This time last year we were enjoying a wonderful weekend in Berlin. We knew we had only 8 months left in Germany and took advantage of every opportunity to travel. It became a running joke with FM and I that we would splurge just this once.
We were able to go door to door without entering a car. We took the strassenbahn from our little town of Rottenbauer, then took the train into Berlin and caught the U-bahn to the hotel. We chose to stay at The Adlon hotel, located, literally, next to the Brandenburg Gate. The Adlon was beautiful, the service impeccable and the location unbeatable.
I loved being at the Brandenburg Gate which is steeped in so much history. It was built in 1791. Atop the gate sits the Quadriga, the four-horse chariot driven by Victory who is holding the Prussian Iron Cross. Napoleon stole the Quadriga when he conquered Berlin in 1806 and it wasn’t until his defeat in 1814 that the statue was returned. The gate was badly damaged during WW II and, during reconstruction, the GDR, removed the Iron Cross and turned the statue to face the west. After the wall came down, the cross was replaced and the chariot now faces the Mitte once again.
As much as I don’t understand anyone wanting to run 26 miles, FM loves it. He does pick some great cities to run their marathons: Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Rome. FG and I go along for the ride and we cheer him on. It’s exciting being near all the energy as well. Even though there were 38,000 runners, we made arrangements to see him on the course at predetermined locations. It was a sea of people but we actually found him!
And as always, in a big city, I drag everyone to a vegetarian restaurant. There was one named Samadh located around the corner from the Adlon. Very good! We also had the chance to meet up with our previous neighbor from Neunkirchen, Norbert and his children for dinner. It was great to catch up on things.
All in all, we had a great weekend in Berlin and would go back in a heartbeat. I’m glad we splurged just this once.
Shiela: I do feel very blessed to have traveled so much in my lifetime and hope to continue to do so for many more years. My parents were travelers and I started young. My sister’s nickname for me is “vagabond.”
Nicole: It IS a great photo but I didn’t take it. I thought long and hard before I posted it. My logic is we did pay (through the nose) for the photo and I didn’t make it available on flickr for reprints. Hope that makes it ‘legal’. We never did make it to the vegetarian restaurant in Nuremberg.
LikeLike
Great memory and I love the picture…that’s a Kodak moment if I’ve ever seen one! Did you ever find a good vegetarian restaurant in Nuremberg? We found one once but I can’t remember what it was called…
LikeLike
Wow what a remarkable story! I hope FG was old enough that she will remember all of these wonderful events. I have not been to Europe yet but it is definately on my things to do list. I love history, so I am sure I will be in heaven the whole time. You and your family have been greatly blessed.
LikeLike
Patti –
I loved Berlin as well. It really was a fun city!
LikeLike