so much to see in berlin it seems wrong to leave town for a day
but - potsdam in brandenburg gets rave reviews so needs a visit
45 minutes by train and we are there before most other people
score tickets for the hop-on hop-off (ho-ho) bus and head off
uh-oh - ho-ho not so good today - german guide not unexpected
but faulty audio equipment means missing most of the commentary
should have hired a couple of bikes - definitely will from here on
first stop - cecilienhof - the last palace built by the royal family
looking more like an english estate with a brown tudor style
it's main claim to fame is the potsdam conference held in 1945
that where churchill, stalin and truman carved up germany
including the division of berlin hence the need for the wall
also where truman received word of the atom bomb good to go
we wander from room to room with an audio guide soaking it up
the office of each of the big 3 is open to peruse - simple rooms
ditto the main conference room complete with original furniture
quite a surreal time standing a few metres from the round table
we both walk out glad and humbled by the experience at this place
potsdam is a huge place - an old and new town, housing, palaces
including sanssouci royal park of particular historical significance
this is where the new palace (neues palais) was built in the 18th century
the surroundings are understated so approaching it is quite an experience
mostly delapidated, baroque in style and adorned with countless statues
so large it is totally intimidating - no doubt symbolic of the prussian empire
frederick the great surely did create a legacy - the upkeep must be enormous
we take the long walk away from the palace and yearn for simplicity
lunch taken at the winemakers cottage now a cafe / restaurant
superb too - white linen, waiters, classical music, great menu
the local potsdamer bier a very nice brew - we are relaxed
consult the map and make a choice from the many options
sansscouci palace - the summer residence of fred the great
much smaller and more inviting than the newer palace
the versailles of germany they say - gardens and fountains
and looking very summery - yellow paint and greenery
the afternoon has slipped by very nicely in this place
a day does not do justice to potsdam - we was warned
but feeling very content with what has been discovered
back to home base on the amazing berlin train system
do as the locals and obtain dinner/drinks from a kiosk
and a quiet night in to catch breath and do e-deeds
tomorrow - dig deeper into berlin for the last day...
