Today is a traveling day, so this post will be short. We got up at 7 to make our 10:40 flight to Berlin. We thought it would be a jet, but this plane was also a prop and even smaller than the last one.
We're experienced fliers, but we wanted to make sure those spindly wheels came down when they should. Since we were right under the wing we could see everything at work. It actually was a great flight. And Voila...there's Berlin!
We taxi to our address on Weinbergsweg, a charming street filled with cafes...we're in heaven!
If you look closely you can see the 'Gorki' moniker for our apartment entrance, right between two outdoor cafes.
We buzz and then walk through a lovely indoor courtyard. This old building is in what was once East Berlin. It was a derelict building that was totally modernized and made into individual apartments, and opened just about a year ago, for which they are very proud. It's quite quirky!
At the far end of the courtyard is a supply of city bikes to use, as everyone does in this city. It's almost like Bejing in the old days.
Florian checks us in and takes us up to our apartment. They don't use numbers, but instead each apartment has a name, as if it is a still private dwelling...ours is 'Fr. Korbinian.' The challenge is that that name is also our login for the Internet, so we have to remember it.
Everything is brand new. They have kept the hallways all plain with no adornment, just as they were originally in a stark East Berlin building. They want the contrasting effect to be that you will be wowed when you open the door to your apartment...and we were. It's spanking clean, airy, charming and with many quirky designs and accoutrements.
The lighting is a challenge because there are switches everywhere.
The bathroom area is very Boudoir-ish, with a huge curtain if you want privacy in the bath.
And then there is also a big beautiful rain shower...marvelous.
After we install ourselves, we want to go outside and check out the area. It is bustling with people, and located in the heart of the Mitte, the central area. That is great for getting around and seeing lots of local life, but we also hear a lot of American English, not so good. We'll deal with it...it reminds us of the first apartment we rented in Paris last year in the 6th Arondissement which is also the heart of the Left Bank with a lot of Americans.
We found our 'ground zero' cafe just nearby.
Many years ago Marty dubbed me 'Zzznappa Tutta' which, in made-up Italian, means 'she who photographs everything.' Nothing's changed...I just can't help myself, and I love doing it, as you can see by the Blog.
The neighborhood is also alive with genuine Berliners...
And avant garde galleries...
And locals chatting...
And the inevitable pothole fixers.
It's now late afternoon and we need just a little sustinemce before our dinner at Marianne Motherby's, a friend of our friend Norma. So we stop in to a charming upscale deli, and share a delicious open face sandwich of salami, cheese and cornichon.
Marty has become addicted to Happy Socks, so he couldn't resist buying a pair here.
And even more of a passion for him is bike shops. Here's one right in our neighborhood and they all have espresso machines, so you can sit and relax while your bike is being repaired.
And outside is a panel with all kinds of bike tools, so you can do some tweaking on your own if you want...another great concept.
Now we're off to Marianne's. She lives on the other side of town in Charlottenberg, a lovely upscale neighborhood. Marianne is a lawyer and runs the law department at the German National Railway. She is super bright, energetic and warm. Her job takes her all over the world and she is extremely worldly and sophisticated. Norma Cirincione made an electronic introduction to Marianne for us more than a month before we flew to Germany and she and her husband, Helmut, invited us for dinner at their home the night we arrived in Berlin to welcome us and introduce us to Berlin.
Unfortunately, and unbelievably, Helmut suffered a fatal heart attack two weeks before our date to leave the States. We sent our condolences and thought that was that. But Marianne, an extremely positive and energetic person, contacted us while we were in Poland and insisted that we keep our date. We were stunned but delighted, and of course couldn't refuse. Helmut's son Christoph from his first marriage, who is also very charming, speaks perfect and colloquial English and is in the Fitness industry, would make the dinner, in typical 'comfort food' style with home-made squash soup, different kinds of wursts with a special green sauce, and different kinds of potato salad. We brought wine and roses. Serendipitously, the wine we brought was the exact same wine that Marianne and Helmut had served for their wedding! How coincidental and ironic was that!! Needless to say, it was the perfect choice, and she loved it! And the perfect introduction to German hospitality.
Marianne's apartment was spacious and grand, in a very old building on the Historic Register, which has been completely restored. The ceilings must be 15 feet high, with beautiful moldings everywhere.
Helmut was the cook so the kitchen was fully equipped, and now Christoph was following somewhat in his footsteps, at least for this evening.
It was a wonderful evening. Marianne mentioned that Helmut had been looking forward to making dinner for us. It was an awkward feeling without him.
We loved Marianne, and Christoph too...they were wonderful hosts.
We talked the night away until it was time to bid farewell. Marianne and Christopf were traveling the next day to Frankfurt to make funeral arrangements. What a way to begin our arrival in Berlin on the last stop in our journey. It's too bad we weren't able to spend more time with them in their home town, like we did with Jolanta in Krakow, but we certainly hope to see them again somewhere in the future.
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