chapter two: museums, wine, and many photos

Hello loved ones!

It has been a busy two weeks since my last post. We have been to many more museums, on more adventures around the city, and to Potsdam, a city directly adjacent to Berlin. Here is a recent chronology of events:

First off, my school group had our first excursion last Friday (September 7th) to see Schloss Cecilienhof and Schloss Sanssouci, both of which are located in Potsdam. I absolutely loved that city! It was really what I expected "authentic" German streets to look like; the cobble stone streets with little shops, arches, and cafes galor. In a word: charming. Schloss Cecilenhof was incredible to see because it is the mansion where the Potsdam Agreement was negotiated by Stalin, Truman, and Churchill post-WWII (Berlin was too far destroyed from the war for the conference to conviene there). This agreement determined the division of Berlin (East and West), divvied up the remaining undeclared territories, and formed the basis for the reconstruction of Europe.

One of the entryways to the main conference room for Stalin, Truman, and Churchill

The outside of one wing of Schloss Cecilienhof

After Schloss Cecilienhof, my friend Camille and I walked around the adorable little streets of Potsdam and settled into a little cafe for lunch before heading to Schloss Sanssouci.

Espresso & hot chocolate on a chilly September day in Potsdam

Schloss Sanssouci was built in the mid-18th century and was the summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. It is well esteemed in Germany as a landmark in architecture and grandeur and the yellow exterior is one of my very favorite colors. We toured the interior and each room was gold leafed, hand-painted, sculpted, imported, and carved from the finest materials around the world--even by today's standards. Certainly a sight worth seeing, but I enjoyed the history and significance of Schloss Cecilienhof a great deal more to be honest. Nevertheless, Schloss Sanssouci was breathtaking.

Outside Schloss Sanssouci

Schloss Sanssouci entry hallway chandelier

After our adventures in Potsdam, my friends and I visited a wine garden (outdoor wine bar generally with gardens and outdoor seating, similar to a beer garden). The pangs of winter's approach are already in the air here, but it is the start to my favorite fashion weather: big knit scarves, sweaters, and cardigan layers (soon to be hats, gloves, and boots too). There were too many wines to choose from and I wish I could have read everything on the menu! But we made some sweet selections and lounged on the garden benches enjoying the crisp air and beautiful day.

Red and white wine galor! 

After an eventful few days, we decided to start whittling down the long list of museums we need to visit for our classes. Camille, Steph, and I visited the Deutsches Historisch Museum (German History Museum), visited Ritter Sport (famous German chocolate brand), and then I headed to the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. I enjoyed all of our day's activities (including the tapas we ended the day with), but I have to say that Checkpoint Charlie was by far the most interesting and heartfelt museum I have visited. The mix of artwork, personal accounts, artifacts, and timeline set a hopeful and striking tone--presenting the materials in a very powerful way. It was very touristy and covered a vast range of personal stories and historic milestones.

Camille and Steph at Ritter Sport Chocolate

Protest signs from the Deutsches Historisch Museum

"The Fraternal Kiss" from Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie

"You are leaving the American Sector" famous sign

Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie

Camille and I also took a walk around Berlin on one of the last very nice days and took pictures of the TV tower and Berliner Dom. These are some of my favorite pictures of the trip thus far, and it was such a fluke of a photo shoot in between studying on a Sunday.

TV Tower

Berliner Dom

TV Tower through the Berlin anniversary monument 

I have some grains of wisdom I would like to bestow on any future Berlin visitors, but they are still in the works at the moment--I will try to post them tomorrow though! In the meantime, know that I am loving my time here, missing my wonderful boyfriend and family severely, and looking forward to the adventures to come.

Much much love.