin was primarily to hear the Berlin Philharmonic. We traveled to Chicago last year to hear them, but we really wanted to experience this fabulous orchestra in their own hall. It is a visually and acoustically beautiful performance space. The highlight of the program was Mahler’s Fourth Symphony and it was exquisite.

The trip back to our hotel turned out to be a 20 minute walk because the train we intended to take sat idle in the station due to the aforementioned strike. Tomorrow we fly home, but we’ll have to find another way to the airport because the strike will continue until tomorrow night. It‘s good to have a Plan B, I always say.

Always End Your Day With Some Comic Opera

On December 6, 2023December 6, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn BerlinLeave a comment

I’m beginning to think the sun never shines on Berlin. We haven’t seen it yet. There was more snow overnight, and with temperatures hovering around freezing, the sidewalks were an icy mess. Nevertheless, we set off for more adventures, knowing it would be slow going.

The Garden of Exile in the Jewish Museum Berlin

We began the day with a visit to the Jewish Museum Berlin and we spent much longer there than we expected to. The bottom floor of the museum has an exhibit designed to symbolize three aspects of Jewish life in Germany: exile, Holocaust, and continuity. The Garden of Exile is an outdoor exhibit of columns on uneven, slanting ground that is designed to replicate the disorientation Jews experienced as they were rounded up and driven from their homes. The core exhibit is a presentation of the history and culture of Jews in Germany, past and present. Visiting this exhibit is a sobering experience, especially as we think about the current situation in Israel and Gaza. We noticed a very visible (and probably some not so visible) police and security presence around the buildings, and I’m sad that it has to be this way. We can only hope that one day, people of all religions, races, and cultures can live side by side in peace.

After the Jewish Museum we headed for the obligatory photo op at Checkpoint Charlie before we looked for a train to take us to our next adventure, the Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg Museum to see their Surreal Worlds exhibit of surrealist drawings and paintings by Max Ernst, Paul Klee, Hans Bellmer and many others.

Across the street from the museum was another Christmas Market, and we had a couple hours to kill, so we decided to check it out. The market was in front of the massive Charlottenburg Palace which we knew we would not have time to visit on this trip, but we were glad we got to admire it from the outside. We strolled around the market for a while and then decided to have an early dinner in a restaurant in a heated tent. And yes, we had some Glühwein. We decided that German Christmas Markets are like the Fryeburg Fair, but colder, and with more alcohol, and no animals.

Final Bows at Orpheus and the Underworld

Our evening event was a performance of Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld at the Komische Oper Berlin. We were notified just before we arrived that tonight’s performance would be in concert format rather than the fully staged opera because of a strike somewhere. It was difficult for us to figure out exactly who was striking (Google Translate can’t solve all our language problems) but we decided to see the show anyway. This performance was hilarious, even without all the sets and costumes, and they still danced the cancan at the end. The audience was sparse, probably because refunds were offered, but we appreciated this company’s “the show must go on” attitude.

It was another long day and my Fitbit says we walked 18,365 steps today so we’re ready to call it a day. Tomorrow is our last full day in Berlin and I’m sure we’ll pack a lot into it.

The Life and Times of Bach and Mendelssohn

On December 6, 2023December 6, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn BerlinLeave a comment

Today we traveled to Leipzig on a very crowded train. The trip took about and hour and I stood the whole time, but I managed to do the NYT Crossword, Spelling Bee, and Wordle on my phone, so the time was not wasted. When we arrived it was raining (and freezing) so we carefully made our way to our first stop, the Bach Museum. Johann Sebastian Bach spent a good part of his life in Leipzig where he was employed as Cantor at St. Thomas Church. The museum is well laid out, and we took a guided audio tour to learn about Bach’s life, his extensive family tree, and his glorious music. There were several listening stations, and we could have spent the whole day just listening to beautiful performances. The last exhibit demonstrated how several popular musicians have borrowed from Bach, including The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, the Beatles, and Lady Gaga.

When we left the museum, we headed straight for St. Thomas Church where Bach was Cantor for 27 years and where he is buried in the sanctuary. As we entered, the church was filled with the sound of its magnificent organ. It appeared there was a master class occurring in the organ loft and we were able to sit and enjoy it for a few minutes.

After lunch, we headed for the Mendelssohn House where Felix Mendelssohn lived his last two years. This house was restored by the International Mendelssohn Foundation which was chaired by German conductor Kurt Masur. The museum has timelines, manuscripts, and reproductions of the house’s furniture and decorations.

After a full day of museum touring, our old feet were saying, “enough already!” so we headed for the train station. The trip back to Berlin was also crowed but we managed to find seats. I was grateful that we had no evening event planned, so we could retire early.

Tomorrow we visit some museums in Berlin and go to the Komische Oper Berlin.

A Palace, Another Church, and the London Brass

On December 4, 2023December 6, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn BerlinLeave a comment

Today we spent a lot of time on public transit. We took a train to Potsdam, rode trolleys around the city, and took another train back. We’re getting better at navigating with our limited German. Fortunately, almost everyone we’ve encountered in Germany so far speaks English.

We began our visit to Potsdam with a tour of Neues Palais, a palace built for Frederick the Great from 1763 to 1769. It’s a very ornate example of Prussian Baroque style architecture. I thought the most interesting room in the palace was the Grotto Hall where the walls were decorated with shells and stones and the marble floor depicted sea creatures and plants. I learned from the audio tour that the word “rococo” comes from the French word “rocaille” which means “shell.” The tour was interesting, but very cold. Apparently they don’t heat the palace just for the tourists, so we kept our coats, hats, and gloves on throughout.

