Berlin at Christmas, 2013
In December 2013 Ron
and Carol spent 7 days in Berlin. They did five major museums, a bus tour, a
boat tour and even a small walking tour. They were also able to visit three
Christmas Markets.
Baltimore, MD - National Cryptologic Museum. As
usual Ron and Carol go early to a museum before the flight, this time the
National Cryptologic Museum near BWI. There they
happened to meet the Deputy Director of the NSA John Inglis. He started talking to us out of the blue, and told
us some interesting facts about the things in the museums. Ron tried to
exchange business cards, but Director Inglis did not
have any, but gave Ron an NSA medallion instead. Here
Ron is looking at it. For details please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2013/12/11/
.
The NSA medallion Ron got.
Director Inglis name is on the back in ASCII.
Baltimore, MD - National Cryptologic Museum. Ron
encrypted and then decrypted his name on a WWII German Enigma machine.
Berlin – Berlin Cathedral (German: Berliner Dom) was
built in 1906. It is the largest Protestant church in Germany. Its bells
welcomed Ron and Carol to Museum Island at the start of their vacation. (A photo merge.) For details please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2013/12/14/
.
Berlin – Left from the previous picture is the Altes Museum. This was completed in 1830 as a museum and is
one of the most important buildings of the Neoclassical
era. The museum houses the art and culture of the Greeks, Etruscans [rare], and
Romans.
Berlin – The Altes Museum.
Ron with an Etruscan shield from 7c. BC.
Berlin – The Altes Museum.
Julius Caesar staring at his lover Cleopatra (VII). Her stature done in her lifetime and his soon after his death.
Therefore, both should be accurate. The arrangement is breathtaking.
Berlin – The Altes Museum.
The so called ‘Berlin Goddess’. Greek (Attica), 580-560 BC,
life size.
Berlin – Bus tour.
A section of the Berlin Wall still standing. The round
shapes placed on top were harder to get over than barbed wire. For details of
the bus tour and the Neues museum please read Carol's
blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2013/12/18/
.
Berlin – Bus tour.
The Berlin City Hall, called the Rotes Rathaus (Red
City Hall). Built 1860s, but like most things in Berlin, it was heavily damaged
in WWII. This rebuilt to original plans. The iconic TV tower (Fernsehturm) can be seen in the background. Built in 1969 by the DGR.
Berlin – The Neues Museum
on the left and the Alte Nationalgalerie
(Old National Gallery) on the right. Behind is the hard to photograph Pergamon
Museum. All on Museum Island. (A
photo merge.)
Berlin – The Neues Museum.
An Egyptian lyre with heads of horses. New Kingdom, 15-12c BC.
Berlin – The Neues Museum. Possible statue of King Tutankhamun, ruled ca. 1332 BC – 1323 BC.
The Neues museum also has the
famous statue of Nefertiti. No pictures of her were allowed so here is a link: http://upload.wikimedia.org/.../Nofretete_Neues_Museum.jpg
Berlin – The Neues Museum.
Helmet and armor of a murmillo class gladiator. He
would have carried a Roman sword and rectangular shield.
Berlin – The Neues Museum.
Oracle statue of goddess Isis. From
the villa of Hadrian (!) in Tivoli. 130 AD, life size.
Berlin at night.
One evening Carol and Ron went out to supper in the fog. There was all that
could be seen of the TV tower. They ate at the base of the tower and had currywurst, probably for the first and last time. (Think
fat hot dog in ketchup.)
Berlin – The Christmas Market at
City Hall.
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. The Ishtar Gate was
the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon. It was constructed in about 575
BC by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II. (The one in the Book
of Daniel.) The Germans rebuilt the gate from thousands of small pieces.
For details of more of the Pergamon Museum visit please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2013/12/26/
.
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. The
Market Gate of Miletus. 2nd c. AD. (A photo merge.)
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. The famous Code of
Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian law code [“an eye for an eye”], dating
back to about 1772 BC.
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. The Pergamon Altar is
a monumental construction built in the first half of the 2nd century BC in the
ancient city of Pergamon in Asia Minor. (Seleucid Empire.)
