Today was Museum Day.
First things first: a little breakfast nosh at a neighborhood outdoor cafe, Tuffstein’s.
Before heading out to see the sites, we need to address Ella’s morning needs. After all, she will be spending the day inside while we explore this singular city. So, a walk in the nearby park — one of Ella’s favorite — is in order. Once all of our morning necessities have been addressed and Ella is comfortably settled at home, the three of us set out for…
…Museum Island.
At the island’s northwestern tip is The Bode Museum with its iconic circular entry building. The Bode is Julien’s place of employment and we took a tour of one of his most recent exhibitions while within.
Our next stop was the Pergamon Museum which houses several massive monumental structures including the namesake Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Market Gate of Miletus all of which were excavated, shipped and then reconstructed here in Berlin.
Our final stop was the Neues Museum. Among its artifacts is the Queen Nefertiti bust, an epitome of feminine beauty for the ancient world. We wandered the many rooms on both levels before finally reaching our quota of museum interest and exited the building.
We took some time out to relax in the grassy area, the lustgarten, between the museums and the Berlin Cathedral before proceeding down the Unter den Linden (markedly lacking in linden trees!)
At the end of what was once Berlin’s grandest street, we reached the Brandenburg Gate. The area was a bit congested as they were in the midst of a street fair/carnival/concert setup that resulted in a number of barriers around the monument. Just beyond, there was the Reichstag building. And nearby: the sobering Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
We had dinner at the Romantica Restaurant before returning to Doug’s home for the evening.
A Taste of the Soviet Bloc 