From Berlin to Saint Pair sur Mer via Paris

Berlin is an amazing city with so much history and so much to see. There was not enough time to see that much. Perhaps I will return? Tuesday was a full day. I started at the Kaiser Wilhelm Church which was badly bombed during the war, but they decided to leave “the hollow tooth” as a memorial. A new church was erected 1957-1963. However, like much of the city-or at least my choices, it too is undergoing renovation, so "the hollow tooth" was hidden. It was so well hidden that I didn’t know there was a church under the aluminum covering. About twenty yards across the plaza the vestibule of the old church stands to commemorate the war and its horrors, which I could visit. The actual church was closed for the day as they were filming. So I was on to my next stop…Hackesche Höfe (psyched that I could find the ö!!), my (wonderful and only guide book) DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Berlin describes as a “complex of 19^th century warehouses of nine interlinked courtyards “. Decorated in the Art-Nouveau style, it was totally renovated in early 1990’s, as it was totally ruined during the war. There is an interesting great variety of unusual, artisan type shops on the first level and apartments above.

I had a quick €3 lunch of rice, chicken, and veggies, cooked in a wok before me at China Box. Passed a gelato store-Amorino, which may have been where Gloria and I stopped last year in Nice?-and succumbed to a multi-flavored, of course DELICIOUS, €4 dish (sure cheaper than Rome!).Then I visited the Neue Synagogue, once the largest in Europe. Presently its congregants are predominantly Russians. Damaged during the war, the tour only allowed me to see the small museum on the first floor and walk up to the Dome for the “view”. Interesting, but not worth it for me….

Berlin has such MANY museums, and one I did want to see was the German Historical Museum. My usual museum time is 2-3 hours so I was delighted to stay at least 3 hours! Starting in 100BC, it was, needless to say, MOST comprehensive! I especially like to see the different elements of life at a given time. So I was quite intrigued by the Writing Case which 72 year old Goethe had given then 17 year old Ulrike von Leventzow. Two years later he proposed marriage through his friend, which she refused, as she only loved him as a “father. There was an excellent video with English subtitles-the better to sleep through also! Wending my way back to the bus (somewhere!), I climbed the stairs to visit the Berliner Dom(Cathedral), the “largest and most lavish in town”, which was closed due to a concert….

Then it was time to take the bus back to Annette’s delightful and spacious flat. We decided to have a light supper in a nearby Turkish restaurant, and then we walked around her neighborhood filled with many interesting shops. (Ah, but I am NOT succumbing to shopping due to weight constraints!)

Wednesday morning I went first to the Martin Gropius-Bau, which used to house a German arts and crafts museum. ALAS, I did not read the description carefully to see that it is NOW an exhibition hall! So I opted to skip any of the three photography exhibitions there and went next door to the (free) Topographie of Terrors, a photographic show where the visitor comes “face to face with the dark Nazi past of this area”.  Next stop was the (free for the day) Märkisches Museum, the Berlin City Museum, which Babs had recommended. It too was interesting, but all in German….The weather threatened rain, but I decided I needed-and wanted- to walk the famed Unter den Linden, which was especially prominent in Eric Larsen’s book The Garden of Beasts. Many American diplomats felt it was the only safe place to talk among themselves away from the Nazis’. Marlene Dietrich sang, “As long as the lime trees still blossom in Unter den Linen, Berlin will always be Berlin.” It stretches from the German Historical Museum to the Brandenburg Tower, where I started my Berlin visit and met Elisabeth for lunch.  This was a fitting place to end my visit!

I met Annette at a Greek restaurant in her neighborhood we had passed the night before. It reminded me much of an authentic taverna, even if we did eat inside! I stretched my “eating comfort zone” by ordering stuffed calamari….Previously I had only eaten fried calamari, so you can imagine my surprise when my dish arrived, and the calamari was an 8” piece of tentacle-the pointed end-stuffed with rice and seafood! The stuffing was tasty, but the calamari was literally tough to chew.  (My Greek friend Helen said it can be tough if it has not been frozen.) It was accompanied by bread and a tasty salad….

