Slept
well last night -- breakfast at 7:30 am -- others trickle in -- raining quite
hard now and expected most of the day.
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| A Bar on Wheels -- Everyone Pedals -- the Driver Steers |
Eight
of us leave the hotel about 10:00 am --to walk 45 minutes in light rain to the
Reichstag, the main government building for Germany,
where we have lunch reservations.
The attraction at the Reichstag is the large
sphere (built after reunification in the early 1990's) which sits in the middle
of this 1894 structure built under Wilhelm II.
The sphere has ramps around the side so walking to the top gives a great
view of Berlin -- would be better if it wasn't raining but we'll take it.
Admission is free so the lines are long --
however a friend recommended to Dave that we make lunch reservations in their
restaurant which bypasses the lines.
We have had these reservations for several weeks -- worked like a charm.
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| Phil took this of us in the Sphere. |
|
Phil
and Dave (because of their height phobia) stay on the first floor of the sphere
but still enjoy a nice view of the city.
There is lots of activity in the sphere this morning -- from families to
groups of teenagers and even a singing group in Bavarian Costume.
After climbing to the top and taking the
appropriate photos --- we present ourselves at the restaurant forty-five
minutes early -- thinking if they don't take us, we have accomplished our
goal.
We are welcomed with open arms so
lunch it is -- and it is fabulous.
Our
expectations were not high but this restaurant-- "Kafer Dachgarten-Restaurant"
-- is not to be missed.
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| Beth, Jack & Pat at Berliner Dom |
After
lunch the rain has subsided so we walk through the Tier Garten (Berlin's
Central Park) and down Unter-den Linden (Berlin's Fifth Avenue) to the Berlin
Cathedral or "Berliner Dom" -- stopping at a flea market along the
way.
This Church with an enormous dome
is spectacular -- it used to be Catholic -- is now Protestant but has retained
all the gold and glitz of a Catholic Cathedral in Europe.
It also has several sarcophaguses in the
basement as well as a few sprinkled on its vast first floor.
Located on Museum Island this Cathedral keeps
company with several of Berlin's best museums -- one could spend a week just on
Museum Island.
 |
| Model of Museum Island - Berliner Dom is top right. |
We split
up and go our separate ways back to the hotel.
Phil and I walk back by Humboldt University passing through the
Bebelplatz where the
unusual monument called
"Library" sits.
It is the
work of Israeli artist Micha Ullman and is underground -- consisting of empty
white bookshelves which could accommodate 20,000 books -- it is viewed through
a glass panel in the floor of the plaza. The memorial is a reminder that on May
10th, 1933 the Nazis burned approximately 20,000 books which were seen as a
threat to their ideology
--
 |
| "Library" by Micha Ullman |
unusual but effective.
Tonight
our dinner reservations are at "Brasserie Gendarmenmarkt" -- a French/German
restaurant close to the hotel and recommended.
At 6:45pm twelve of us gather in the hotel lobby for the short walk -- we are seated promptly and given
menus. However -- the menus are very
limited and not what was on their website.
Phil immediately has a conversation with the Maitre' D and discovers
that we have their "menu for large parties" -- not acceptable. We are ready to walk! Phil handled the situation with the utmost
diplomacy -- original menus are collected --- their normal menus are distributed. We had a lovely dinner with lots of laughs --
good food and good wine!
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| Patte & Dave on Bebelplatz! |
As
we leave the restaurant -- we realize that Berlin's annual Festival of Lights
is in full swing.
This celebration,
which lasts for ten days, transforms landmark buildings and historical
monuments all over Berlin through light projections and video art.
We wander around just observing the light
shows and the crowds -- not sure which was more interesting.
The light show on the Bebelplatz projected
words in black and white onto one of the large ornate
buildings.
Another favorite was the
Hotel de Rome -- which had several colorful light shows projecting one right
after the other.
A
nice ending to our stay in Berlin!
Thanks
for Reading!
Pat
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| Hotel de Rome with a Grape Arbor projected on its facade! |
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