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Berlin to Edinburgh

We've been on the road, as it were, for the last month, taking in our final stops before coming home.  Today we are in Edinburgh. Tonight we'll be in London.  Monday we'll be in Minnesota.

 

Our first leg brought us through cities in formerly East Germany. Berlin-->Wittenberg--> Jena-->Weimar-->Eisenach.  Here we did our Lutheran pilgrimage in Wittenberg and Eisenach (home of the Wartburg Castle where Luther was hidden from danger and translated the Bible into German). We also saw friends from Colin's year in Scotland and enjoyed some good German food.  Have you ever had grilled meatballs? The Thuringer Bratwurst are still my favorites.

Then it was onwards to Munich for a couple of days of seeing sites, visiting different breweries and trying to stay warm and dry.  From Munich we took the Romantic Road through Fussen, the site of the ridiculous castles built by King Ludwig (one being the model for the Disney emblem).  We drove along the shores of Lake Konstanz, which brings together Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  Finally we arrived in Freiburg, where I lived and studied for two months in Seminary.  

From Freiburg we stayed two weeks in Taize, an ecumenical monastery near Lyon, France. One week we spent as regular pilgrims, working for a few hours, praying 3 times per day, eating communally and outside and having bible introductions and small groups. Our second week was spent in silence, which was quite delightful.  That might require its own post.

From the silence of Taize we came to the city of love: Paris!  With so much to do and so little time, we decided to take it easy and just enjoy the days.  The first night we made our way down to the Seine to watch the sunset with about 1,000 other Parisians.  The next day we took an easy morning, taking time to enjoy our croissants and coffee before we went to le Arch d'Triomphe, down the Champs Elysees, through the Louvre and then took a nap in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.  We packed a picnic and headed out to Montmartre and the steps of the Sacre Coeur Cathedral to watch the sun go down on Paris.  

The next day we were up and at 'em from 5am to catch the metro, then a bus, then a plane then another bus to Edinburgh, where we've been enjoying some of Colin's old haunts. We've taken quick tours of the city, seeing the places with the best coffee (The Elephant House, where JK Rowling wrote the first couple of Harry Potter books); Arthur's Seat and the Castle, different chippies (for fish and chips) and his favorite and most missed food: the bacon buddy.  We also toured about the highlands and coastal areas.

Tonight London and Monday we go home.  We're ready for it!

goodbye [east] jerusalem, hello berlin

Our flight was at 5am. We left Augusta Victoria and the Mount of Olives at 1am. Security was easy (we were the lowest possible risk because we're a married couple traveling together). While we had little to no sleep we were quite able to enjoy Berlin today. 

First, we visited the East Side Gallery, a collection of murals on an old wall in the dead zone between East and West Germany.  A brilliant reminder that walls do fall.

Next, we went to a Turkish market that was not unlike the Souks in the Old City of Jerusalem, except for much smaller.  We picked up some meat, cheese, bread and bananas and enjoyed a picnic lunch by a river. 

Then, a nap. So glorious and so needed.

For our evening adventures, we made our way to THE main attraction: The Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. Pictures were taken. Dinner was to be at a place suggested by the Lonely Planet, except that we forgot what it was called and found a place called Risotto instead. They only serve...wait for it...risotto! Delicious. We tried two different risottos, one with chicken and fresh tomato, as well as Parmigiano Reggiano. Not bad, but I think it would have been better with chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.  Not so flavorful in the end. The other risotto=amazing. Ham, rosemary, walnuts covered with parmigiano reggiano. It reminded me of cream of wild rice soup that my aunt makes perfectly. I'm thinking of a concoction of risotto, wild rice and ham, carrots, onions, rosemary and walnuts with some PR on top.  It's going to be delicious if I figure it out. 

Tonight we're enjoying what people in Berlin call Germany's best beer.  It comes from Munich, so I know they're not being so biased: Augustinerbrau Munchen.  It's pretty good, but I'm looking forward to some good dark brews, especially Lowenbrau Dunkel and the Dunkel from the Hauptbrauhaus in Munich.

Tomorrow: A little more Berlin and Wittenberg.

It feels so good to be in Germany. Things are quite easy here and though my German isn't quite kicking in, it's a comfortable place to be.  A sort of in between place between a place we've called home and people who have been like family and our place in Minnesota, that is still not quite ready for us (nor us for it). Soon and very soon.