Berlin, pt. 1: Ich bin eine Berlinerin!

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin--the new US Embassy is right next to it

Victory Tower, Berlin--we departed the city just in advance of Obama's arrival

Thought I'd share some photos from Berlin. Mike and I drove up with one of his German colleagues, Tom. Although I lived in Germany for three years, that was before Reunification and so I had never driven through the Eastern part of the country. I found the state of Thuringen to be especially pretty.

We arrived Tuesday afternoon and checked into the Hotel Mercure in Siemensstaadt. The engineering and sales reps from Siemens had arranged a windshield tour of the city for us followed by dinner at a great place called Haus der 100 Biere (House of 100 Beers) in Charlottenburg, where we had traditional hearty German fare. They were a really nice, funny bunch of guys. It was also fascinating to hear the two Toms, who are originally from the DDR (East Germany) talk about Reunification. They were both in their early 20s when the Wall fell and said they were able to reap the full benefits of Reunification. Both, however, said their parents, who were born in the 1940s and had known only the DDR, struggled after Reunification. They had trouble finding jobs, the pension conversion did not work well for them, and other issues. That is the flip side of Reunification. Still, for our generation and those of the future, it is a good thing.

We arrived and departed just ahead of Barack Obama's visit to Berlin. While I do believe it's important for world leaders to meet, I think individual connections may matter most. Every time we get a chance to work together and share a good meal, a beer and a laugh, it solidifies relationships and peace, one person at a time. That is the path to lasting and enduring peace. Our international frienships in the blogosphere do the same thing.

The next morning, after Mike and Tom headed to Siemens, I jumped on the U-Bahn and explored Berlin by foot. I will share the photos later.

East meets West: Mike and Tom at the East Side Gallery, a former section of the Berlin Wall. Mike and Tom are the same age. Tom was born, raised and educated in the former East Germany. At age 24, the Wall fell and Tom and his wife moved to the Western part of Germany.

Our parents went to Berlin and all they got us were two East German Army hats! Here we are modeling the souvenirs we bought for the kids at Checkpoint Charlie. Our two friends from East Germany helped us find the authentic style from the different choices. The other Tom, pictured to the left of Mike below, was serving in the East German army when the Wall fell.

The best kind of international relatiohns: Dinner at Haus der 100 Biere, Charlottenburg, Berlin

Bad Hersfeld, pt. 1: Stiftsruine/Festspiele

Stiftsruine, Bad Herfeld

Carolingian bell tower, Bad Hersfeld

Inside the Stiftsruine (Internet photos)

Before we depart for Berlin this afternoon, I thought I'd share a few photos of Bad Hersfeld, the village where we are staying. Bad Hersfeld is famous for two main things. First, its Kurpark, or Spa Park, where people come for spa and recuperative treatments from the town's mineral springs. I will show you some photos of the Kurpark later. The town is also renowned for its annual Festspiele, or arts festival, which takes place in the town's Stiftsruine, or abbey ruins. The Stiftsruine is just a couple blocks from our hotel on the Kurpark, and we walk by it each day on our way to dinner or shopping.

The abbey ruins date back to the late 700s, when the Benedictine monk Saint Lullus began its construction. The abbey went through further construction over the next few hundred years, with the Carolingian bell tower built around. The bell is believed to be the oldest bell in Germany. Martin Luther gave a sermon in the church following the Diet of Worms in 1521.
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The Festspiele is one of the most famous theater festivals in Germany and dates to the 1950s. From what I can gather from reading and talking to people here in the village, this summer outdoor theater season draws not only top European talent, but audiences from all over Germany. This year's festival features three shows that rotate during the week: Jeckyll & Hyde, Romeo & Juliet, and the Maiden of Orleans. This year's performances are all in German; however, they occasionally they perform in English and other languages.
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In the evenings as Mike and I walk to and from dinner in the village center, we can see the audiences arriving for the show. There is a large canopy that is erected over the top of the abbey ruins, to shelter the audience from rain. I am told, however, that the actors perform en plein air, and if it rains (which it does nearly every day here), they perform in the elements. As we walk past, we can hear the orchestra warming up, the artists running scales, and the colored lights of the set beaming through the ancient ruins.
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So y'all know I just have to go and see this for myself! Mike is on deadline with a homework assignment, but I decided to go anyway. Yesterday I stopped at the box office and purchased a ticket for Thursday night's performance, our last night in Bad Hersfeld. I'll sit there and try to follow the story of Jeckyll & Hyde in German, probably not understanding 95% of what they're saying. But I guess it will be like Italian opera...if you know the basic storyline, you really don't have to understand all the words.