We then took a tram to the Dutch section of Potsdam to admire the architecture. We passed through another huge Christmas market where the Glühwein was tempting, but we passed on it again. We will indulge in this tradition German beverage some time before we leave. We made our way to the St. Peter and Paul church in the center of Potsdam. This yellow brick church with its huge bell tower was built in Byzantine and Romanesque style and was completed in 1870. It was damaged during WW II, but has been restored.

We next caught another train and got off at the Potsdamer Platz stop, got some dinner, then headed to the Berliner Philharmoniker Concert Hall for an evening concert with the London Brass. The London Brass was created in 1986 from members of the Philips Jones Brass Ensemble and is composed of four trumpets, four trombones, one French horn, and one tuba. Their Christmas program included selections from their Joy to the World CD. It was a beautiful performance by some of the best brass players in the world. Paul reminded me that England has a brass band tradition that produces great musicians. There’s nothing like a brass group playing Christmas music to get you in the holiday spirit!

Tomorrow we head to Leipzig (another train) to learn all about Bach and Mendelssohn and maybe a few other subjects. I have many other pictures to post here and on the Berlin photos page, but the Wi-Fi isn’t up to it today. I’ll try again later.

A Zoo, a Church, and a Lot of Wagner

On December 4, 2023December 4, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn Berlin1 Comment

It snowed a little overnight. It was 26° and cloudy, and a bit icy underfoot, so our first thought was, “Let’s go to the zoo!” And it turned out to be a pretty good idea. The Berlin weather isn’t bad if you dress for it, and we were prepared. The zoo was quiet on a Sunday morning and strolling the grounds was pleasant. The highlight, of course, was the pandas, but we found plenty of other animals, indoors and out, to entertain us.

After the zoo, we headed for the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, first passing by another of the many Berlin Christmas markets. We were tempted to stop for some glühwein but it was crowded and we were on a mission. The Kaiser Wilhelm church was built between 1959 and 1963, not to replace but to stand alongside the original church that was bombed during WW II. The inside of the modern church is spectacular with walls that incorporate 21,292 stained glass windows. (I’ll post more pictures on the Berlin page under the Photos tab of this blog later.)

Kaiser Wilhelm Church — Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche

After admiring the church, we made our way to Deutsche Oper Berlin to see the longest opera ever. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is Wagner’s only comedic work (in the sense that no one died) and lasts almost 6 hours, including two intermissions. In the past I’ve shied away from Wagner operas because they were overwhelming. I tried listening to one on the Saturday radio broadcast, but it was mostly just background music. It wasn’t until I saw one in a Met Live in HD performance that I really understood what Wagner was all about. I think that, before I retired, I didn’t have the time or intellectual energy to fully appreciate Wagner. This was only the second live performance of a Wagner opera I’ve seen, and it was spectacular. The singing was excellent, but it’s really the orchestra that sucks you in. The plot was convoluted and sometimes silly, but I could say that about many operas. Die Meistersinger was (and still is) controversial, and some would say antisemitic, but musically exquisite. It was maybe my best opera experience ever.

Bows at *Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg*

Tomorrow we’re off to Potsdam to see what we can see. Stay tuned.

Getting There is Half the Fun… Sometimes

On December 3, 2023December 3, 2023 By Barbara GreenstoneIn Berlin1 Comment

I hate night flights because I’ve never been able to sleep on a plane. We’ve taken several red-eye flights to and from Los Angeles, and one to London, but they’ve all been direct flights. This time our flight was in two segments and that’s even worse. On the upside, I think sleep deprivation helps you adjust to time zone changes more quickly.

Our journey started with a bus ride from Portland to Logan. Traffic wasn’t too bad, so we got there in plenty of time for an airport dinner before our flight. Icelandair is a quirky little airline. As we boarded the plane, we were greeted with Icelandic music playing throughout the cabin. If you’re participating in the Little Drummer Boy challenge, does it count if you hear it on a plane in Icelandic? The flight to Reykjavík was okay, but the airport there was chaotic. Apparently they have more planes than gates, so we deplaned onto a bus that took us to the gate. We then had to find Passport Check before we could find the gate for our flight to Berlin. At that gate, we were herded onto another bus. These buses are the kind that have more standing than seating space, and we were packed in like sardines. Twenty minutes later, we were still on that bus, waiting on the tarmac to board the plane. Boarding was chaotic because there was no system, all rows boarded at the same time so there was a lot of waiting while passengers stowed their luggage and coats. I don’t know if it’s always like this, but our experience won’t deter us from coming back to Iceland one day. The flight to Berlin was better because no one was seated in the third seat in our row, so we could spread out. I sat by the window and watched a lovely sunrise above the clouds as we approached Germany.

When we arrived at the airport in Berlin, we exchanged a few dollars for Euros and bought Berlin Welcome Cards and Museum Pass. Then we had to figure out trains that would get us close to our hotel. I like the fact that, in Berlin (and other European cities) you buy a pass and just jump on and off trains and buses without the bother of turnstiles or ticket takers. You just show your pass if asked (and we’ve never been asked).

After checking in at our hotel, we set off to see the Brandenburg Gate and then stopped for an early dinner at EINSTEIN Unter den Linden (We had Wiener Schnitzel mit Preiselbeeren, Petersilienerdäpfeln und Gurkensalat!) Then it was off to Staatsoper to see Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s opera Médée (Medea). We had seen the Met production (live in HD at the movie theater) and this was nothing like that. The orchestra was a small baroque orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and this production didn’t have the dramatic, gothic feel of the recent Met one. Nonetheless, it was interesting (if a bit long) and the singing was beautiful.

As we left the opera, we passed a huge Christmas Market, but decided to save it for another day. After more than 36 hours without sleep, we were happy to return to our hotel for some much needed rest.

Tomorrow – Wagner!

To Italy and Beyond

Category: Berlin