Day 65: Museums and Lights

After getting a late start to the morning, we decided to skip the farmers market. We really don't have any current food needs. We still have all those dips/spreads from last week since we didn't have any guests at the house to help us eat them up. The only really thing we want is bread. But, we decide we can get that elsewhere, so no need to make a trip to the farmers market.

Chris attempts to find a local DHL package store. We're thinking of sending home a few boxes of summer clothes and souvenirs so that we don't have to drag them to London. But, Chris couldn't find the storefront. Near his office, he has been to a DHL store that might work, but he has yet to find someone inside that store that speaks English which could make it tricky to find out all that we need to know. So for now, we're stuck until next week when more stores open and we have another chance to check it all out.

For lunch, we head north to Pizza Zia Maria. Thank goodness for nice workers. We ordered a few medium pizzas and they asked us, "Do you know the sizes of our pizzas?" He showed us what a medium would look like (too much food if we proceeded as planned) and we readjusted our order. It was just the right amount and it was amazingly yummy. Thin crust, crispy, and super flavourful cheese. Everyone was happy.

And then we became even happier as we finally got to try Hokey Pokey, an ice cream shop recommended by one of Chris' coworkers. It has been very important to this coworker that we try this place. Every week she asks if we've been able to get there. Due to its location (north and not the way we tend to travel much) we haven't been to it. Anytime we're near, it seems it's late a night, too late for an ice cream stop. But today, it's perfect timing! And, wow. It is AMAZING ice cream. It is the best we've had on this entire trip. I already want to go back. I can now understand why Chris' coworker has wanted us to come here. I can understand how it's her favourite place. We sit and enjoy our ice cream for as long as we can savour it.

Diana's ButterKaramel (left), Venice's Banana Peanut (middle-left)
Chris' BananaCrunch (middle-right) and the kids enjoying their treats (right)

Full of tasty treats, we headed back south with the intent of visiting the Altes Museum, one of five museums on Museum Island (really, an island in the middle of the river Spree). When we arrive (25 min later) people are thirsty (of course I left the water at home) and in need of a restroom. Chris wouldn't mind a coffee either. So, we search the craft fair that is going on in the streets nearby, but don't find anything. We head into the Museum Café. While Venice and I use the ladies room, Chris and Xander find a seat in the crowded café. When we find them again, no one has stopped by to take any order. It doesn't seem like we can order at the counter. This could take a VERY long time and we don't want to linger that long. So, we leave.

Random photo of a cute little car with fall leaves on it (left)
Chris taking a photo of a statue whose head is... in a building? (right)

We head to the Altes Museum (which has a café of its own) and get our tickets. As I asked for two audio tours, I guess my German was good enough that he gave me two audio tours in German. I asked, if they were in English (Sind Sie Englisch?) He looked at me funny, no... did you want English? Ja... ok... he flipped a few switches, and presto, I have two audio tours in English. Duh. Next time I will ask for two in English (makes sense).

The items in this museum are incredible. Most are real, some are plaster replicas, but most are real artifacts (as far as I can tell from the descriptions)... I choose to believe. So they are real! Anyway, cool Greek, Roman, and Etruscan statues, burial items, coins, and jewelry to view.

The Altes Museum (top)
Stonework (left), Artemis or Apollo (middle)
My favourite of the day. Loved how the stone carver created
such a flowing garment on this woman (right)

Some of you have commented on how well we're all traveling. And for the most part, I agree! However, it does takes it's toll on all of us in different ways. We often discuss how Xander, with the smallest stride, must take a lot more steps than the rest of us when we walk all day. The kids get tired of all the walking and standing (as do we adults). You can see them taking a break below.

The kids taking a break at the café (left) and a statue that we thought looked a lot like Trump (right)

After the Altes Museum, we headed to the Berliner Dom (The Berlin Cathedral) to tour the inside. However, when we got to the ticket area, we found out that viewing was limited, due to services being held. Prices were reduced, but not significantly as viewing was reduced. We decided to not go in and to either skip it or wait until we could see the entire inside (on another day). I think the kids (and their feet) were secretly happy we turned around.

Outside of the Berliner Dom

Ok, so it's 5:30. Decision time. Facts: The Festival of Lights begins at 6pm. But that's "mostly dark" and we want to see the lights when it's "really dark". Also, if we wait, we'll be hungry. But if we go eat dinner, then we have to travel to dinner and then back again, as we really want to see the Berliner Dom all lighted up. But, no one's truly hungry yet.

