scenes from berlin

Berlin was almost an entirely different city than what I remember-- we were last here in the spring and summer of 2010. Seasons really do wonders. We didn't linger outside as much but it was refreshing to feel the winter air as we revisited familiar streets and old favorites. I don't remember feeling crowded at all. It was quieter and particularly lovely because of it.

summer in potsdam

This isn't wanderlust. I don't just want to go anywhere, I want to go back to summertime in Germany. When I was in Europe I was able to visit David three times and each time Potsdam was so lovely. Eating outside, shorts and dresses, walking everywhere.

Maybe it's because yesterday I spent two hours in traffic, in the rain. Or maybe it's because David finally posted his Potsdam photos (with a lot of encouragement from me). But every time I look at these I get a lot of nostalgia for a place I just barely got to know.

things to love {about nuremberg}

by Jenni, the blogger I live vicariously through
as she lives abroad in Austria and Germany. (Seriously, though, I'm so jealous).

1. If Nuremberg doesn't have something you need, huge cities like Frankfurt and Munich are just a train ride away. On the other hand, Nuremberg is surrounded by small Bavarian villages so a ''small-town feel'' is easily within reach as well!
2. With only 1 million inhabitants, you can wander around the city without feeling as though you are lost in a sea of people. Tourists do come to Nuremberg, but it is by no means a ''tourist trap''. I love that!
3. Walking through Nuremberg feels as though you have entered a fairy tale land. The castle, the churches, the buildings - all of it exudes a Middle Ages fairytale-ish feeling and you'll wonder if you've gone back in time.
4. There are so many historical sites to be found in Nuremberg! After WWII, for example, German officials involved in the Holocaust were brought before an international court; famously referred to as The Nuremberg Trials. Visitors can see the site firsthand and visit the documentation center where the Nazi rallies once took place. Hauntingly fascinating, it is not something to be missed.
5. You won't go hungry in Nuremberg. The Nürnberger Bratwurst, for instance, is a burger so famous that McDonald's added it to its German menu! I've never tried it but I love walking through the Hauptmarkt (main market in the city center) trying all sorts of snacks; roasted almonds, pretzels, chocolates, etc.
6. The beautiful Pegnitz river runs through the city center and further enforces the fairytale-ish nature of the city. One of my favorite things to do is stroll across the bridges at sunset and stare out at the peaceful river. It's a very tranquil place to be!
7. Perhaps what Nuremberg is most famous for (arguably moreso than the Nuremberg trials) is the Christmas market. Every year at the end of November (and throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas), 2 millions visitors from all over the world flock to the city to take part in this festive tradition. Hundreds of vendors set up wooden stalls in the Hauptmarkt (main market square), festooned with red-and-white cloth, selling traditional Christmas treats; Nuremberg spicy gingerbread, fruit loaves, baked goods and other sweets, Christmas ornaments and candles, Christmas toys and various other arts and crafts products.

This week, I'm so excited to share the first international "things to love" post! Jenni is a Fulbright scholar spending 4 months in Austria and then 10 months in Germany. Did I mention that these are two of my favorite countries that I've visited? My favorite thing about her list is that Nuremberg is like a fairytale- untouched by tourists and not a tourist trap. When I travel, these are my ideal cities. There's something so honest about them. Jenni's list also comes at a very timely part of the year as she writes about the Christmas market at the end of the month (Jenni, I hope you're stocking up). Any town that dedicates this much love and attention to Christmas has my stamp of approval anytime of year. Thanks so much for sharing your list, Jenni! To see more of Jenni's Nuremberg photos, visit my flickr-- or, just visit her blog and delight in all that is beautifully Austrian and German.

munich

My next city to catch-up writing about is Munich. Munich was an accident. Last summer, after I went to Greece, I had planned a trip all over Europe with a girl but it fell through and before I knew it, I was homeless in the drug center of Athens with no where to stay for 3 days until my flight. The said trip was supposed to end in Munich, so when I changed my flight to go home early, the only option I had was to fly from Munich even though I was still in Athens with no where to stay in either Greece or Germany.

