|
  | |  |
Day 6 - Prehistory rules!
Entry 7 of 14 | show all | print this entry |
German public transport is far too reliable to be worthy of note. So when I say I had to run for the bus this morning it was on time. Exactly.
I got off the U-bahn at Richard Wagner Platz station, then it was a short walk to the impressive Schloss Charlottenberg. What a huge building, bright yellow exterior walls with gold painted crests at the top of the railings near the entrance. Also loads of flowers out, all along the borders of the lawns. Simple and effective. I could have happily gone in to see the opulence of the rooms, but limited for time it can wait for another visit. No, I particularly wanted to visit the Early and Pre-history Museum, at one end of the Schloss. I was expecting to be there for perhaps 90min, but I was in my element, and I stayed there for four hours. The only break I had was to indulge in mango and crème freche cake (generous portion), and a glass of Earl Grey tea.
Needless to say I was in my element here, seeing exhibits on human evolution (no mention of creationism anywhere, thankfully), many early civilisations in pre-Roman Europe, then a lot of pottery, figures, tablets, sculptures and carvings of the period between Romans and Vikings, an area usually much neglected. If your interest is in European pre-history, this is definitely the place to come to. Admission was a ridiculously cheap €3.The UK really has nothing like this - it was excellent, plus you could photograph and use flash for no extra cost.
With sore feet I came out into sunshine, and I had a general mooch around, along Kaiser Friedrich Strasse and Bismarck Strasse. I certainly did not feel this safe walking around the centre of London.
Back on the U-bahn of course I went the wrong way, ending up at a grim place called Schönhauser Allee. All the graffiti which was missing from the city centre was here instead - such an unnecessary mess.
Getting out at Potsdamer Platz again, the tall new angular buildings there were very impressive. Fortunately though they were well spaced apart, so the Platz was still very much an open space. There was a good exhibition there on the Berlin Wall, with several sections in place still, on the pavement. In fact if you follow the road down from the Brandenburg Gate to Potsdamer Platz, there is a clear row of dark bricks, in the road and on the pavement, which traces the original line of the wall. When I was last here in 1991, the wall had only just been taken down, and a long wide channel with grass had sprung up. All gone now - how things have changed.
As for tomorrow I think I will go to one of the many art galleries on the Museumsinsel, in the city centre. I always suspected that four days here would not be enough. I really need four weeks. Still, with retirement in less than ten years time, I haven't got too long to wait now!
|
|
If you like this entry, search for other entries from Germany or try a new search. |
| |
Back to Entry - Back to Home
|
