Hallo Hannover!

On Saturday, I took my first trip outside of Berlin since I arrived in August. It was definitely long overdue. I'd found out about a museum in Hanover with an Egyptian collection and since I have now seen the exhibits at Neues Museum 4 times, I desperately wanted to go. I was all set to go on my own when Julia asked if she could come with me! So it came to be.

Julia was running late thanks to the S Bahn being temperamental at the moment, and instead of panicking and getting irate, I just changed our tickets for the bus at 9 am instead. I was quite pleased with myself, and we had a leisurely coffee and croissant before starting the journey.

Bright and early (ish)

We had a real Berliner for a bus driver and Julia had to translate for me.. which was a bit embarrassing because we were right at the front of the bus! I've since been practising, and my favourite thing is now 'janz jenau'.

We went straight to the Museum, taking a few photos on the way of the beautiful old buildings.

The Town Hall

 The Egyptian bit was super interesting, albeit a bit smaller than I had expected.  August Kestner was a private collector who left his collection for public enjoyment when he died, so there was a fascinating mix of exhibits from different cultures too. Happily, Julia was also interested in the Ancient Egyptian part, but while I was pressing my face up against the glass like a kid at Christmas, she sat in a chair reading the information.

The colours have survived!

Typical style of the Armana period (Akhenaton is one of my faves to read about)

I tried. 

After I'd satiated my thirst, Julia wanted to see the Medieval part, which had some insanely beautiful tapestries and books. We attempted to write with feather quills and Julia finally explained to me why babies in medieval paintings are so frightening. Apparently, children weren't seen as we see them now, instead they were seen as miniature adults and were thus painted accordingly. Explains why they always look so intense and freaky.

This is a book!

Then we went to have lunch at the market hall, followed by a visit to the Bahlsen factory outlet where I could have easily emptied my bank account on Lindt chocolates and various assortments of Lebkuchen.

We found a bookshop, which was great until I had an anxiety attack. I think it was brought on by the fact that I am so used to taking daytrips on my own that I really couldn't cope with someone else being there. Basically I was out of control and hated it! Julia was very nice about it though and did her best to calm me down.

However, I did buy All Quiet on the Western Front in German. I have been meaning to read it for ages, so thought it would be good to read it in the original! I started it on the bus home and had to keep stopping, honestly, because it was so sad. I have read a lot of World War One books about English soldiers and to read the same experiences and feelings coming from a German, and even in German, was really something.

We took a meander around the old town which was like something out of a fairytale. We popped into the big church in the middle of the square. I didn't light a candle this time because there was a service going on, so I just gave my money and took it with me. Mum will find a place for it on her windowsill, I am sure. We fangirled over some old books (6 for 95 euros) and then walked through the newer part towards the train station where we sat in Balzac coffee overlooking the square.

Only in Germany!

It's the first time in a good few years that I have visited a West German city properly, and after so much time spent in Berlin, it really felt different. Everything was so BIG, so pedestrianised, so clean.

The bus back to Berlin was nearly half an hour late but it was a fun day though and hopefully we can go somewhere else together soon. Forgot to buy Mum a magnet though... oops.

Dresden

Yesterday, I visited the beautiful city of Dresden, capital of Saxony. My train was at 08.57, but I got up late, panicked and got a taxi to Hauptbahnhof. It was 17 euros, which wasn't TOO painful, and at least it was stress free and I had time at the station to pick up a Starbucks.

However, I then became very irritated when the train stopped at Sudkreuz- S-Bahn station close to me. Sigh. I know for next time.

We got into Dresden at about 11, I picked up a map and set off on my way. It was bloody hot, and I'd dressed for chilly weather in a jumper, trousers, Docs, coat and scarf. After a long, sweaty and sweary walk, I made it to Altstadt and suddenly, everything was fine. It took my breath away. There was so much to see that I ended up going back on myself a lot. I was like a kid trying to see everything at once.

the castle

Zwinger Palace

Close up of Semper Opera House

The Procession of Princes

I sat on those steps later on and got a sunburnt face

After all my mad running around and getting excited, I realised I hadn't actually eaten anything that day, so wandered down a little street for some bratwurst.

Why I love Germany, Exhibit A

While I was busy stuffing my face, practically the whole street was interrupted by a group of American females that decided they were going to take 3 million selfies jumping in the air and yelling loudly. Then, the ring leader spotted the bratwurst stall and said "oh my gaad that is so freakin' cute'. Just...what? What is cute about sausages? Delicious, yes, cute, I don't know. It was almost as bad as when I heard an American describe Notre Dame as 'cute'. Not the word I'd use for an 850 year old Gothic cathedral. I don't get it.

ANYWAY. My next stop was the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), which was reduced to a pile of rubble, like most of the city, in World War Two by the Allied bombing of the city. It remained a pile of rubble, throughout the years of East and West, as a memorial and it was only after the Cold War that restoration really began in a serious way. It was only finished in 2005! The original bricks (some 3000 of them) were used as well as new ones, which makes for a very interesting facade - like patchwork.

This wall was one of two left standing after the bombing

Then I decided it was time for an ice-cream (green apple flavour, amazing) and to cross the bridge into Neustadt. I asked a Chinese tourist, who was very pleased when I thanked him in Mandarin go me right,  to take a picture of me on the bridge but it was bloody awful so you'll have to go without that one.







