MEHR BERLIN UND ZURÜCK

1st - 3rd Apr 2024

Berliner Fernsehturm (Television Mast)

On the morning of the second day in Berlin we were herded onto a bus with a local guide (Peter) who was armed with a microphone and taken on a long trip around town. He, like the other guides, was very knowledgeable and talked a lot. Too much in fact. The trouble with these bus tours is that before you have had time to take in one 'sight' you were on your way to the next. One becomes somewhat disorientated. I try to combine this, including some hastily taken photos through the bus window, with other places I later visited solo on foot.

Off down Under Den Linden again, At the western end, just before the Tiergarten, is the famous Brandenburg Gate (left). This was just inside what was East Berlin. The 'Quadriga' on top (a chariot with 'Victoria, Goddess of Victory', towed by four horses and faces east) was originally built in 1791. Napoleon nicked it when he invaded the city, but it was eventually recovered to Berlin, then badly damaged in WW2 and subsequently repaired. 

Right: Just to the north side of it is the Reichstag which houses the Bundestag, the German Parliament. The modernistic glass dome on top was designed by the British architect Norman Foster and is illuminated at night. You can visit by appointment, but we didn't.

Left: We passed the Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German President, Herr Steinmeier, we were told. No, I had never heard of him before either. He must have a lot of spare bedrooms?

Then, in the Tiergarten, the Victory Monument featuring Victoria again. Known colloquially as 'The Chick on a Stick'.

The bus tour continued around the city and we passed several other 'important' buildings and sights but I became completely lost and failed to get many photos through the bus window.

Interestingly, parts of the old Berlin Wall have been left standing as they prove popular with tourists. Indeed several parts have been reconstructed with this in mind. Some have attracted elaborate and colourful graffiti. I'm not sure what was original. Left: This bit features the iconic 'kiss' between Brezhnev and Eric Honecker in 1979.

Right: A close up of 'the kiss'. It was painted from a photo taken at the time. I suspect many jocular and irreverent comments were made about this.

Left: Another bit of artistic graffiti on the Wall. This is on Mühlenstrasse.

Back to the hotel and I spent part of the rest of that day and much of the next wandering around the city. Most of the shops were still closed due to Easter. That evening we were taken for another 'communal' supper at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant called 'Phở Bò' (it translates as 'beef noodle soup'). Right: The food was decent and properly Vietnamese plus more scintillating conversation.

I mentioned in the previous 'blog' my dangerous bedside light fixture. I've found the photo I took of it. The bloodstains have been removed. Forewarned is forearmed!

The weather had turned wet and drizzly. I took the Metro to a recommended and famous 'beer garden', the Prater Biergarten, to the north of the centre. It has an interesting history and is/was a notorious venue for political and artistic 'gatherings'. When I eventually found it, it was surrounded by building work and 'gerschlossen'! It was still drizzling so wouldn't have been much fun anyway. Right: Not my photo! The biergarten when open.

Left: Further wanderings took me to a museum with a roof terrace overlooking another reconstructed part of the Wall (looking into the East sector). It shows the original layout of the inner and outer (main) walls with a guard tower overlooking the 'death zone' in between. As mentioned, there are several bits of this wall still standing for the benefit of tourists. As with all the other countries once under the thumb of the communist Soviets, there are several museums dedicated to this period. They are very popular!.......with quite interesting descriptions of attempts, some successful some fatal, by East Berliners trying to get across, or tunnel underneath.

Right: Checkpoint Charlie. This was a US controlled entry point, on Friedrichstrasse, into the East which could be used by military and diplomatic personnel. I think I mentioned going to the Opera in the East in the previous blog. It is now a tourist attraction with yet more museums and souvenir shops nearby.

I couldn't resist buying this tiny 'original' piece of Wall. What interested me was the graffiti displayed on the photo behind it. Why on earth was Geoff Boycott's name scrawled on the wall?! (for foreigners reading this, Geoff Boycott was, he's still alive I think, a well known English cricketer from Yorkshire). There is still a booming trade in souvenir shops for these bits of 'original wall'. I expect they make them around the back.

Nearby Checkpoint Charlie I came across a novel tourist attraction. It involved self-drive convoys in old Trabant cars! These cars were made in East Germany and somewhat basic, to say the least. They were nicknamed 'a sparking plug with a roof'. In those days there was a waiting list on average of about 13 years, sometimes 18 years, between ordering and getting one. They have now become something of a collectors' item.

