Potsdam has been bookmarked for months now. I didn't think we had time to go here, since it isn't really Berlin and my friend was here to see Berlin, but somehow we managed to squish all the important things (see day 1) in one night and go to Potsdam! And the weather was perfect! Hooray!
Friendship Island, where all the "friends" depicted on the island were unclothed.
I've been told by multiple people that Potsdam is beautiful. Well, anywhere outside of Berlin is beautiful. Fields of green, blue skies, and old buildings. And here I was dreaming of the gardens of Versailles and the parks of Florence. It was a bit much you see (my dreaming that is), because Potsdam was much simpler than that. Even though Potsdam housed kings and kaisers with palaces and large parks; it is now a university town. It doesn`t have the run-downness of a university town, but it definitely doesn`t have the glamour of a suburb with a fancy palace. For the record, I must say that I was also not feeling my best, so as excited as I was to be there, I wasn't really looking and I was being less than the normal exuberant amount. Maybe it was also because we never entered any of the buildings. Perhaps inside the Sanssouci summer palace is actually as decorative as the French`s, they do borrow the same style afterall.
1. seeing 2. double
King of the corner
King of the castle
the OTHER (real?) Brandenburger Tor
Potsdam is the capital of Brandenburg and this gate is the entrance to the city. If you ever wondered where Prussia is/was, it's here. The entire royal family stationed themselves here. I have no idea what is the relation of this Brandenburger Tor to the Brandenburger Tor in Berlin, but it's kind of confusing. Perhaps one is a city gate, and the other is a palace gate (to the city palace for Prussian Monarchs).
1. Kirche St. Peter und Paul, 2. Dampfmaschinehaus, the steam pump house disguised as a mosque, 3. Donation bins..
Franzosische Kirche. I couldn't enter any churches since I decided to wear shorts today. apparently, tan > church interior
The Dutch-ness of the Hollandisches Viertel. A bit redundant to bring someone who is Dutch to see more of their own things.
Nauener Tor, one of the three gates of Potsdam. (Brandenburgertor, Nauenertor, and Jagertor) It's like an English Medieval Castle!
Rathaus
here we go
You can't go to Postdam and not go to Sanssouci. Sanssouci is the summer palace of Frederich the Great / the King of Prussia. It was also his hideaway from the Berlin court. His gardens, which is more like a park, was fairly large and we did not pack a bicycle with us so our feet were feeling pretty worn. When we got to the palace, I was surprised to see how not-giant it was. The palace was simple, and it was meant to be that way because all he wanted when he built the place was somewhere to put his brain away and enjoy the countryside and his personal interests. Apparently he also grew oranges, peaches, melons, and bananas, but I didn't see any.
Sansouci (French Rococo, think Versailles) The small summer palace on the top of the terrace gardens.
An ornamental garden, like Versailles, only Prussian
"it means no worries", said Timon and Pumba
Windmill!
This windmill has been remade all fancy inside, with a museum and everything, but it's neat. The space is as tiny as you would imagine it to be. It's like if you were living in a three floor closet..with a balcony. I'm still not exactly sure what happens / how things work inside the mill because we didn't stop to read the boards but I know grain gets ground. Imagine living inside one of these things, the sound of the arms turning in the wind and the whirr of the the grinding wheel turning would hum all day long.
1. First (real) floor, 2. Second (real) floor
1. Whittle away, 2. Off with his head. This section was blocked off. (for safety reasons ofcourse)
Orangerieschloss. (Italian renaissance, think Medici) I don't think there were oranges here.
1. The dragon house, named after the 16 dragons on the corners the pagoda's roof. 2. and Alice tumbled down through the rabbit hole...
Chinesisches Haus. A decorative garden house. The oriental arts are mixed with Rococo and the European idea of Asia. Yes it was strange.
Neues Palace and the Communs
The New Palace was impressive, and it was meant to be that way. It was for reception, and for showing the world that Prussia still had power. It wasn't really for living, but more for showing, and I can imagine the interior must be lavish. However, by then I was dying and my friend was pretty tired from walking. In retrospect, the gardens didn't seem so big, but somehow it felt like it took forever to get from Palace A to garden decoration B. And most importantly, we forgot to pack cookies.
1. The kitchen, 2. The palace, 3.The tired tourist.
I may have been dying, but I am also stubborn. Originally, I wanted to see the Gotische Bibliothek (thinking it would be old fashioned and cute), and all the landmarks along the lake (and another ten more things) as well, but it was really tiring! and I still can't figure out why, because I've walked all day around Hamburg, and I didn't feel like chopping my legs off.
The pyramid! Which was actually a cold-storage icehouse for the Marble Palace. There was no relation between the architecture and the purpose of the building.
We left Potsdam pretty late, and got home even later. Nonetheless, I think we were both tired yet happy (with the exception of my stomach not feeling well). Looking back at Potsdam and doing some extra post trip research really makes me want to go back to see all the other things I missed. Unfortunately the next time I go, it will be without company and this [next] time, I will take my bicycle and not eat a hotdog for lunch!
some of Schonefeld's last days
My friend had one more day in town, but this time I didn't go exploring with him. I just gave him my girly bicycle-sans-basket and let him roam free. And the day after that, the weekend was really over and I had to send him to the airport back to the Netherlands. To be honest, I didn't think my jabs about visiting Berlin would ever get to his head. But he really did drop by! Although we had the same weekend, I hope his was as good as mine --minus the upset stomach.
i didn't know Potsdam was on your list for such a long time but it was just one of those places I had to go to (according to prior-travel-research) Even my cousin planned it, so it had to be good.
ReplyDeleteHaha, your day at Potsdam sounds so depressing. I feel for you. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a hotdog do that to you but in case there's a next time I'll be more picky on the food. I see how it can be potentially be fatal to people.
And the fact you felt like chopping your legs off was because you also walked 8 hours straight the entire late afternoon and evening the day before. Did you stretch? Because I did.
Even if that day looked so less impressive to you, to me it was a day to remember. Times with you tought me how to adventure more out there and it's been great. It helped me get through the entire day after that in checking out new spots and just biking to different places. Thanks a bunch for having me over and convincing me to go. Berlin is a super place and I can recommend it to anyone.
Above all...if you can catch Carmen Sandiego to be your company and tourguide, be sure to never let her go because she'll take you on one hell of a ride you'll never forget. (And yes, of course you may use my pictures)