Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden...oh my!

I spent two weeks in Germany living in a small village.  Thanks to the generosity of my hosts I was able to get out and see two wonderful cities (and a little bit of Berlin on my own before I arrived).  They are in the order I visited them in.

- BERLIN -

Berlin is a sprawling city but almost all of the main sites and attractions are grouped together... I saw them from a car as I drove to the train station. The driver was kind enough to take some detours for me!  What sticks out most, though is a street.

This street, located in the central area of Berlin in the Tiergarten (or animal garden), is called "John Foster Dulles Allee" - John Foster Dulles Avenue. It's situated in a lovely urban park that passes many of Berlin's sites and current political buildings.  At first I thought it was odd for a street to be named after such a prominent American (then I thought about it).

Berlin was the capitol of Nazi Germany in WWII and this section of Berlin happened to be in the West of Berlin when the Wall was built.  J.F. Dulles hated communism and funded Nazi Germany during the 30's....mystery solved. I had the itching desire to somehow desecrate the sign.

My opinion on Berlin -
-Absolutely go to see the sights and enjoy, they are beautiful and interesting
- Its expensive to eat, stay, and get around on public transport.
- Though the sites and history is very worth seeing I would not bother going outside of the main area unless you're goal is to see a big city with people commuting.

- POTSDAM -

My day in Potsdam, sadly, was rainy and chilly but approaching the Christmas season most cities in Germany are bustling in some way!  Kerstin had an interview in Potsdam and we were meeting Hui Man at the train station to take her back to Hohenleipsich that afternoon.  I got a great feel for the city before I went inside to warm up and shake the rain off my jacket.  The center of the city is small and easy to navigate. 

I explored two areas in particular - the Dutch Quarter, or Hollandisches Viertel (umlaut over the 'a') and the Old Square, or Alter Markt.  Both are popular tourist areas and are next to each other.  In this area there is a main shopping avenue, one of three remaining city gates, the Potsdam museum, the church of St. Peter and Paul (they were erecting a Christmas tree in front!), Nikolaikirche, the filmpark Babelberg, and the newly rebuilt City Palace (Potsdamer Stadtschloss) which was rebuilt with the purpose of housing their Parliament. Potsdam is the capitol of Brandenburg.

Church of St. Peter and Paul in the Dutch Quarter.  The first Catholic church to be built in Potsdam in 1867, it is located off the Brandenburger Strasse (main shopping street). The trucks in the foreground are setting up for a weekly market - the rain didn't dampen their spirits too much. 

City gate Nauener Tor.  Built in 1733 then re-designed in 1755.  Originally there were 5 city gates but only 3 remain today: the Nauener, the Brandenburg (just like the one in Berlin, but smaller and older), and the Jagertor (Hunter's gate).

The Dutch Quarter has 134 red brick, 3-story houses (though they are tall, they are not so narrow as their Dutch counterparts) that were built by and for the Dutch moving to Potsdam mostly to practice their crafts.  Potsdam (Prussia at the time) was very religiously tolerant and had a large number of immigrants - Dutch, French, and Jewish!

The Potsdam Museum, my shelter and warmth from the rain! The museum is mostly in German with the overall explanations and displays in English.  Thankfully it was unnecessary for more to be translated. The museum covers a lot of stuff so I was unable to see all of it at my pace (I can easily spend hours in a museum) but I was lucky and the stuff I like most - military history, history of Prussia, the kings, residences, and state of Brandenburg through principality, Prussia, WWI/II was at the beginning!

Potsdamer Stadtschloss. This was not taken on my rainy day. Sadly there was very large amounts of construction around the palace so I could not get a single picture of the castle.  This is the reconstruction, where the Parliament will be (they have yet to move in).  The dome in the background is of Nikolaikirche and the building on the left foreground is a Hotel Mecure.  It seems Brandenburg considered tearing the hotel down along with the reconstruction because it disturbs the aura of the palace (the hotel is not attractive, having been built in the 70's).

