So slowly but surely I will catch up to present day with my posts. Next up here we have when my mom came to visit a year ago November. We really had nice weather while she was here. Cold, but not absolutely freezing (except the one day we did the free tour) and sunny for the most part which was nice to walk around. I don't really remember in detail everything we did so I am just going to go through the photos I have (most taken by my mom) and talk about them. Good? Good.
I think the first full day my mom was here we did some window shopping near Hackescher Markt. We had eaten dinner near there and there was a bead shop she wanted to check out so we went back when they were open.
The one shoe store had a really fun window display. Really a lot of the places there were fun. We wandered, found a green tea cafe which was so good and just had a nice day.
Then we stopped by the Turkish Market since it was market day and got tons of produce for dinners and such. I do remember we got sooo many cherry tomatoes it wasn't even funny. It was like 2 kilo for 2Euro so we got some and it was just his giant bag of them. Fun times.
The next day we went down to Potsdam to look at the palaces since that was on the list of things my mom wanted to do. It was fun and Raymond and I hadn't been down there yet so it was new for us as well. Above is the Reichstag from Friendrichstrasse train station while we were waiting for the train to Potsdam.
We decided to walk from the train station out to the palaces since it wasn't that far. Well we didn't take into consideration that the palace park is gigantic so it wasn't that far to the park, but then once you get in the park it takes a bit to get to the palace so it was a lot of walking. Below are just pictures of places we passed along the way.
The entrance to the park - Park Sanssouci
We tried to take some photos of us and the palace, but the sun was shining right in your eyes so it didn't work out that great...
Until Raymond came along and took photos for us
We of course had to get one with each of us paired together.
And us all together
Lots of stairs up to the palace
The park from the back of Sanssouci
Then we went inside. They have audio tours you get to listen to while you go through, but they kind of let you into the next room them lock the door behind you as you go. There is no escaping! Sanssouci was the summer palace for Frederick the Great and it was fun wandering around and learning a bit about him and the building. The next photos are from inside.
Since we were there in the wintertime there were only two buildings open to tour, Sanssouci and the new palace so we did both of them. The new palace is at the other side of the park so after out Sanssouci tour we had to quickly walk over there.
The new palace
And from the front
The kitchen and servants quarters were across the way
Close up of the buildings across the way. We were the only people who were touring the new palace at the time so we had a private tour! You had to put these slippers on over your shoes and man were they slippery on some of the floors! I almost fell as I stepped into the first room as it was really slick.
We still had the audio guides, but the tour guide lady also told us most of it instead
Our tour guide
After our tour there it we were all hungry and tired so we took the bus back downtown and got some food. It was a good day, but with the timing of the tours and such we didn't have time for lunch so it was kind of a long day.
My mom had a list of bead shops she wanted to go to so I think the next day we went around town exploring them. We went to some new to me neighborhoods and had a nice day.
Then we went to trivia with friends that night and on the way we saw this! It was the 50 year anniversary of JFK's speech and there were things around town for that.
The next day we took the free tour of Berlin and it was freezing! So so cold walking around.
In the Memorial for the Murdered Jews
Checkpoint Charlie
The last few are from Gendarmenmarkt - they were setting up the christmas market so you couldn't go in and walk around a lot
Burritos after the free tour
After lunch we wandered over to Nikolaiviertel to explore. That is the old timey square with shops and such
The Ephraim Palais - said to be the most beautiful corner in Berlin
We wandered through the Knoblauchhaus - a townhouse from the 18th century
The giraffe at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz
Our street. Our doorway is just past the small red sign on the right
It wasn't very nice out this day, but we went up the dome in the Reichstag. You get a free audio tour that tells you about the building and what you can see looking out the windows as you spiral up to the top.
You have to make an appointment now so we haven't been with anyone else as it is hard to plan exactly when we would want to go (and you have to make the reservations ahead of time).
Raymond and I are very serious waiting for cupcakes
Our bakery where we get breakfast on the weekends
The next day we walked along the Berlin Wall Memorial Park. These next photos are from that.
Photo of the section of wall still intact showing the two walls taken from the viewing tower across the street
Trying to pump some water by the good ice cream and waffle place. Raymond was in the background telling me what to do, but no water would come out.
Then Ma had a go, but no luck
And a last adventure at the Turkish Market before Ma headed home. All in all a great trip!
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