Another Better Meal

This was lunch at a little Asian place not far from the hotel in Berlin. Tasted good on a chilly, rainy day.

 

Birthday Dinner in Berlin

After that awful experience with the Italian food, we fared much better when we decided to do steak on my birthday. The concierge at the Ritz made the reservation, which we didn't need because it was a quiet week night. Better safe than waiting, though. Food and service were great, and we had leftovers to bring back.

 

Awful Italian Food

We couldn't find anywhere open to eat on the Sunday we were in Berlin. In desperation, we went into Calice D'Oro. Big mistake. This was the blandest and saddest Italian meal I have ever had. Service was awful, too. We relearned the lesson not to go to restaurants on tourist streets.

 

The Wall

Can't go to Berlin without seeing the wall, or what's left of it. The red lines in the pics are where the wall used to be. The rest - well, it's a wall.

 

Winged Victory

This victory column is 19th century and restored after the war. It sits in the former West Berlin all alone in the middle of the road.

 

West Berlin International Architect Area

In the 1950s, while Berlin was being rebuilt, the Americans thought it would be a great idea to showcase internationally acclaimed architects. So they commissioned them to build a bunch of apartment buildings in the same area. They're still there. And some of them are truly UGLY.

 

Berlin Astronomical Clock

In Berlin, the Cold War was fought architecturally, too. This is one example - a communist astronomical clock. It sits in the main square of the former East Berlin. Kind of a neat design and one I've not seen before.

 

Typewriter Store

While on our architecture tour of Berlin we passed a typewriter store. The only thing in it was typewriters! This was in the eastern part of Berlin. I guess it's a bit of nostalgia.

 

View from Our Room

When in Berlin, we stayed at the Ritz Carlton. There was a pro-Palestinian protest going on at one point in the square across the street. Lots of police presence.

 

Brandenburg Gate

Back where the wall came down. I don't think the Talking Heads ever played here, though. It's a beautiful place now. With too many tourists.

 

Books In Front

Kind of appropriate to be selling books in front of Max Planck's lab.