Potsdam is home to large and beautiful parks.  Kerstin and I packed a picnic lunch to eat with Hui Man but the weather was not good enough to eat outside! Shame, because the park had softly rolling hills an was so green. Also it had this neat little statue at the beginning...

Three naked, happy people enjoying the greenery. 

- DRESDEN -

I visited Dresden three times during my stay in Germany. Dresden has a rich history. I became interested in visiting when I first learned about the fire bombings of 1945 while I was in high school (and later when I read "Slaughter House 5" by Kurt Vonnegut my interest was renewed).  Like most old cities Dresden has a New and Old city center (Neustadt and Altstadt).  I spent most of my time in the old part of town; but there are historic sites, markets, and quaint squares in both parts of Dresden.

Dresden is split by the river Elbe and lies in a valley. This is part of the skyline of old Dresden - I am on a bridge that crosses the Elbe.

My first time in Dresden I walked about just getting a feel for the area - I was only there for about 2 hours while Kerstin was working.  The city center in the old town is lovely, especially since Dresden was preparing for their annual Striezelmarkt - Christmas is a very serious thing here! Lots of open space filled with shopping, cafes, and the best street food you can imagine - rostbratwurst!

Here is a quick line-up of the best places to see in (Altstadt) Dresden:

- Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

- Neumarkt Square

- Semper Opera House

- Zwinger (also known as the Japanese Palace)

- Procession of Princes 

- Altmarkt Square (where the main Christmas market is held)

- Kreuzkirche (I did not go inside here but it overlooks the Altmarkt)

Frauenkirche. The church is located in the midst of Neumarkt Squre.  This church was mostly rebuilt after the 1945 firebombing. 

Part of Neumarkt Square. A quaint place with variety! Chocolate shops, restaurants, shops, apartments above, performers and artists in the square and Christmas decorations being set-up!

Semper Opera House, Germany's most famous Opera. The building (originally built 1838-41) was completely destroyed in 1945 and the new building was completed in 1985. It is home to the Saxon State Orchestra. 

The Zwinger, or Japanese Palace, surrounds a large rectangular courtyard. At one end (shown here) the building has a glockenspiel. This is a particularly neat one because instead of ringing it chimes. Every 15 minutes it has a slightly different chime that is so pretty! It's bells are more similar to hand bells. The Zwinger was built in the early 1700's. The courtyard was designed to be used as an orchard of sorts and for festivals.  The building was mostly used for exhibitions and collections. Today it is still a  museum.

 The procession of Princes is a mural that shows the Wettins, Saxony's ruling family. They are all depicted on horseback like a Roman military procession. It is located on the outside of a building belonging to the palace complex.

The Altmarkt has a square and a large gallery (think shopping mall). The square is where Dresden holds its Striezelmarkt so I was not able to get a photo of the square itself. The Altmarkt gallery surrounds it and was lined with lights. A very beautiful sight a night!

Kreuzkirche. Home to the Kreuzchor boys choir (700 years old!). Heavily damaged in 1945, the tower is visible over the Altmarkt and provides a panoramic view of the Elbe and Altstadt.

 - STRIEZLEMARKT -

I ended up prolonging my stay in Germany in order to catch the beginning of Dresden' Christmas market which began November 27th. It was cold but very cool to see! The market is in its 579th year, having begun in 1434 (making in 342 years older than the United States). Kerstin and Carsten took HuiMan and myself. It was a night of gluhwein, bratwurst, lots of snacks and window shopping!

Quick history... The Dresden market is the oldest in Germany and is now the most popular. It began in 1434 as a one day market instead of the month long affair it is today.  There are over 240 vendors at the market with all sorts of wares but the main staple of the market is, and always has been, the Christstollen - the traditional Dresden Christmas cake. The name "striezelmarkt" came from the cake.  In medieval German "striezel" meant a yeast-risen pastry (there are raisins in the cake too).  The official cakes are baked by members of a Dresden bakers' guild and they use the same traditional recipe! Of course there is lots of gingerbread and gluhwein (hot mulled wine) too!