A  beautiful walkway on Museum Island

We decide to head towards a ramen restaurant, via Alexander Platz (for a last minute purchase at the Galleria before the stores close for the weekend). We arrive. We purchase. We leave. And guess what we see as we walk out of the building... more jumpers! Remember, Kuch mag Alex, ich kann fliegen!?  (also remember that Alexander Platz is also commonly called, "Alex".) Anyway, we see that someone has just jumped and we hope there will be another. I get my camera ready.

Do you remember how I got a photo, but not a video? Well, I forgot to mention that when Venice and I came out of the Galleria, we saw another jumper. I readied my camera to take a video.. and damn it. I took photos again. No video. I really don't understand. So, I'm ready this time, with video.

Only... damn it! It's on photo again. How does it keep NOT taking video? My clumsy hands... or Murphy's Law. I don't know. I don't care. I'm just mad that I didn't get video. The good news is that Chris and Xander got to see the jumper. We had explained it a lot, but seeing it in person made them exclaim out loud... it is that impressive of a jump! Ok, on to dinner (as I drag my "disappointed I didn't get the video" self along).

When we arrive at the ramen restaurant, the line is out the door and we are at least 15th in line. Reassess. Chris takes us to a tapas restaurant. There is no line or wait, but all the tables are reserved. We are, again, asked if we can eat within an hour? Of course! Then come on in! Asian tapas! Yum! They are incredibly tasty and very fast. So we have no problem eating quickly.

With our hour up, we hop on a tram and head back to where we were earlier in the day. Back to the Berliner Dom for the Festival of Lights. Guess who's there at the Berliner Dom waiting for us? Hint: See the middle photo below (lighted Segways!)

An "80s" style-laser show on the side of the Galleria (left)
Segways participating in the Festival of Lights (middle)
Humboldt-University Berlin (right)

The Berliner Dom's 12 different views

It amazes me how, if you just go towards the lighted building, it can seem very crowded, almost too many people to move. But if you go just a few yards farther in, you will almost have an unobstructed view. So worth those extra few yards!

Faculty of Law - Humboldt University Berlin

The Palais Am Festungsgraben (a concert hall) had a few colourful landscapes to add to our visual delights. According to the webpage, "In the context of this anniversary, there is another special illumination: With a call for participation, photographs were collected, combined in an artistic collage and projected onto the facade of the Palais am Festungsgraben. With a little bit of luck you might recognise your own picture…"

Palais Am Festungsgraben

And we ended our Festival of Lights at Hotel de Rome, which featured a "far eastern" style (I would call it "Asian").

Hotel de Rome

One of the big projectors used at the
lighted sights. Pretty cool stuff.

There are a few lights we didn't get to. Thats ok. We saw a lot and enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you Festival of Lights! And in Xander's words, "Why don't more cities do this?"

Day 58: Festival of Lights

Part 2 of the Day

After coffee time, we headed to our dinner destination. No reservations, but we're going on the idea that we're early. Seems to work every time.

As we near the area of the restaurant, we notice the street ahead has multiple polizei cars blocking the street. We try to go around, so as to avoid whatever's happening. Only, when we round the corner on the other side, there are more polizei. No one seems to be panicking, no one seems to be "alert", they just seem to be blocking car traffic. Pedestrians are strolling within this "boundary" of polizei. We did have to go about half a block past the barricade, but we never did see what was going on. We did hear someone on a megaphone. We're guessing some sort of rally? Again, no one sounded too energised or angry, so a peaceful rally? We arrived safely to our destination and there were plenty of places to sit.

Chris had heard of this restaurant (Zur kleinen Markthalle) from a friend. Supposedly the crispy Chicken here is really good. Crispy Chicken is a popular dish, here in Germany, and is usually sold as a 1/2 chicken plate (1/2 Backhendl or baked chicken). Because dinner is so early today, we're not as hungry as we'd like to be. You know, to enjoy more food! So, we only order a few dishes to share, including a warm, freshly cooked pretzel. Funny thing, Chris asks, "How big is the pretzel?" The server looked confused as she said to us, "It's pretzel-sized." Ha! Just for the record, it seemed smaller than pretzel size (at least smaller than some of those giant ones we see at the stands), but perhaps it was the size of a normal, every-day pretzel.