I love this guy's name: Lingg von Linggenfeld. But he was no Ding-a-Lingg! He was a Baden lieutenant colonel who helped save the town from destruction by Napoleon's troops in 1807.

Lute player on Sunday afternoon...for a Euro he played beautiful Bach

Ratskeller and fountain near the old town hall and large town church

Fulda

Orangerie, as viewed from the Schlossgarten (Palace Garden)

Last Saturday, Mike and I took a drive to the nearby city of Fulda, which is known for its Baroque architecture. I am not normally a big fan of Baroque style, but we found Fulda's Baroque Quarter to be absolutely beautiful. It was a wonderful day, moving at our own pace. I thought I'd share some photos.
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We are heading for a quick overnight trip to Berlin tomorrow. Mike has a half-day business meeting and we will try to squeeze in some sightseeing. I expect we'll mostly stay around the Tiergarten.

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Tonight we are going to try out the Salzgrotte in the hotel. That should be an experience. It's basically a cave under the hotel where you sit and breathe in all the mineral-infused air....it is supposed to have curative and restorative powers.

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Tschuss!

Fulda Cathedral, built in 1712

On the steps of the Stadtschloss (City Palace) with the Orangerie in the background

Detail on the roof of the Orangerie



Standing on the steps of the Orangerie with the Stadtschloss in the background

Stadtschloss, Fulda
Fuschia tree in the courtyard of the Stadtschloss


Bacci ball in the Schlossgarten


Street in the Baroque Quarter

We ate lunch at this restaurant...believe it or not, Cuban food!

Public art in the Schlossgarten
Mike took a nap on one of the park benches while I served as pillow and people-watcher

St. Michael's Church, built ca. 800
Old wall next to St. Michael's

Old religious monument, Fulda

More photos...

Frankfurt Opera House

Kleber statue, Strasbourg

Pretzel stand, Riquewihr, France...another dog!

Ribeauville, France

Street scene in Riquewihr, France

In Ribeauville, France..

Another gorgeous French dog! At a Bastille day celebration

Mike and I in Frankfurt on a bridge over the Main River (you can barely make out the cathedral in the dark behind us)

Strasbourg cathedral

Houses in Strasbourg

These are in no particular order...I haven't taken a photo in 3 days...these are from earlier this week. Enjoy!

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Alsace

Bastille Day in Strasbourg, France

Greetings from Germany! I am in the spa town of Bad Hersfeld, about 75 miles northeast of Frankfurt. Mike is working here and I am finally taking a day just to check e-mail, download photos, and push some consulting work along. We are staying at a hotel right on the Kurpark.

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We arrived in Frankfurt on Saturday morning and spent Saturday night at the home of our friends, Pat & Elaine. Sunday, we drove into Alsace, France and spent the day in Strasbourg. I was last in Strasbourg on a school field trip many years ago. One of my most vivid memories of Strasbourg is climbing the narrow, steep, winding stepsinside the cathedral up to the lookout platform over the city. I just had to show Mike!

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Construction started on the cathedral in 1015 and continued for 400 years. It was the world's tallest building from 1647 until 1874. Victor Hugo described it as, "A gigantic and delicate marvel." Indeed!