Christmas tree! Front and center of Alt markt square

 Overlooking the striezelmarkt. Carousel, ferris wheel, and lots of stalls. 

 So I asked what they call these and it was nothing specific. In fact I think Kerstin may have said its just a 'tower'. I know my aunt has a small one and they are really quite lovely. This one was gigantic (as opposed to the little one that my Aunt has sitting on a table)

 The whole shopping area was decked out, too, with lights everywhere! Very romantic and scenic. 

 This vendor owner took "stall" to an epic level. He built a cottage complete with two sets of doors to keep it toasty warm inside. There was even a section of the table where anyone could roll out some dough and cut out cookies! It smelled AMAZING.

Just one example of things for sale. Many of the wares take a lot of skill and time. The Striezelmarkt is not to be compared to a flea market or carnival. All the wooden scenes are hand carved, burned, and/or painted. 

And of course, my favorite, gluhwein! They even come served in a mug that has the founding date and "Dresdner Striezelmarkt" on it - the official cup!

HuiMan, Kerstin and I

At least HuiMan was ready for the photo! Enjoying our wine.

Enjoy some pictures!

mmmm...rostbratwurst. By far the best street food I've had!

All the mugs waiting to be filled with gluhwein

During the market HuiMan stopped to try and pronounce this word...in German they (almost) literally put words together to make the one they need. It's a tasty fried, very light potato pancake but they serve it with sugar on top. It sound a bit odd but was actually very tasty. 

Overlooking the courtyard at the Zwinger. It was cold up on the terrace but provided a great view of Dresden's skyline and the Zwinger.

There were lots of horse carriages about! These two were so sweet and kept cuddling their noses together. 

Hopenschlafenlager....er. Hm.

Let's address the elephant in the room. How on earth is that pronounced?!?!

'Hohenleipisch' is not the easiest name to say. Kerstin, my host, had someone staying with her who was never able to master the name of the village and always said something different. Her favorite version was "Hopen-schlaf-en-lager. I imagine my own attempt at pronunciation was pretty horrific, too.

**

My time in Germany is sadly coming to a close. I have been here two weeks exploring East Germany and residing with a woman brought up to speak German and Russian in a small village that was once familiar with large Russian military bases. Sends the history senses tingling!

I am currently in a small village called Hohenliepisch, located in Brandenburg, Germany - approximately 2,500 residents.  I am staying with a woman name Kerstin, her husband and their 4 cats. Kerstin and I began chatting thanks to HelpX - an online meeting place for people with farms, hostels, hotels, large homes they need help with, ranches, boats, backpackers havens (and more!). You should check out the website here. 

 Helpers (or HelpXers) agree to help the host with work they have in exchange for a place to sleep, for food, etc. Hands down the best way to meet people and get "stuck in" a new place.  Kerstin is my 4th host on this trip and I truly can't wait to get back to Hohenleipisch some time in the future - there is always more to explore!

From the left: Carsten, Jose, and Kerstin 

When I arrived at the small train platform in the village Kerstin was there to meet me with another HelpXer; Jose from Spain.  Jose speaks English as well and is spending one year in Germany with the sole purpose of learning German (he had already been in Germany 6 months when I met him).  The best part about HelpX isn't the hosts' location or getting by cheaply but the other travelers you meet. I've been fortunate enough to meet and make some good friends this way and am excited to meet another girl from Hong Kong, arriving in Hohenleipisch after me.

EXPLORE here!

Kerstin's official website.  She has a lovely home with a large holiday apartment that can sleep up to 6 people. This time of year it is rented by a group of boys from Berlin who are here to learn a trade but in the summer and spring months it is taken up by tourists and families.  

So, what I have I learned in Germany about he local culture.... (beyond how much I enjoy the food, that is)? Well, of course most are familiar with Germans being hard-working (and punctual) and they care very much about the inside and the outside of the house. In this house, we are ruled by 4 four-pawed critters who are very intent on our whereabouts! In addition to regular upkeep of the holiday apartment, Human and I are very fond of our "tasks" playing with, feeding, entertaining, and being an occasional scratching post for the 2 kittens and 2 older cats! That's that sorted, then.