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. Carol
waving from the top of the Pergamon Altar.
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. Carol between two
lions belonging to a gate into the city of Sam’al in
Turkey. 10-8c, BC.
Berlin – The Pergamon Museum. Relief
showing a royal bodyguard from the palace of Darius I in Susa, 5c BC. Nearly life size figures.
Berlin - The Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) contains many
eclectic works of art with emphasis on works related to German artist or
culture. Here one by Caspar Friedrick called “Woman
at a Window”, 1822. For details please read Carol's blog at
http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2014/01/11/ .
Berlin – near Potsdamer Platz more Berlin wall, with history. For details of our
bus trip and the Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery)
please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2014/01/24/
.
Berlin – Sony Center. Ron and Carol came across the
setup for 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'
European premiere in Berlin. Here Ron checks Smaug’s
tooth for sharpness.
Berlin – Sony Center. The premiere of the movie was
on the day Ron and Carol left Berlin. Here Martin Freeman stands in front of
the same teeth.
Berlin – Sony Center. A giraffe made of Lego.
Berlin – The Gemäldegalerie.
This museum, near Potsdamer Platz,
holds one of the world's leading collections of European paintings from the
13th to the 18th centuries. Here an art picture by Carol of the inside of the
dome.
Berlin – The Gemäldegalerie.
A portrait of a young lady by Sandro Botticelli from 1460.
Berlin – The Gemäldegalerie.
Die Grablegung Mariae (The
Entombment of Mary) by Giotto di Bondone,1310. Very famous.
Berlin – Outside the Gemäldegalerie. Fortunately the museum
was open to 8PM and Ron and Carol were able to complete it in one day. This is
looking south with the Berlin Philharmonic to the left.
Berlin – The Bode Museum. (Pronounced
‘border’.) Built in 1904 it is now the home for a
collection of sculptures, Byzantine art, and coins and medals. It is at
the west end of Museum Island. For details please read Carol's blog at
http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2014/01/25/ .
Berlin – The Bode Museum. A
gambling machine with scenes of chariot racing. Drop a coin in and watch
it avoid the openings. Constantinople, 5th c.
Berlin – The Bode Museum. Vanitas.
…while the other side shows death. By Frankreich oder Niederlande,
16c,
Berlin – The Bode Museum. The Bound Corsair
(pirate). By Baratta, 1710.
About 15 ins.
Berlin – The Bode Museum. Mary
from an annunciation. Valdambrino, Siena,
1420. Life size, almost shocking in its color.
Berlin – The Bode Museum. Oil lamp
on an Eagle’s Claw. Ravenna, Italy, 1538.
Berlin – The Bode Museum. The
rotunda staircase. (A photo merge.)
Berlin – The Brandenburg Gate (German: Tor) is a
former city gate, rebuilt in the late 18th century. This was the day for a
walking tour. For details please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2014/01/30/
.
Berlin – On Unter den
Linden ("under the linden trees") Boulevard, a shop for the
walk/don’t walk symbols of Berlin. Ron bought a watch hat with the red man.
Berlin – near Gendarmenmarkt.
Looking for a rest and something to drink, Ron and Carol’s spotted what seemed
to be a sport’s bar called Ritter Sport. Once inside they realize it was a
chocolate shop. Great! Coffee and tea with fruit dipped in chocolate. (Do not
tell Ron’s doctor.)
Berlin – Gendarmenmarkt. A
huge Christmas Market. Crowded! The square contains three large buildings.
Shown is the Deutscher Dom (German Cathedral) which
is now a museum of German history.
Berlin – Near Unter den
Linden. Carol getting between a bear and its cubs again.
(Every trip!) Behind is the Unter
den Linden Christmas Market. This was a lot more fun.
Berlin – on the Spree River.
Carol listening to the commentary in English. For
details of the boat tour please read Carol's blog at http://carolbuckles.livejournal.com/2014/02/01/
.
Berlin – on the Spree.
A boat similar to what Ron and Carol are on, in front of
Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Main or Central [train]
Station).
Berlin – a walk on the Spree.