Anyway, here you are given a 'trabby' equipped with headphones for directions and instructions and join a convoy of eight others, presumably with a guide leader, for a 2 hour (or 4 hour) drive around the city. It sounds fun, if rather expensive (80 Euros for the 2 hour drive). Fortunately I arrived after they had finished for the day.

Left: A line-up of 'trabbies' waiting for customers.

Right: Just to get you familiar there is a 'high-tech' simulator to let you practice changing gear (I think they only have three, two forward and one reverse).

Left: I was wondering if it was for sale. I would cut a dash driving one of these around in my home town.

I paid a visit to the Fernsehturm (Television Tower) because I cannot resist 'going up things'. See photo of this tower at the top. It is 1,207ft to the tip of the mast and with a viewing gallery, café and restaurant at 608ft. It is located close to Alexanderplatz and a visible landmark from just about everywhere around the city which is a useful navigational aid. It is not cheap (25 Euros) to get the lift up to the viewing gallery. I took several photos and this (right) is one looking west to the Brandenburg Gate and Tierpark.

No visit, for me, to any city would be complete without finding an 'Oirish Bear'. My 'Google' told me that there are 12 Irish Bars in Berlin. I went to the nearest, which happened to be Murphy's Irish Pub in Zimmerstrasse near Checkpoint Charlie (left). Yes, I managed to drink a pint of Guinness.

On my way back to the hotel I went through an underpass where I nearly stumbled over this. He (or she) was obviously relaxing after a  spot of light refreshment.

I'm sure I have missed a few other places of interest and will add on later if I remember them. However, that will have to do from Stadt Berlin.

We all assembled under the orders of our fuhrer the next morning for the bus to the Hauptbahnhof and train home. It, the train, was delayed. We then routed through Hannover and Bielefeld to connect with another at Cologne. This also was delayed and as such we missed the planned Eurostar connection in Brussels. I was told that the German rail system (Deutsche Bahn) is now even more unreliable than the British railways. That takes some doing! John, the tour manager, somehow got us booked onto a later departure. Also, one of our group, a silly old bat, got lost in the station at Brussels which caused a bit of a drama. 

As such, the Eurostar train arrived 2 hours later than planned at St Pancras (London) at 10.30pm which meant a problem for me as I had now missed the last train home. OK, at extravagant cost I found a nearby dosshouse to spend the night. 

So that was it, my 'escorted' tour via Nuremberg, Vienna, Prague and Berlin. I have to admit it was very efficiently organised and we were 'well escorted' and no complaints. However I think, on balance, I rather prefer the chaos and uncertainty of travelling solo.

I nearly forgot. A photo taken of our 'group' at Berlin Hbf.  I have my own nicknames for most of them.....but not diplomatic to publish those here!

 

VORRÜCKEN ZU BERLIN (PART 1)

31st Mar 2024

Looking west down 'Unter Den Linden'. Berlin Cathedral on right. Brandenburg Gate at far end before the Tiergarten. Photo taken from the viewing gallery on the Fernsenturm (Radio Tower).

 

Left: The impressive entry hall to Prague main railway station.

We all gathered here before the ongoing train trip to Berlin. Right: a selection of the assembled rabble on the platform.

The statue on the left is quite interesting.....

Left: It is of (Sir) Nicholas Winton who rescued hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi occupation in Prague in 1939 and somehow got them to Britain, on the same lines as Oskar Schindler presumably. I think a recent film has been made of his exploits. 

The 10.28am ICE train left on time and I had a comfortable seat to myself. We had been told to look out for the 'impressive scenery' on approaching Dresden. Maybe it was impressive but sadly I missed it because I had gone to sleep.

On arrival at Berlin Hbf we were taken by bus to our hotel, the Park Inn on Alexanderplatz. It is a very smart and comfortable hotel (with a couple of 'provisos'). Alexanderplatz was, until 1989, in Soviet East Berlin.