These little 5 month old kittens are Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie is all white an Clyde is black with white paws, nose and under belly.  Don't be fooled by Bonnie's name, though, they are litter brothers! They live up to their names.

This is Morchen (sounds more like Mooshen to us Americans - I have to say that the German 'r' is the hardest sound my mouth has ever tried to tackle! She is 13 and has a sister, Moritz (named after Moritzburg Castle). They are nearly identical but Moritz has a white patch on her chest. 

Life in Hohenleipisch as an honorary Petzold is....

 - having a schedule each day. Very organized, Germans.

 - eating more than necessary and needed but always insisted upon (and tasty)

 - playing with kittens and subjecting hands and fingers to being bled and bit (no problem here)

 - full of laughs and Kerstin translating TV for us when needed

 - comfortable and warm, even though the weather has shown us only 2 (very cold) sunny days

 - full of learning German words, teaching Carsten English words, and having discussions on the differences between Germans, Americans, and Chinese cultures.
- attempting to pronounce German and allowing Kerstin and Carsten to laugh at the sounds that emerge. 

Blah Blah... that's great and I'm so happy we were a help to Kerstin. What Kerstin did for me (and I imagine for Human, as well) can not be so easily summed up. I was able to see Dresden and the scorches of WWII, Potsdam and so many beautiful places that much of recent history overlooks due to our location on a map. I'll post another blog soon going into all the awesome things and places we saw so keep an eye out! For now, let's focus on food and cats.

An example of dinner - bread (on the table for every meal), cheese, sausages, butter, and tomatoes, cucumbers and beer. Often there is tea/coffee. The full day of meals: breakfast, coffee break (with cake or cookies), lunch, coffee break (more cake), dinner. Whew! I have gained a least 1 or 2 kilos....and I don't think it's from the beer!

The driveway and yard. There are 3 buildings - the house (behind me), the stable to the left, and the barn in front (now with garage).  Kerstin hopes to renovate the rest of the barn into an artist loft or studio.

The backyard. taken this morning, which was a very cold and frosty morning. With the sun shining it began to flurry beautiful, perfectly formed snowflakes! It was Hui Man's first time seeing snow EVER! Clyde was frolicking in the cold and nearly got stuck up a tree. Silly kitten.

Obviously there's beer.

And now, the Potsdam apples...

Human with Morchen. She has an apple, too, don't worry.

Human took this photo of Carsten and I jogging in the forest around the village.  She was jogging herself while she took the photo. I like this, also, because it proves that even though I indulged quite a bit I also ran!!! (you know, once)

Cold weather be damned - grilling (or, BBQing) fresh pork chops outside. We picked the chops up that morning at a local baker (who also butchered a pig and made sausage and these cuts), salted, peppered, and marinated in beer for a couple hours before cooking over an outdoor flame :D

I could spend all day playing with these little ones! I miss them already! 

Bike Amsterdam - the Dutch Hipster

Amsterdam is known for its canals, "coffee" shops, museums for every taste, global diversity (only about half the people in Amsterdam are Dutch), English language proficiency, and bikes. In fact for those who ride, it's an obsession. And they are totally the hipsters that rule the roost here.

The city's set-up is at once simple and confusing - when you look from a birds eye there are some neighborhoods on a traditional grid and then the downtown and canal area which is more like a belt - the streets and canals arch around the other (like a rainbow). I think it would be quite easy to navigate but the street names (for me) are not easily recognizable! I became quite adept at navigating the main canals but I have no idea what they were called. Dutch is not forgiving to my American tongue.

