August 14: Berlin
Today was Sunday. I strolled through a small part of the leafy and peaceful Tiergarten to reach the historical Brandenburg Gate. I had brunch in Restaurant Berlin Mitte on Unter den Linden. A wonderful relaxing morning.
In the afternoon, I attended a concert held in the Kopenick Palace, a Baroque water palace of the Hohenzollern electors of Brandenburg built on an island in the Dahme River. Though without knowledge about music, I enjoyed the performance of the Trios of Classic and Romantic by a small group of musicians – Beethoven and Hayden Quartet Berlin. The garden is leafy and green: I enjoyed the beautiful outdoor setting by the river instead of visiting the museum inside the palace.
August 15: Potsdam
I visited Potsdam in 1990 and came to discover its former glory. Potsdam, sitting on the River Havel, is the capital and largest city of the German State of Brandenburg. Being the residence of Prussian kings and German emperors until 1918, it was well-planned and intended as “a picturesque, pastoral dream” with a balance of architecture and landscape. The city with over 1000 years of history, is known for its palaces, lakes and overall historical and cultural significance. There are numerous landmarks that include parks and palaces of Sanssouci, Germany’s largest heritage site. It was the location of the Potsdam Conference in 1945 after the WWII where a decision was taken to divide Germany into two.
Potsdam is only 25km from Berlin. I had a lovely breakfast with views of the majestic centre dominated by the Old Market Square, the marble Obelisk, the St. Nicholas Church (1830-1837) and several historical buildings. The area was bombed and badly damaged during WWII. The church was rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1981. destroyed before spending a morning at the Museum Barberini opened in 2017. The gallery exhibits Plattner’s collection of art from the former German Democratic Republic and special exhibitions ranging from Old Masters to contemporary art with a focus on impression including works of Rodin, Monet and Edvard Munch. I fully enjoyed the exhibits which had detailed information on both the artists and the works and the special exhibition with four virtually unknown paintings by Monet.
In the afternoon, I walked to the Sanssouci Park (a World Heritage property) with an area of about 300 hectares which is described as garden art at the highest level. It was first built in 1740s by Frederick the Great as a summer retreat. Later King Friedrich IV had the garden between the private Sanssouci Palace and the New Palace significantly expanded. The landscaped park was interwoven with French pleasure garden, natural scenes, and magnificent buildings of classicism and romanticism. It is expansive and I had time only to stroll around a small part of the park and visited the a few gardens, the Chinese Tea House, and a few buildings show a mix of European and Chinese architecture. It was so dry that the grass was brown and looked strangely eerie. Suddenly the sky darkened and it started to rain. I was caught in the rain and decided to leave without visiting the palace. I had Vietnamese noodle near the iconic Brandenburger Gate before catching a train back to Berlin.
August 16: Hamburg & Lübeck
The train from Berlin to Hamburg only takes about two hours. I like this city after my first visit in 1980. This time, I spent time on foot re-discovering the glory of this great port city in daylight and at night. I also used it as the base to visit Lübeck and Bremen.
Lübeck, a famous Hanseatic city, former capital city of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of the most prominent and important cities along the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. While the importance of the league waned from the 16th century, Lübeck continued to thrive. The old city and its important structures have largely escaped bombs during the World War II. The Holsten Gate– a brick Gothic gate of the 15th century is the city’s icon. The skyline of the old town is dominated by the churches of St. Mary, St. Giles, St Peter and St Jacob and the Cathedral. The old town is studded with historical buildings and cobblestone streets. It is also famous for marzipan.
