I had a restless night after the long drive – just couldn’t get comfortable so probably should have gone for a walk before settling for the night. Caroline had arranged to meet two of Anne’s neighbours, Anita and Uwe, for morning tea at one of the cafes that had become a favourite during her stay. We collected them at their door and at a leisurely pace, as it was a hot day, we walked to Bitter Suss only to find it closed for August! Never mind, plenty of other fine cafes around from which to choose; we chose Cafe Sunar as they had an excellent range of cakes and a fine selection of klein frustuck. We sat in the shade and enjoyed an hour or so chat before returning to the apartment to sort out our afternoon plans.
We had a bite of lunch before heading out to buy some essentials for packing up our bikes for our flight to Canada. First stop: bike shop from where Caroline bought her bike to get spacers for our front forks [tick]. Second stop: local hardware store for duct tape & brush [tick] + excellent service. Third stop: Biocompany for museli, yoghurt, face cream and shampoo bar [tick]. Fourth stop: the best ice cream shop in Berlin – Leckmich yummy pear and thyme sorbet & C had a choc walnut fudge gelato. Double yum!
Back to apartment to drop off our gear have a quick drink then head out to the town hall (where Kennedy gave his "Ich_bin_ein_Berliner" speech) to spend a couple of hours looking at the exhibition Wir waren nachbarn, about some of the Jewish families and individuals deported or expelled from Schoneberg, the suburb of Berlin we have spent most time in. The researchers who contacted the descendants, gathered the photos and other documentation have to be congratulated for such an indepth and empathetic presentation. I had tears in my eyes several times as I read the stories of these very ordinary Berliners who found themselves persecuted and faced extraordinary decisions regarding their children - to send them to safety or keep them with them. I couldn't help but consider the similarity to the decisions some Syrian parents have made in recent years. Friends, if you ever journey to Berlin do consider visiting this exhibition.
We returned to the apartment to find Anne and Kader were home and ready to head out for dinner. We eventually decided on Choice Vietnamese restaurant a couple of blocks away and sat outside as it was a lovely summer’s evening. Lots of other people out dining at the many restaurants in Schoneburg or just strolling with friends both human & furry. We shared fresh spring rolls before I tucked into a huge bowl of vege pho. Scrummy yum. In order to make room for ice cream, we strolled a few blocks to one of the gelato kiosks – selecting a flavour is always problematic but I had a waldfrucht sorbet.
Tuesday dawned hot again. Anne had planned for us to do an underground Berlin tour but as the day was so delightful we decided to forgo that and head out to Potsdam for a river cruise and lunch. Luckily we faced no traffic jams getting out to Potsdam so we arrived in good time for the 12 noon, 90 min Schloesserrundfahrt, with commentary in both German & English. The boat filled up quickly mainly with older people out for a relaxing day – the only thing one can do on such a cruise is sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery BUT take a cushion as the wooden forms are hard!
After the cruise we walked along the strand toward the Hollandisches Viertel as we remembered it as being interesting when we were last in Potsdam in 2014; then it was overcast & cool so it was lovely to see the buildings in the sunshine and the numerous shops open & welcoming. Anne took us to Schokoladenhaus, a chocolate restaurant where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch under the shade of a large umbrella. Caroline had a thick hot chocolate ‘drink’, Anne a coffee whilst I enjoyed a Darjeeling. The food was delicious – we shared a vege flammkuchen & a cherry/almond tart.
Lunch over we strolled back to the car but stopped to look inside the Jan Bouman haus museum to get a better understanding of the Dutch way of life in 18thC and contribution to Prussian life. It was interesting to note the extensive renovations to the quarter that has occurred since reunification & the clever building processes used.
Anne was keen for a swim – what else would one do on such a hot day? So we journeyed to Schlachtensee (a lake) where she joined many, many other Berliners in the refreshing waters. After all the time we had carried our togs across France, through the UK etc and had never found an opportunity to swim (on the hot days we were never near a lake, river or pool, and on wet, cool days we didn’t want to swim!) the one time we would have liked a swim we had left our togs in Frankfurt! We did however enjoy sitting under the trees and watching Berliners enjoy a summer activity.
Dinner this night was at a local Japanese diner, Cubo, just around the corner from Anne’s. Fresh sushi, wakame and a ginger tea is so deliciously refreshing AND good for you! And, of course, a post-dinner stroll with an ice cream on the way back, this time at the Inka Cafe, a wee place run by a Peruvian, Esmeralda. I had Chicha Morada sorbet - delicioso!
Wednesday and our last day in Berlin. First stop: Winterfeldt Schokoladen for a farewell drink and to buy some chocolate bars as thank you gifts for our Warmshower hosts.
We walked then to the U-bahn station through the market & passed now familiar churches, where we took the U into Potsdamerplatz from where we walked to the Ampelmann store for a spot of shopping. [Note: it is worth reading about how the red & green Amplemannchen were saved after the fall of the wall. A fascinating history] Was wonderful to see now familiar sites like Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden & museum island busy with tourists – many more than when I was there in April! We lunched at a wee café on the Spree called Baguetteria Mia in the Nikolaiviertel, near George & Dragon statue – fresh avocado, tomato & pesto sandwiches washed down with bio lemonade and a Darjeeling tea - as we watched the tourist boats ply up & down.
Satiated we mosied on back to Bebelplatz to see if the concert Anne had mentioned was on but nothing doing so we wandered into the Marx-Engels Forum then along to the sputnik like Berliner Fernsehturm, so famous on the Berlin skyline since it was built by the GDR in 1965-69. Also spent some time in the Knoblauchhaus museum, which is situated right next to the beautiful old Nikolaikirche. The museum is a lovely light house with really interesting interpretation panels explaining all the furniture, portraits and various items on display as well as providing an insight into Berlin middle-class life in the 17 to early 19thC.
After that we caught the S-bahn to Bellevue station from where we walked to the English Garden/Das-teehaus for afternoon tea.
We awoke early Thursday morning to breakfast & do our last minute packing before Anne & Kader took us to Sudkreuz station from where we caught the train back to Frankfurt. It was hard saying our farewells to such a delightful couple. Anne & Kader have been such generous & thoughtful hosts, sharing their space with us for such a long time and, Anne, in particular showing us some of the hidden gems of Berlin & beyond. She really should be a tour guide but I guess some of that knowledge and passion comes out in the programme she produces for DW's Check-in series. We wish them both well for their 6 months, beginning late September, living just out of Algiers in the home they have built together near Kader's family.
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