---

I came to Amsterdam from Newcastle via ferry.  First off it was amazing to have my own cabin after all the shared dorms in hostels!! I love being on boats and the ferry was small enough to feel the swells but not too small to be overwhelmed in the North Sea (a notoriously cold and bitchy sea, so my Navy friends say).  They had a small cinema so I also got to see Elysium (in my opinion, quite good). The ferry, run by DFDS Seaways, had some very fancy restaurants, a couple musicians, and of course bars and stores.  It was very enjoyable .... except that I was hungry.

Here's some fun stuff to know for when you travel anywhere in Europe (and it's quite new so pay attention, travelers)!!..... The ship accepted both GBP and the Euro but they ONLY accept chip cards. The credit cards have a chip on them; which looks like the chip on your phone's memory card.  Each person has a PIN for their card and they are not swiped at all. While most places in the UK can accept both (but NOT Royal Mail or Post as I discovered). this ferry could not.  I did not foresee this and spent my GBP down to the last 2 pence...and had no Euros :( There was no cash point but the woman said I can give you cash from your chip card....AHHH! Thankfully I came stocked with Clif Bars and some protein bars. While not satisfying it held me over to Amsterdam.

 Model of the ferry (I was way down on deck 2)

Our boat, the KING. She was made in Copenhagen.

My humble abode for the night. It was quite comfortable!

I love to be on the water (especially in the Caribbean during a thunder storm) and the best thing about it, besides being rocked to sleep, is this....

 In progression.... always when I am sleeping on a boat I try to get up to see the sun rise! The North Sea was calm for our passing and not as cold as I thought it would be - all wonderful.

We docked in a port town called Ijumuiden and there was a bus to take us to town.  I only stayed in Amsterdam for one night but the ferry docked at 9am so I did get to take advantage of two full days.  As the previous pictures suggest, the first day was gorgeous and sunny (for part of the day) - which is rare in a place where it rains 300 days a year (sound familiar, Pacific Northwesters?).

As always the first stop is the hostel to drop the backpack! This one was pretty cool looking...

If you can manage to see, my room was all the way on the top floor (no elevator...hm) with the balcony (left side in this photo). It overlooked the Vondelpark. The largest (47 hectares) and most famous (live music, shows and popular outdoor spot in summer that attracts about 10 million a year) park in Amsterdam.

Vondelpark. I imagine its more becoming in the summer. This was the warmer, sunnier day by the way (cough cough).

FUNNY FACT - the directions to this hostel (stayokay) said to "turn left at the Marriott". Hmmm...

Day 1. November 13 - Anne Frank House, long walk around the canals, getting high walking by cafes, eating a large, deserved, and delicious meal, cheese, flowers, and of course...browsing shops!

About 15 minutes from the hostel, the Anne Frank House is located off Prinsengracht, which is the second canal street. The house is easy to find because it's on the corner next to the Western Church or Westerkerk.  

*history*

The Anne Frank House is quiet and sad but also remarkable. That is especially clear when you think of Otto Frank, Anne and Margot's father, who had to return to the house (or the secret annex) and took the time and energy to read and assemble Anne's diary (he even made it into a stage play but could never go to see it performed - having to see people portray himself and his deceased family).  Otto was the only Frank to survive with Anne having died only days before Liberation. 

**

The museum is set up to be bare, quiet, and asks for no photography as many visitors have emotional ties to the subject.  It is set-up with photos, models of the office and warehouse, and with interviews of  those who knew the family. The best feature, though, is at the end of the museum. I think it's a great feature because it engages younger people who are farther from WWII and possibly are not as affected by it. It also relates Anne Frank's story to current society; which is how education of history SHOULD be.

At the end of the exhibit there is an interactive TV area.  In the middle there are lot of little columns (about 1.5 meters) with a red "no" and a green "yes" button.  The TV's show clips of religious, race, gender interviews and asks a corresponding question which you answer on your column.  There were 2 school groups here at the time and it was really interesting to see the buttons they pushed....and how some of them reacted when their friend chose the opposite. Fascinating. More info on that here: Free2Choose 

This is Westerkerk. It is the biggest church in Amsterdam and is, of course, Protestant.  The tower, Westertoren, is 275 feet high and is considered to be the symbol of Amsterdam to many. 

