Cool Museum on a Hot Day

Yesterday was hot, and our pleasure at Potsdam was diminished by the effort it took to survive the heat. Today was forcast to be even hotter. In fact the temperature climbed to 95 F.  But we coped much better with the heat today 

After a sweaty night I rose early to walk Kate through deserted streets to catch the subway to her bus back to the Netherlands.

We took our time getting started this morning and realized that our priority was figuring how to get to Tegel Airport on Monday morning. It would have been easy because an express bus to the airport stops just across the street.  Unfortunately construction, which is omnipresent, has interrupted this service. Our information seemed to indicate that the express did leave from Zoologischer Garten, and the bus across the street did go there. So we packed a lunch and set out to verify the departures of this X bus.  

We hopped on Bus 100 which wound us past the Reichstag and through the Tiergarten, coming to a terminus at the Zoologischer  Garten.  We exited the bus and started looking around. After checking different corners we realized that there was actually a bus terminal with six or seven stations for different busses. And one of these spots was home to the Tegel Xpress bus.  All we have to do tomorrow is take the 200 bus to the ZG and pick up the Xpress to Tegel. We bought tickets already, so the ride will be a piece of cake. 

By the time all that was worked out we decided to head toward the Gemalde Galerie which was not too far away. We figured that some time in a cool art museum was the way to beat the heat. We boarded bus 200 which headed us east, and we got out at the closest stop to the museum.  Once again we were at the cool, shady edge of the Tirgarten. It was the perfect place to eat our sandwiches. We looked out over a bright, green algae carpet and enjoyed our last picnic of the trip. 

The museum was nearly across the street. I remembered the riches of this museum from forty years ago. But there was also an excellent special exhibit.

It was on the Golden Age of Spanish painting and began with El Greco and continued into the 17th century. It was extensive and very well presented. But I didn't want to miss the old masters, so I didn't linger. We worked our way through rooms of Durer, Cranach, Holbein, Brueghel, Hals, Rubens and more until we reached the Rembrandt.  There were almost two rooms full of Rembrandt paintings including the one we are using as a bulletin cover this fall at CTR.

The model Rembrandt used for the Head of Christ was Jewish. And a painting of the model hung next to the Christ.

Not only were there many Rembrandts, but also two of the extant Vermeers.  

When we were finally worn out, we felt like a cup of afternoon coffee. It had been too hot the other days for coffee. And today was even hotter, but we had spent it in a cool art museum. We even split a creamy chocolate cake for tea time. 

When we left the museum we headed east again on Bus 200.  Our last stop was a ride up the Fernsehturm.

There was no line so we boarded the elevator and headed for the observation deck. The decor was very retro and reflected the 60s when this tower was built. We had a good view of the Brandenburg Gate and could even identify the location of our apartment by the tall yellow crane outside our window. 

We found a restaurant close by and enjoyed our final beers of the trip.

Now it is time to pack and get ready to fly home. It has been a wonderful trip, but it will feel good to be back I. Our own bed again.