I last visited Berlin in 1987, before the wall came down. In those days there were the British, French and US 'sectors' in West Berlin and across the 'Wall' the dour Soviet part in the East which was only memorable for its Opera House and a couple of restaurants (exclusive for Western visitors). As a military person you could visit these provided you had 'clearance' and wore smart 'dress' uniform. Access to the East was gained via Checkpoint Charlie (more about that later). The British sector was rather fun I seem to remember, with good military accommodation, a smart Officers' Club, plenty of excellent bars and restaurants plus some rather 'raunchy' nightclubs. I think each 'sector' tried to outdo the others. It has now changed out of all recognition and is all one modern city with smart shops, department stores, restaurants and many museums and galleries. 

After settling in we were taken on a walking tour by our 'fuhrer' John down the wide historic street 'Unter Den Linden'. Right: Close to Alexanderplatz is the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall).

Then on down the street passing the domed Berlin Cathedral (left), which was only completed in 1905 (c/o Emperor Wilhelm 11) following the rebuilding of a previous more modest church. It was to be Berlin's answer to Saint Peter's in Rome. It was then badly damaged in WW2 and only fully restored in 1975....in a 'simplified' form, I read. The building on the left is the Altes museum. We didn't go into either.

At some point we crossed over the River Spree which runs through the city. There are popular river cruises on this (right).

Next, on the south side, is what was once the Royal Palace. It too was badly bomb damaged in WW2 (all of this area was East Berlin). It was reconstructed and is now the Humboldt Forum (left). It used to have a big dome on top before reconstruction. The Humboldt brothers, Wilhelm and Alexander, were admired 19th century polymaths ie. academics, diplomats, philosophers, authors, scientists, explorers, diplomats, ballroom dancers and any other title you could bestow on them. It is now a museum of art and culture.

Right: Next door is a prestigious Humboldt University building (Technical Uni?). On the floor of the square in front is a window which you can look down through onto empty bookcases. 

Left: The transparent 'paving stone' and the 'Empty Library'. This represents an empty library after the ceremonial 'burning of books' by the Nazis in the 1930s. What books? Not Harry Potter or Enid Blyton I presume?

Right: Opposite is another grand University building. I think this is the main Humboldt one (I had become confused). Apparently many famous people like Karl Marx, Friedrich Engles and Albert Einstein studied and probably drank heavily here.

We passed by the Russian embassy which was heavily guarded due to possible aggro following the Ukraine invasion. 

Left: Nearby in a small park is a statue of Marx and Engels. A once popular commie comedy double act. Not a patch on Morecambe and Wise.

Right: Somewhere en route is this statue of Frederick the Great (Alte Fritz to the locals). Military hero 1740 - 1786. He is riding Conde, his favourite horse. Grand National winner 1787.

Left: .....and this elegant building, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is.

Ahaa! Just been informed by the ever vigilant OMPITA research dept. that this is the Berlin State Opera House. 

It was apparent that due to being Easter Weekend nearly all the shops, especially supermarkets, were closed. Irritating, as I wanted to buy some 'supplies' to avoid paying extortionate bar prices at the hotel.

Then back to the Hotel on Alexanderplatz by Metro (not free as in Prague!) in time for supper; another 'semi-communal' one as we sat at small tables with 'random' others in our group......hmmmm😟.

PS. As I discovered later that night (or early morning) when I woke up wanting to go for a pee, the bedroom was dangerous. There was a long sharp metal support holding the bedside light hanging over the edge of the bed. In the dark, as is regrettably common in hotels, it was difficult to find the light switch (Why can't they illuminate them, as I've mentioned before?). While thrashing around trying to find it I stuck my head up and received a severe and painful blow to the head from the metal light support. Dazed, but not too much blood fortunately.

That's enough for one day.....onwards around town tomorrow.

PRAGUE - CITY OF A HUNDRED SPIRES

 29th - 30th Mar 2024

A rather misty view looking south over Prague from the Castle

After another detailed 'briefing' session by our 'fuhrer' it was onwards at 9.10am from Vienna to Prague by another comfortable (if slightly delayed) ICE train. We arrived at Prague Central Station (left) at 1.10pm.

Right: Our guide, Radish, I think he was called, (the man in front), who met us on our arrival at the station. We were taken straight off on an introductory walk around the Old Town. Radish, as with our previous guide, was not short for words and with a strong 'Czech' accent. I suspect I missed much of his plentiful and knowledgeable detail.