Thursday morning I was up early to finish packing and leave when Annette left for work. Thank you again, Annette, for a wonderful stay in your flat. You are another excellent Couch Surfing representative! (She had commented several times that if I could have been there on the weekend, she would have been able to show me around.) That gave me plenty of time to get my ticket for Granville and explore the HUGE and modern Hauptbahnhof (HPT or train station). And I was off…my 45 minute stop stretched to 2 hours and 45 minutes, as I missed the train! That was a most annoying first! I was on the platform, but I did not realize that there were TWO places on the platform, where a train could stop. By the time I figured it out, the train was just leaving; I could not run fast enough to catch it! Luckily the woman in the office let me get on the next train for free; usually there is a charge. This gave me time to visit the huge and well-known Cologne Duomo right in the same square. My seat mate on the train to Paris was a young Spanish engineer, who had lived and worked in Chicago for a year, but family pulls called her back to Europe. We had a nice visit; she is buying an apartment in Aachen (spelling!), and I told her about www.couchsurfing.org  She said I could stay at her place….

I stayed at a basic hotel very near Gare du Nord; I had selected it, as I wanted to be able to walk to where I was staying. Even though I plotted it on my Blackberry via google maps, I had to ask two women (with a cat on a leash on the table) to point me in the right direction.  10 minutes later I was there going up the vintage, but functional elevator. (When I had walked in en route to Berlin, the sign had said €60, but clerk said it would be €66, but sing now said €70. I paid €66.)

Matisse Sculpture

From top of the Pompidou Centre

I really only had one full day in Paris, which gave me time to get re-acclimated to the Metro system. I visited the wonderful Georges Pompidou Centre for my first time. There was a very interesting exhibit on India which included paintings, exhibits, and photos. There is a covered external escalator, which I took to the top for the view of the ever-charming city. I especially loved seeing the Matisse paintings, as there had been a wonderful Matisse exhibit when I was “cat sitting” for Snagglepuss. I ended this stop with a glass of white  wine, served with bowls of green olives and almonds, as I continued to love the view! Then it was an easy Metro ride back to the hotel. I changed into my flip-flops and walked around the area to find a place to eat. So I picked  “Frenchys” Bar across the street, and ordered a big salad with shrimp (small canned) and crabmeat strips (as anticipated) and tons of avocado and fresh tomato.

I was up early Saturday morning to allow ample time to get to Montparnasse train station. (You KNOW I am not missing another train, too!) Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door had suggested that using buses is often easier especially when one is maneuvering luggage. This is especially true in the Paris Metro system, as many stations have no elevators or escalators. A helpful young woman helped me get to  correct station, as the bus which the hotel clerk had directed me required a change. I had time to print out my train tickets for my trip to Metz to see Renee and Marcel in early October. The signs at the train station said to get to the platform 20 minutes early. However, that is usually when they post the location.  The train to Granville was leaving from Gate 26 which was a very good walk away…but I had plenty of time!:))

View from balcony at St. Pair sur Mer

Nicole and Jacques were at the station to meet me. It was wonderful to see them again! Nicole was the first Weston-Rombas exchange student in 1955; I did not know her then, but we met three years ago when she kindly invited me to stay with them in Caen. I am now here in Saint Pair sur Mer until next Thursday.  Their wonderful house here,  overlooking the sea, was Jacques’ parents; now Nicole and Jacques and their three daughters and and families all enjoy it. They settled me in and gave me lunch. Then Nicole drove me into Granville to see the town and where I can buy a boat ticket to go to Jersey, as it is an easy day trip from here. We also stopped at the TI, Tourist Information, where I gathered more information. There is a Christian Dior Museum in Granville, where he lived as a child, which I will visit. They have returned to their home in Caen to regroup as they have just returned from a visit with friends in Tuscany.

Today-Sunday- will be a quiet day in town. I’m enjoying the wonderful view and listening to a radio station that varies from English to French and opera to pop American music. I’ll walk in to see if I can buy a ticket to go to Jersey next week and if the internet café is open, I will post this very lengthy post. Google maps say it is 5.7 km…we’ll see!