One of the views

Neustadt felt very different, but was just as lovely. I took a long, slow walk down the main street and then remembered that the 'most beautiful dairy in the world' was here somewhere. It was on the map, so that was perfect! It really was beautiful, this dairy, but unfortunately you weren't allowed to take pictures so you'll have to google it - Pfund's Molkerei. I did get a picture from outside though and you can just about make out the glass on the table where I tried some buttermilk.

After walking back to where I'd started in Neustadt, I was knackered, so I got myself a capri sun and went to sit on the steps of the something building, where I actually dozed off for a bit in the sun, resulting in a shiny and red forehead.

Maybe the view from near the steps was worth the sunburn

Little nap napped, I walked to the Japanese Palace and the gardens were gorgeous.

Embarrassing Daytrip Selfie #3

I decided to walk towards the station after that, and pick up something to eat on the way. I ended up picking Subway but I'm a bit annoyed about that as my flatmate told me Dresden does amazing doner and I definitely should have tried that...

It was after my dinner that I realised I was in fact NOWHERE NEAR the Hauptbahnhof. I was the other side of the city at Neustadt Bahnhof. Brilliant. I had an hour to get to the Hauptbahnhof and luckily, I have a good memory for routes (as in, if I've walked it once, I can find my way back with not much trouble). I don't know why I just didn't get the train between the stations, but panic set in and off I panicked towards Haupbahnhof. I found my way okay, I just massively underestimated how long it would take and I made my train with 3 minutes to spare. Bloody hell.

And then, guess what? The train stopped at Neustadt Bahnhof. It was all I could do not to scream! Why am I so stupid?!

Compartment carriage to myself, nice

So the day had started and ended a bit stressfully, but overall, I enjoyed Dresden a lot.

from the train

I would have liked to have had a bit longer there, but I've got two exciting trips coming up - on Saturday I'm flying to Amsterdam and meeting my mum and sister there, then the following Thursday I'm off to Prague for two days to meet up with Sia and Sarah! Just four more work days till the family reunion (Friday is a holiday, YES)

Tschuessi

xx

Poland, because I can

After a successful meeting with Jean, my German tandem partner, in an Irish pub it was a little bit difficult getting up on Friday morning but I managed it because that day, I was heading to Stettin (Szezecin) in Poland for the day.

The journey went without a hiccup (incredible). I dozed off for a few minutes and when I woke, freaked out because I couldn't figure out why I couldn't understand any signs out of the window, before realising that the signs were in Polish....

I helped myself to a map from the tourist info (later realising I had the Polish version) and picked up the tourist trail outside the station. I gotta give it to the place, they'd painted a  red lined track through the city for tourists to follow, and at every attraction, there was a number on the floor (corresponding to the map) and an information board in Polish, German and English.

one of the stained-glass windows in one of the like, 8 churches

I was walking for at least an hour before I realised I was starving, so chose a restaurant advertising 'polskie smaki', and ordered spinach pancakes and a homemade apple pie, that had apparently been freshly baked in some woman's house. The apple pie was curious, as it was cold, and with the first spoonful I was sure that a crime against my British palette had been committed until I ate some more and decided it was bloody delicious. The restaurant was great, and the handsome (yes, handsome) waiter spoke excellent English. It was strange being in a place and not knowing the language, and I felt bad at first before sternly reminding myself that I could not learn every language on earth and that it was quite fun to feel like a real tourist. The only downside to this restaurant was their insistence on a George Michael playlist. All the usual, including some dodgy techno remix of Last Christmas.

My whole meal (meal, drink, dessert) came to 35 zloty= £6.93!!

Catherine the Great was born here!!

The trams were just adorable

I walked for another hour or so, before I decided I wanted a coffee so I left the tourist trail and headed roughly back to the centre. I found a huge shopping centre and got a coffee at a kiosk. All was well until I greedily decided I wanted chocolate sprinkles. The lid fell off and chocolate went EVERYWHERE. I cleaned up as best I could, apologising profusely, laughing nervously and, with half the container of chocolate in my coffee, got the hell outta there.

It was then I remembered that I'd missed the Pioneer Cinema, the oldest working cinema in the world, so with the help of the map and my nose, I walked back and found it. Though I did ask a woman if I was definitely going the right way, to which she looked at my map, looked at me for what felt like a whole minute before giving a very firm nod. Okay then.

I'd only seen one tourist shop and that was by the train station, so I headed back there for the sake of my mother's magnet collection and took the other fork of the tourist trail. This trail led me to the town hall, the river, the Pomeranian Dukes' castle and some excellent graffiti.

I'm still laughing at this

It was getting dark so I walked back to where I'd spied some nice looking restaurants. I was quite happy with my choice, deciding on Ghoulasch soup with 'wild sausage' and definitely avoiding the soup with 'two species of fish'. It was, however, a little unnerving when the waiter looked me in the eyes and said 'You need to undress' and holding out his hands. Of course, he just wanted to take my coat etc but still.

Candlelit supper (soup, beer and dessert) for £6.54

There were two English blokes on the table opposite me, who smirked when I tried to order a dessert and the waiter went off to the kitchen looking very confused. They said' Good luck' to me and although it was light-hearted, it did annoy me slightly. The usual attitude you know? They didn't speak a word of Polish but it's okay to mock the Polish waiter with a limited but good knowledge of English? Anyway.

It was pretty much hometime by then, so I headed back to the station, had a coffee and hopped back on the train to Berlin. 

Chenquieh, Poland, for a nice day. With the amount of zlotys I have left, I'm sure I'll be back!

Only photo I took of myself, are you surprised?