Mike & I in front of la Cathèdrale de Notre Dame de Strasbourg

Rooftops of Strasbourg

Mike fondles a knocker ☺

Alsace is a fascinating part of France that has a heavy German influence. In fact, the region has exchanged hands between France and Germany many times over the centuries following various wars. Most people speak French and German. In Strasbourg ville, many speak English. Alsace is bordered by the Rhine River on the east and the beautiful Vosges Mountains on the west. Vineyards cover the hillsides.

The stork is the symbol of Alsace an can be found just about everywhere!

Mike and Pat drove back to Germany on Sunday, but Elaine and I stayed until Tuesday morning. We stayed at a fantastic B&B (I will share photos of the awesome interior another time) and made a drive through the Rue du Vin. We visited a vineyard and stopped in the wonderful towns of Ribeauville, Riquewihr and Hunawihr, at the feet of the Vosges. Small castles dot the mountains. Between my French and Elaine's German, and enough folks who spoke great English, we were pretty well covered for communication. At the small vineyard, which is a wine cooperative, they spoke no English, but spoke both French & German, and we were able to get a personal grand tour and understood just about all of it.

w/ Redux the Schnauzer in a pottery shop in the La Petite France section of Strasbourg: J'adore how the French and Germans bring their dogs everywhere Vineyards & the Vosges (note the fortress on the mountains)

At the fortified church in Hunawihr. The church was founded in the 9th century.

Riquewhir, a medieval walled village filled with cafes and shops

We returned at dinner time to spend the evening back in Strasbourg on Bastille Day and enjoyed a military band and caught a glimpse of the fireworks from our hotel window. It was a great time!

I will check in again soon!

More vacation photos

Aaron & Annie"hanging out" in Williamsburg

Before a show at the Kennedy Center

Lincoln Memorial

Caught by J. Edgar Hoover at the Newseum

Street urchin in D.C.

Aaron at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Wall

Fireworks and Fine Masterpieces...

National Fireworks: Washington, D.C. (Photo by Randee)

Wanted to check in from the road...We had a wonderful time celebrating the Fourth of July in D.C. The party we attended at our friend Vonda's firm was awesome...we could practically reach out and touch the White House from the big terrace, overlooking the Mall. To top it off, they had a combo playing live music and it was fully catered. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are so grateful to Vonda and Kevin for inviting us and for hosting our noisy brood for the week.

At the 4th of July party

Kids on the terrace with our friend Randee and his son Sebastian.

Vonda and Kevin watch the fireworks (Photo by Randee)
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We're also thankful to our friends Doug and Faye for a wonderful lunch in the private staff dining room at the National Gallery of Art. I see Doug now and then in the course of my work, but hadn't seen Faye in years. It was such a treat to hear about her exciting job at the museum.

I was a happy camper, especially in the Impressionist collection. However, the traveling Afghanistan exhibit was simply amazing. Amazing! Museum curators in Kabul risked their lives to hide precious artifacts from the Taliban. Now these Silk Road treasures are traveling the country for two years. If it comes to your city, you must see it!

With long-time friends Doug & Faye at the National Gallery of Art

Happy as a lark with Mary Cassatt and my peeps

Annie and her Daddy chillin' amongst the masterpieces

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I have NO idea what they're doing here! I think Annie may be cutting his ear off a la Van Gogh!

I've taken about 500 photos between DC and Williamsburg. Don't worry...I won't bore you with all of them! But I will share highlights over the coming weeks. Tomorrow we visit Monticello on our way back up to DC and then we fly out on Wednesday for the next leg of the journey.

I sign off this week feeling very blessed to have such kind, generous and FUN friends in my life. I am also very thankful to be able to have experienced so many fascinating things with my children this past week. Amid the crowds and despite the sore feet from miles of walking, I watched their perspectives broaden right before my eyes. It just doesn't get much better than that.

National Portrait Gallery