Berlin

Back on the bus with Woody again ☺☺ this time heading to Berlin

Goodbye Warsaw and lots of traffic lol 

another church along the way

hello again 

stopped along the way for lunch, pork rib, chicken balls, salads 

this was a full day on the bus 

then arrived at our hotel in Berlin 

there was a bear out front lol 

details of plan here 

we took a little walk and checked out cathedral clock tower 

and a neat looking merry go round 

back on the bus as had a meal booked with the group 

we all had a great night here 

my pork knuckle 

his mixed grill 

simple friend selfie lol 

we were given an interesting drink 

cheers ☺☺

next morning we were on the bus again for a should have been walk tour but turned out very wet so a bit of improvising with the bus.......The Siegessäule on the Great Star in the middle of the Great Tiergarten in Berlin was built from 1864 to 1873 as the national monument of the unification war according to a draft by Heinrich Strack . It is a protected monument and is considered a landmark ofBerlin

reichstag building 

getting refurbished 

again more of the incredible statues on buildings 

Brandenburg gate 

a bit closer snap 

and zoom of the horses up top 

another bear here 

and a grizzly bear 

and here is some of that rain lol 

not good for taking photos 

impossible lol 

luckily we were allowed off the bus to take some pics 

so this is much better pic of Berlin cathedral 

and another 

museum 

back on the bus we saw a boat going along the canal 

and back to the bear outside our hotel 

shocker of me, but oh well lol 

interesting men riding goats ☺☺

after that tour we had another big walk around and found all of these bears 

The story of the Buddy Bears started with an artistic event in Berlin in 2001. Inspired by the idea of bringing art in the streets of a metropolis like the cow parade in Zurich and New York, the initiators of the Buddy Bears, Klaus und Eva Herlitz, decided to start astreet art project in Berlin

they were right near this fantastic fountain 

aussie bear 

new zealand bear 

uk bear 

statue of liberty bear even 

and a cute ride on train near that merry go round earlier 

plenty of people here 

and we got hungry and shared a potato cake and chicken stick 

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is a Protestant church affiliated with the Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia, a regional body of the Evangelical Church in Germany....It is composed of the ruins of the church that was destroyed in the war, as well a modern church building.....  https://www.visitberlin.de/en/kaiser-wilhelm-memorial-church

inside 

part of the ceiling 

a pic of when they held a concert after finally removing all the rubble from being bombed 

the church was almost destroyed 

amazing window 

floor in another part and has church has been getting extensive renovation for years and still ongoing 

hows, that for organ and pipes ☺☺

back outside we found another bear  

merry go round again ☺

later that day back on the bus for some late touring and dinner 

me looking much better lol 

windmill 

outside the Sanssouci palace 

in the garden 

Sanssouci is the summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles

massive garden and heaps of stairs down there 

incredible 

and more lol 

he wanted to be buried at his beloved summer palace and he now is after a reburial 1991

Schloss Sanssouci, was Frederick’s Summer Palace and ultimately the site of his burial. Frederick had never been particularly fond of his wife, and so instead elected to be buried alongside his trusty greyhounds, which he usually named after the King of France’s mistresses in order to anger the man.

Among his many accomplishments Frederick the Great also happened to introduce potatoes to Germany. He thought they were a great idea, and made a big production out of eating potatoes and smacking his lips enthusiastically at state dinners. Sometimes, when not fighting Austrians, he would visit towns and pass out potatoes. His endorsement worked, and potatoes became a staple crop in the nation.

So that’s why people put potatoes on top of his grave.

"Copied this from google as a good read and explains the potatoes"

the man himself 

another interesting column statue near bridge of spies 

to the bridge of Spies.....used for spy exchanges between east and west during cold war. 

looking across the havel river 

a castle in the distance 

short zoom 

another castle on the other side 

more info here if interested Glienicke_Bridge

we then had dinner at Wirsthaus Moorlake for a traditional german fare 

a pleasant evening after 2 busy days 

☺☺