The Festival of Lights began last night and will run for two weeks. We headed out to see some of the places tonight, hoping to cross a few off the list (there are over 20 spots with lights). We began at Potsdamer Platz, because I wanted to see "The House of Cards". Most of the lights are on the sides of buildings, but this one is three-dimensional in the middle of the sidewalk. The artists are from a German-Israeli group who are depicting "50 years of German-Israeli relations".

Building near Potsdamer Platz, with "fruit" lights (left), Street in Potsdamer Platz (middle-left)
The "Rolling Balls" with sound effects display (middle-right), Potsdamer Platz (right)

When we arrived at "The House of Cards", they were dark. Turned off. A man was inside the "House" fiddling with, what looked like, 1,000 cords. We walked down the street for a bit, taking in other lights around the area, when we looked back and "The House of Cards" was fixed! Wahoo! The lights were flashing, on-off, here there, and then fully lit (then the routine would repeat). Cool.

After enjoying "The House of Cards" for a while, we turned around to watch a display on the side of a building in the same "square". This one was a video showing different kinds of balls rolling, plunking, and spinning through a contraption of sorts. All the while we could hear the loud sound effects accompanying the display. Xander was mesmerised.

But, the cold weather, and our patience urged us to move along to the Brandenburger Tor. I thought Potsdamer Platz was crowded... oh boy! The Brandenburger Tor was super, duper crowded. From the S-Bahn exit to the gate measures at least a football field, if not more. It was packed from the moment we stepped out of the Bahn and up to the street level. We wove our way around and about, trying to see if we could get a better view (poor Xander is shorter than us and we needed to find a place where he could still see).

Interestingly, once we got into the thick of the crowd... it actually started to thin out and we found a great spot to hang out and watch the show.

Images by Noir displaying on the Brandenburger Tor

The display on the Brandenburger Tor is a video comprised of 6 finalists' entries. The theme is "Vision of Energy". Germany was one of the finalists (perhaps they were "favoured" to get in) and was super fun with all the "Berlin" references (Buddy Bears, faces by the artist Noir, the Fernsehturm, the World Clock... and more). I think the other countries were Hungary, Poland, France, Australia, and Austria. Each had about a 2 minute show with their interpretation of "Vision of Energy". There were lightning strikes, windmills, green trees growing, flowers, geometric shapes.. and all sorts of other ideas in the 6 presentations.

I think these are all from the German finalists.

This program would repeat. We came in the middle of the last finalist, so we waited a few minutes and the program began again, this is when we learned about the different finalists and theme. Lots of appropriate oohs and ahhs from the audience. Lots of people putting their cameras on tripods to record video. Lots of people taking photos, of course (look at the video below and you can see all the glowing smartphones).

I don't remember which country created these amazing scenes. Lightning (top)
Beautiful colours (bottom), possibly from Austria.

I took a little video. Unfortunately, their sound equipment wasn't very powerful, so if you were far away from the speakers, you could barely hear the soundtrack. So, in our video, you probably hear mostly us talking :)

After the Brandenburger Tor performance, we headed through the gate and around the back to see the American Consulate's display. Well, I will grant that anyone following the Brandenburger Tor performance is probably doomed to fail in impressing anyone. But boy, the American Consulate's display was pretty boring. It was politically correct... and static. We should have visited this one first, then we wouldn't be so disappointed.

The upside is that we got to see one of the "lighted guides" walking around in her suit of lights (she had controls that could make a smiley face on her back, flashing lights, coloured lights, etc.) on her metal stilts. We also happened to cross paths with a Buddy Bear dressed to look like the Statue of Liberty (and bonus, "She" had a pink ribbon saran wrapped around her bosom).

"Statue of Liberty" Buddy Bear (left), American Consulate (middle), Lighted Guide (right)

It's late. It's cold. It's time to return home. We have to forge our way back through the crowds to find the S-Bahn station.

It is at this moment, so close to being "done" for the night, that Xander trips and falls, twisting his ankle. His reaction guarantees something big happened. But then he calms down quickly, which helps me believe nothing is broken. We offer to carry him home, but he refuses and he sadly limps to the Bahn. Chris thinks quickly and I have Advil in my purse. Xander takes it and we hope it's enough, we have big plans for tomorrow and we'd like to keep them!

He's grateful to get into bed with the thoughts, "Of the lights we got to see, I liked the Brandenburg Gate the best."