I thought that I might be able to stay in the hostel I was at before my program started so I went to inquire only to find out that it was completely booked. Then, in what I like to refer to as my "walk of dejection" back, I remembered that I had a friend in middle school that may or may not have been in Munich for the past year. So I sent Kerstin a message, not expecting much, and within ten minutes she replied back letting me know that she was still in Munich and that I was welcome to stay with her and her boyfriend, Imad. So I booked my flight for the next morning and was on my way to Deutschland.

A miracle, in my opinion.

I didn't expect anything from Munich. I saw it as a quick-fix to my situation and a miracle chance to see a friend I hadn't seen in at least 8 years. But Munich is beautiful. It's the wealthiest area in Germany so it's clean and charming to be in. It was my first German city, and introduced me to the amazingly delicious döner. I was so happy after just learning how to pronounce "Glockenspiel" correctly. The lovely Bavarian buildings, the amazing beer, and my favorite-- the Englischer Garten. Whenever I see my pictures I wish I could teleport back just to have a picnic underneath the glowing green park.

Munich will always hold a special place in my heart. I can't think about the city without gushing over how much I love it. How could I not? It's my miracle city.

the berlin wall

the first time david and i went to see the berlin wall, we went to checkpoint charlie and the wall there was just gray and desolate. in a way, this felt very true to the existence of the wall and how it divided berlin. later on during our last day in berlin, we managed to find our way to the east gallery, home of the famous murals that stretch a long way for a good walk. in comparing this bright, colorful collection to the gray wall we found at checkpoint charlie, i realize that one thing they both have in common is that they're both honest. the gray, in that it reflects how ugly and broken down we are when we say nothing against barriers; and the painted, in that it shows how beautiful and liberating we grow when we speak out against the barriers laid before us.

pure, unedited beauty

by david
sometimes he takes the best pictures

neues palais an der orangerie

this is where david went to school. well, i'm not sure if he had any classes in this building specifically, but this- neues palais (new palace)- is where the university of potsdam is. the palace is connected to the royal park sansoucci, where there are tons of gardens and other architectural treasures. these photos are from another walk that david and i took around the park. we started at neues palais and didn't get too far since... well, the park is gigantic.

scenes from potsdam

potsdam is a small city 25 minutes outside of berlin by train. it's known as the location where the potsdam conference was held and overall is a very historical town. (it's really famous for its palaces, but more on those later). this is where david spent his 4 months in germany- studying at the university of potsdam. i was fortunate enough to visit a few times- once when we were just finishing our european adventure, the second when i had just come back from the philippines, and the third when we spent our last week in europe together before flying home. these photos are from one day when we started at the dragon house and then took a path that took us into a random residential area. it's a bright, quiet, charming kind of town.

almost berlin

even though i almost spent an entire week in potsdam and berlin with david, i hardly took any photos. i think my excuse was that i'd be coming back two more times before heading back home, so i guess i'll try to take more photos then. these two photos are one of the rare occasions where i did bring my camera. we went to a big flea market-esque place in berlin to find david a bike (success). i didn't get anything, but a nice man gave me a sample of scented lavender.

now, onto photos of the uk...

frankfurt am main

after our short stop in cologne,

david and i arrived in frankfurt for our next two nights.

after being in florence for two and a half months,

i haven't really been able to eat a lot of food that's different

than the native country's typical dishes

(i.e. italy = paninis and pasta, france = crepes, belgium = waffles)

but frankfurt is a very industrial city

so we had chinese food for dinner both nights (:

anyway.. back to frankfurt:

we started off our wednesday by going to the goethe museum & house

kitchen

his daughter, cornelia's, room.

the portrait/painting room

these are only 3 of about.. 15 rooms.

the house is 4 stories and gigantic.

then.. we FINALLY found a mailbox!

we bought these postcards in paris,

wrote them in brussels,

bought stamps for them in cologne,

and finally mailed them in frankfurt.

part of the old town

heading to the dom- st. bartholomew's

it's RED!

inside and out

prayers in the stained glass

more of the old town center

this photo is my favorite

and even though we were happy about the above mentioned chinese food,

we were also happy with the german beer and sausage

(though i don't think i could eat that every day..)

with the river main

and... because frankfurt is a fairly small town

we decided to take a little boat tour

and ride along the main

trees lining the river

the frankfurt skyline

(often referred to as "mainhattan")

park by the water

and then...

we were tired.

so we came back to our room

and watched german tv

(we got 3/4 cities in this german word search!)

can you find them?