I'll be honest....I can't believe I put off eating for so long but I am happy I did! Right across the canal and down to the next bridge from Westerkerk and the Anne Frank Huis I found a little cafe run by a very nice Indian man who was helpful and handed me an English menu (no, it wasn't a curry place!), called Roem.  Fantastic. I had a very hard time deciding because everything sounded good but I knew I had to have a pancake (not quite a crepe but it's the best comparison I have). I decided on the savory - bacon, mushroom, cheese, and tomato pancake. I went back again the following day for lunch.

If you are ever in Amsterdam and want to try a Dutch pancake (and everyone should) go to Roem.  It's in a touristy place but its small, cozy, very well priced and caters to locals as well as tourists. 

On the same road there are two other places I enjoyed exploring.  The Tulip Museum and The Cheese Museum.  Holland is famous for its tulips and had a festival each year, Tulip Time, held in early May(ish). As for cheese...there's a lot. Some is stinky, some is tasty, some come in big wheels (!).

It smelled quite nice in here, and though I do not posses a green thumb I was tempted to buy lots of bulbs and try.

Being lactose intolerant does not mean I avoid cheese altogether...so the free sample was plenty as well as tasty. They had a nice mild cheese out (no idea what it was) and a very sharp cheddar. YUM!

Sadly for me, the museums in Amsterdam are not free and when traveling for so long (and having spent so much in the UK) were out of my reach. This being said I walked about towards the central station, Dam Square, and in and out of the winding canals to really get a sense of the place.  

Things I noticed and found, and learned:

- Absolutely no photos of the girls in the windows...they get angry (kind of funny for a spectator, but don't do it). The oldest female worker in the Red Light district is 84.

- There's a chance if you walk by the right places at the right time (and I think I did) you may get a bit high during your walk (I had very vivid dreams that night...hmm)

- Shop and restaurateurs will practically proposition you to come inside and shop/eat.

- There are 5 lanes to cross on most streets - regular two-way traffic, one tram (center) lane, and two bike lanes.

- Bikers in Amsterdam rule. And are pretty confident that rules don't apply to them.

- It rains. A lot.

- Pancakes are suitable for every meal

- Crooked houses? Nope, that's intentional.

- Tallest people on average!

- Dutch are the kings and queens of water management and when floods or other such things happen, most leaders call on the Dutch.

- Coolest and also crudest signage. For example:

Signs like this are common in the bigger party areas...."people live here" is a popular add-on.

Why are the houses so narrow and crooked? You may ask. Well, read-on!
- Some people say the houses are so narrow and tall because the Dutch are the tallest people in the world.  - - Some people also say they are the tallest people because their houses are so tall. While they are the tallest people, that's not right,
- The houses are so narrow and high because of the way taxes were calculated; by width of the property. But feel free to build as high as you want! Which leads to houses like this...

The red building on the left...is a house. That's all there is to it! It is the narrowest house in Amsterdam and was built by a rich merchant for his butler because the butler said..."I cannot believe the width of this house, if I had one only the width of this door." He was taken literally.

 - Most houses, even though they are so narrow in front, do widen as they go back.

 - The houses naturally fall to one side or forward because Amsterdam is all marsh, of course, and the foundations shift.  Instead for tearing buildings down and re-building them correctly the Dutch just re-leveled the floors and kept on going.

- More recently the Dutch started building the houses with foundations of tall trees - just like houses near beaches that are raised up on stilts.  So, Amsterdam row houses have tall foundations underneath! 

- Lastly the crookedness. Totally intentional. Why? Well if you think moving is a pain with a regular house and doorway, try it here. Every building has an arm, a beam, off the top with a pulley hook. So next time you see a spoof of someone dropping a piano on a car below...it likely has happened in Amsterdam.

See?! I bet it's fun to watch people move-in and out but horrible to do it. I'd also imagine most places come furnished!