Left: Václavské Náměsti, or Wenceslas Square as we know it, in the city centre. The National Museum is at the top behind the statue of St.Wenceslas. 'King' or 'Saint' Wenceslaus was a Bohemian Duke assassinated by his brother in the mid 10th century and is the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic. Lots of fables surround his life. I'm sure he was a good chap.

This Square has been a famous venue for various demos and riots; notably during the Prague Spring in 1968 when, after violent demos in favour of repealing many of the restrictive Communist dictats (c/o Alexander Dubčhek), the Soviet tanks rolled in to restore the Commie order. Then, in 1989, the Velvet Revolution (c/o Václav Havel) which resulted in the end of the Communist one-party state and a bit of democratic freedom. 

It was Easter weekend and the Czechs take Easter quite seriously. Elaborately decorated eggs form a big part of this signifying 'the start of life'. Right: A stall displaying lots of decorated eggs.

Another quaint Czech Easter tradition is the 'Easter whip', when young girls are splashed with water and  'lightly' whipped with willow branches as a symbol of health and fertility. Rather fun I would have thought. Perhaps it will catch on here?

Left: The old Town Hall. It has a weird 'astronomical clock' on the wall of the tower. It is the source of considerable interest to tourists.

Right: The elaborate clock. I could not make head nor tail of how it told the time. There were several interacting dials with sun and moon symbols and various little articulated statuettes surrounding it. I think something came out of the door on the left on occasions. On the hour (when I was present) there was a little skeleton statuette (top right of clock) which rang a bell and then the clock chimed many times. I was none the wiser.

Left: There were massive crowds around the square in front to watch the clock 'perform'. Indeed, over this Easter weekend the city, especially the Old Town area, was packed with tourists.

Right: The Old Town Square with the twin towers of the Church of our Lady in the background.

Left: A rather elegant form of tourist transport. Is it a Škoda? I have a Škoda (Fabia). A fine car. They originated in Czechoslovakia.

Right: ......as well as the ubiquitous 'horses and cabbages'. (see Vienna).

Left: The very jolly market in the Old Town Square.

Below: There was also a very jolly band, plus singer, performing here. 

The main streets leading north to the wide River Vltava (Moldau in German) were full of very upmarket and expensive shops (Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc.) and even one, I suspect Jewish owned, called Yves Salomon. Just before one of the bridges is this building (right). It was the Nazi SS HQ during WW2. It is now the Office for Trade or similar.

Back to our hotel in the north of the city, called the Vienna House  by Wyndham Diplomat Prague (for short). It was very comfortable; much more so than I am used to and close to a Metro underground station. Interestingly and conveniently, use of all public transport, Metro, trams and buses, for those 'over a certain age', is totally free! I doubt that idea will catch on in UK. The Metro system is very efficient and simple to use.

That evening we had another 'communal' supper in the hotel. I'm afraid that I found what conversation I managed with my fellow 'tourers' somewhat limited and boring. We didn't seem to have much of interest in common. I'm sure they found me equally tedious. Hey Ho, but these meals are included in the price of the trip!

The next morning we set off on a conducted tour of Prague Castle on a hill to the north of the river (left). Apparently this castle complex is the largest ancient castle (complex) in the world and contains several compounds including the residence and workplace of the President amongst other 'grand'  official buildings. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept hidden away somewhere in here. The original build was in the 9th century and became the seat of power for kings of Bohemia.

I'm afraid I got a bit muddled by our guide Radish's comprehensive commentary so not quite sure which bit was what. Right: The entrance.

Left: The forecourt inside the entrance.

Right: Another entrance to something or other.

Left: There were military guards, armed to the teeth, at various points. They were taking no chances with dangerous tour groups such as our bunch of vicious  geriatric militants!

Right: I believe this building is used for State Visits and entertaining and accommodating important guests (not us) who come for conferences etc.

Left: There were two smart guards outside. Having said that I couldn't help but notice that their trousers needed ironing and their boots a bit more polish.

Right: I think this is the Presidential Residence.

Left: The tallest and most impressive building is the Saint Vitus Cathedral (he of St Vitus Dance fame). The original version was built in 930 AD, but enlarged and modified over successive centuries. There was a long queue to get inside.