I arrived Lübeck before 1 pm. There were a lot of tourists and I found the heat unbearably. As I was not in a mood of walking, I went to a restaurant known for seafood and paid 18 euro for a fish soup which was average. Then I spent considerable time in the Hanseatic Museum (9 euro entrance fee). I had to wait till 3:45pm for an entry as only 25 persons are admitted for a discovery tour an hour! It is interesting with interactive exhibits. I visited the castle friary with a cloister while waiting. By the time I left the museum, it was too late to visit the hospital and most of the churches which closed at 6 pm. Anyway, I enjoyed strolling aimlessly looking at the picturesque townscape with timber-houses and gardens. The market square is very impressive
August 17: Bremen
Bremen is the largest city on the River Weser, the longest river flowing entirely in Germany and the capital of the German State Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Bremen’s port together with the port of Bremerhaven at the mouth of the Weser is the second largest port in Germany after Hamburg. It has been a major cultural and economic hub of Northern Germany. Its City Hall and the Bremen Roland are World Heritage properties.
Bremen is a thriving city. I joined a guided tour (8 euro) to see the Town Hall which was built in the early 15th century while a new part was added last century. There is a famous wine cellar holding the largest and a large storage of the best German wines. A Roland statute stands in front in the market place. After lunch in the market place, I went to explore the Schnoor, a small well-preserved area of crooked lanes, houses of fishermen and shippers from the 17th and 18th centuries. Today these buildings are occupied by cafes, shops and art galleries.
August 18: Hamburg & Dusseldorf
Before taking the train to Dusseldorf, I spent the morning exploring the Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District, one of the largest warehouse districts in the world. It still handles a third of the world’s carpet production, cocoa, coffee, tea, spices, maritime equipment and electronic goods. Building starting in 1883, the Speicherstadt is indeed a maze of canals and bridges, and has been smartly revitalised with museums, residential buildings, and offices. I enjoyed exploring the HafenCity, the newest area of Hamburg.
I arrived in Dusseldorf around 6 pm and was delighted to be greeted by Brita, an old friend. She took me to an Italian restaurant in the old city. I had a leisure stay in Dusseldorf before returning to Hong Kong with wonderful dinner with Brita every night. Brita also suggested me visit a gasometer and Essen Zollverein.
August 19: Gasometer Oberhausen
Today Gasometer Oberhausen is an impressive exhibition space using the the gas facility which was the largest gas facility in Europe. Built in the 1920s and reconstructed after WWII, it is an industrial landmark and an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the Industrial Heritage Trail. I am impressed by the innovating way this colossal facility has been renovated and put into use.
During my visit, I saw an exhibition on “The Fragile Paradise” (2012-2023). The exhibition showed the beauty of nature and the influence of humans on their environment. I saw many outstanding and award-winning photos on global warming and conservation, many of which have been seen in National Geographic and other magazines. The panoramic view from the top of the Gasometer standing at 117m above ground is impressive.
August 20: Essen Zollverein
Today I visited Essen Zollverein– an unusual World Heritage Site which has been named the most beautiful coalmine in the world. Open in 1851, the industrial complex once one of the largest coal mines in Europe, played a significant role in bringing wealth to the Ruhr region. In its heydays, it employed over 600,000 people and was closed in 1986. The site is expansive with many colossal industrial buildings and the permanent exhibition has over 6000 exhibits showcasing the fascinating archeology and history of the industrialization of the Ruhr region. Worth visiting!
I spent the rest of the afternoon with Brita leisurely visiting gardens and had an early dinner. Today I also took a COVID test which had to be done within 24 hours of the returning flight to Hong Kong. Everything went perfectly as Dusseldorf is a very efficient city. I paid only 50 euro for the test which result was available within three hours.
August 21: Dusseldorf
Before leaving Dusseldorf, the capital city of North-Rhine Westphalia and the seventh largest city in Germany, I spent the morning touring the city for the first time. I walked from the King’s Alley, Hofgarten (old city park), all the way to the old town and the River Rhine stopping all major spots including the striking Performing Arts Theatre designed by architect Bernhard Pfau and opened in 1970 with modern architecture, the Town Hall and the St Lambertus Basilica founded in 1288. I met a nice Vietnamese who showed me his house which dated back to the 16th century.
I took an afternoon train to Frankfurt and flew back to Hong Kong for a seven-day quarantine in a hotel near my flat. All in all, I had a most wonderful long journey since the onset of COVID in 2020.