Museum Island in Berlin is home to several museums which survived largely unscathed from World War II. Perhaps the most famous is the Pergamonmuseum which I visited this morning. Fortunately Jutta and I had checked the website a few days ago and took to heart the advice that free-of-charge pre-booked entrance times were a good idea in light of long lines. I cruised right on past the line up with my museum pass and my timed ticket.
I confess to taking a pretty quick run round the Pergamon. The collection is comprised of antiquities from the middle and near east. I worry when I see huge parts of another country’s cultural past displayed in western museums. Those wonders should be where they came from, shouldn’t they?
I don’t feel uncomfortable with ancient portables like jugs and bowls, so I spent some time enjoying them. Illogical perhaps, but whatever.
Next door to the Pergamon is a gorgeous building with nary a line in sight. The Alte Nationalgalerie houses mostly German art – sculpture and painting – with a smattering of other modern European art thrown in. Here I was happy to indulge myself though I think I enjoyed the building at least as much as its contents.
Tomorrow I will return to Museum Island to visit the Bode and the Neues Museums. Can’t ever have too many museums!
I experienced a real treat this afternoon. Jutta took me to her English class, a mix of conversation and literature. Since it is summer, the class was small – only five students and the instructor there today – thus the lesson took place at a coffee shop. I was asked questions about Vancouver and what I had done in Berlin, then the instructor Ted (originally from Boston) asked each student what she had been doing over the past week. One had a brand new granddaughter in Texas who was in hospital struggling with an infection. Another had been visiting friends and hiking in Switzerland. This information generated a discussion about why the Swiss don’t like the Germans – news to me! The consensus was that the Swiss think Germans are rude and arrogant. Two of the woman had seen movies they reviewed and recommended to the group.
The students took turns reading the assigned short story – “Everything Stuck to Him” by Raymond Carver – aloud, and I was even privileged to read a bit. These women (men are welcome but none were there today) speak quite good English and were able to express their thoughts and feelings about the story fairly fluently. We had lots of laughs when the women’s opinion on relationships differed from the one male opinion! I so enjoyed meeting other Germans in their own milieu.
Following class, Jutta and I hot-footed it for the Hauptbahnhof, Berlin’s central train and transit station, to catch a scheduled river boat trip. The river Spree flows through the middle of Berlin; in fact, it splits in two temporarily as it courses around Museum Island. I relaxed with my camera and a beer and enjoyed seeing Berlin from another perspective.
I have only two days left in Berlin, clearly not long enough. This city is fascinating and beautiful and so rich in history. I feel like my visit is going by much like this photo I took of the Tiergarten. See you tomorrow!
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