As with so many of these old religious buildings it is very ornate and expensively decorated. It still holds services and has a vast organ plus several impressive stained glass windows  There are several 'tombs' inside, of whom I can't remember (Kings and Saints). I think the bones of Saint/King Wenceslas are in here somewhere.

Right: This amazing construction covers the tomb of someone or other. It is made of solid silver. No expense spared!

Left: Looking down part of the length of the nave.

We were shown around several other buildings including a vast banqueting and reception area into which, originally, diners and guests could bring in their horses. Haynets 'a la carte' no doubt.

There is also a small room high up in one building which was famous for 'defenestrations'. These occurred on several occasions, notably in 1618, and usually involved Protestants pushing Catholics out of the window to their death. Or it might have been the other way round. They were the cause of much conflict. Look up 'Defenestration of Prague' if you are interested.

There is a line of 'original' shops and eateries built into one of the outside castle walls. Right: This is an example of a medieval McDonalds. It looks similar to my old army Mess dining-room.

Following the castle tour I walked down to the river and, specifically, to the famous 14th century Charles Bridge (Karlův Most). It was the only crossing of the River Vltava from the castle to the city until 1841. There are now several bridges.

Left: It was packed with tourists and very slow going to get across. 

There were stalls along the sides selling jewellery and souvenirs and, curiously, several doing caricature portraits (and good ordinary ones) of willing sitters. Baroque statues such as these (right) stood on the side walls.

Left: There was at least one band playing.

Right: A view north-east up the river. Tour boats are popular.

Back in the Old Town we were taken by our 'leader' on a short tour of the 'Jewish' sector of the city, or at least what was the Jewish sector. It featured several somewhat uninspiring synagogues (some still in use) and stories about how the Jews were segregated and treated rather badly.

Left: This statue, outside a synagogue, is of Franz Kafka, a famous German speaking Prague Bohemian/Jewish writer of very surreal and bizarre stories. The expression 'Kafkaesque' implies 'odd and nightmarish'. He died in 1924.

I paid a visit to the Museum of Communism. It seems that all these once 'Soviet' dominated countries make a big play of demonstrating, in museums, their transformation from restrictive and sometimes brutal communism to the present day capitalist democracy. Right:  It was on two floors and showed the transformation from the Prague Spring in 1968 to 'liberation' in 1989 with all the stories concerning those involved (from Alexander Dubček era to Václav Havel).

Left: There is a photo displayed here of the participants in the somewhat disastrous Munich Agreement in 1938, which allowed Germany to annex part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland. 

Lt to Rt: Chamberlain (UK), Daladier (France), Hitler (Germany), Mussolini and Caino (Italy). It seems the Czechs were not consulted.

Right: I spent an interesting hour or two in the Slivovitz Museum (near the western end of the Charles Bridge). It was a very 'high-tech' and impressive demo of how the plum based and powerful spirit Slivovitz was founded (in Czechoslovakia) and made. In one of the rooms (and I was the only visitor at the time) I was given  'virtual reality' goggles to experience the life of a plum from tree, via processing, to being bottled and labelled. It was rather disorientating!

On getting back to the reception area I was treated to three 'shots' of Slivovitz with accompanying savoury snacks. One was 'normal' Slivovitz, one honey flavoured and one made in Chile. Delicious!

Again, as in Vienna (and Poland and Portugal) there were several shops selling cannabis in various forms. I was/am not tempted to try it. I might like it and I have enough vices already, thank you.

My travels would not be complete without finding and sampling an 'Oirish Bear'. There were probably several but this one, Caffrey's (left) somewhere in the Old Town, was a most hospitable place.

I also called in at a prestigious Czech beer establishment called 'Pilsner Urquell' (right) which is part beer museum and part bar. I had hoped to meet a friend of a friend who works here, but he was away that day. I did spend a bit of time in the bar. The beer in this city is, compared to most other countries, cheap. The equivalent of a pint can be less than £3.00. That is about half the price of a pint in UK ( or one third of the price in London!). Apparently Prague is getting a bit of a reputation for 'lad's drunken holidays' as a result. No doubt the Brits are heavily involved.

I'm sure I have missed out on other sights and places of interest, but that will do from Prague. It really is a most attractive and pleasant city, or at least the bits I saw were.

Tomorrow ( 31st, Easter Sunday, and I must remember to put my clocks forward) we are off to Berlin..........Stand-by for more from there. Achtung!