After the river tour, we saw some buildings from the boat down the street from our hotel, so once back on the street, we went for a wee walk to check it out as the skies were clearing up. On our way, there was a bit of a street market, kind of like a farmer’s market in Canada, but it was people selling used things or repurposed things – I got caught up looking at things that I neglected to photograph it.
We walked by the Bode-Museum where they were displaying ‘Timeless Ukrainian Art’ – we opted to not go in, but marvelled at the architecture of the building. This building was built from 1898 to 1904.
From where I was standing to take this picture, this was the view behind me … (below) … I could not find any other information about this odd sculpture other than what is captioned in the photo, shown below.
bronze, partly painted – 2014
The cobblestone streets I find so interesting … and notice, no potholes like at home in Canada … do these kind of streets ever get things like potholes? Anyway, below is a photo of a cobblestone street and there are a good many of them in Germany.
We then started strolling back toward our hotel and decided to go find a little patio where we can enjoy some cappuccinos. One thing we noticed is that a good many stores are closed on Sundays here – like they used to be in Canada until 1985 when the Lord’s Day Act was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada, making it okay for stores to open and sell things to people on Sundays.
We found a little coffee/ice cream shop beside Friedrichstrasse Station … what a beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon …
When you walk back under this bridge (above) and as you come out to the other side of the building to your left … is the other side of Friedrichstrasse Station (below) … which was also the meeting place for when we met the tour group to go to Sachsenhausen.
Inside the doors, which are underneath the clock, there is shopping inside along with different platforms for trains. We visited a little grocery store in here a few times, which was so convenient as it’s not even a 5-minute walk from the Meliã Hotel. Where you see the red umbrella on the far left, just on the other side of it they sell curry-wurst which looks like curried bratwurst – it seems the be the popular thing here but we never did try it.
I am going to miss this place … I will even miss the sounds of nightlife from across the river. (below) The chatter and laughter that carried across the water from these restaurants and their patios reminded me so much of being at my grandparents’ place as a girl. Our parents put us to bed with all our cousins and we would listen to the adults talk and laugh into all hours of the night – and we could hear everything because of how the sound carries out at night and it was the same here, but even more-so when there is water. I have great memories of my grandparents’ place – it was a place where love dwelt – and in the distance you could hear the trains, just like you do in Berlin. Hearing the chatter and laughter at night in Berlin reminded me of that and I found it calming, relaxing. I wonder if part of that wasn’t why I slept so well here.
I find I reminisce so much more as I get older. The world is changing so much and I miss how it used to be.
Well, tomorrow is departure day – back to Canada … I am so glad I decided to come with the hubby on this trip – it was more wonderful than I expected it to be, and I will miss this place.
Risé Brette
The Weary Traveller 