So NefertitiIS in Berlin, after all! Triumph!! At breakfast this morning in the hostel, struck up conversation with an older man from California who is visiting Berlin as a guest lecturer at Berlin's famous Humboldt University.

I mentioned my disappointment about the Neues Musuem not being open and he said Nefertiti is still in Charlottenburg. That is where Sturty and I saw her back in 1990. Deutschland's art collections were divided at the end of WWII, with the western half of the collection being put into the museums near Charlottenburg (since the Museum Insel is in East Berlin). Anyway, eventually they are going to move Nefertiti back to the Musuem Insel, but for now, she's still on the west side.

So after an hour on the S-bahn and a little hike for about a mile, I found the Ägyptischen Museum on Spandauer Straße and Nefertiti and the Tor which I remembered from my visit with Sturty. Was as unbelievable as I remembered it. Wow, wow, wow. PEAK EXPERIENCE #1!!

Then, more wows when I went to the Nationalgalerie (Berlin's national art musuem). It was SO beautiful. Not just the paintings...some of them were so unusual, so striking...not the usual parade of Monets and VanGoghs, but different Deutsche works. But the building itself was beautiful, with richly decorated rooms with ceilings of varying heights and sculptures that just led you on and on and on. I got this huge high being in there (course it was kinda stuffy too). Even if the pictures don't turn out, it is something that I will never forget. PEAK EXPERIENCE #2!!

Of course, I started out the day with on a high note, too, because I went to this Kirche near the hostel for Sunday services. It is Pfingsten (Pentecost), which is a big holiday here in Deutschland. Tomorrow is PfingstenMonntag and a holiday (hence my mad dash to see all the museums I wanted to visit today, as everything is closed tomorrow). I actually understood most of the service, since the pastor lady spoke slow. The church is very old and in need of lots of repair. Hugely high ceilings and underneath the paint peeling in the front behind the altar, you could see original artwork that they are probably going to restore. Something about its old kind of well-worn state was oddly touching, though, and I think Gina, that you would have loved it. They baptized (teufel) seven children and there was this happy holiday air, with all the cousins and families of the children gathering around and laughing and taking pictures.

Also went to the Brandburger Tor, and had that aaahhhh-HOME moment when I stopped at a Starbucks in front of the Tor to treat myself to a venti iced coffee. Starbucks smelled like home and reminded me of our last time there w/ Dom, G. That is something I never would have thought I would be doing. How trippy is this, Amy, to be drinking Starbucks sitting in front of the Brandenburger Tor, mit nichts von eine Mauer in blick. Too bizarre! Last time I was there, I was totally erärgeret about this giant statue that they had commemorating Stalin's victory über Deutschland. I didn't see that this time. Hope they took it out. Ha.

Lounged in front of the Berliner Dom (giant cathedral - click on the number links after clicking on this link to really get a feel for how beautiful it is) and wrote and people-watched. Hey, munklie, those wet wipes came in handy too, for my feet. Everyone else dunked their feet in this fountain (G - I thought of your hygiene fountain trauma in Hubbard where everyone got sick and kept my feet out.). Anyway, I discovered wet wipes are TOLL when it comes to making your tired Füsse feel better after a long day of walking.

So then after all my adventures I had a peak experience nummer drei when I found out they were having abend Gottesdienst at the Berliner Dom. Instead of being the little amerikanische Tourist and going in and snapping photos, which you can get on a postcard anyway (Ich schicke du eine, Mutti) I went to the Berliner Dom for evening services. It was actually very nice, very respectful. There was a prayerbook they used so I could follow along. I guess after all our Advent time as a family, there is just something really moving to me to sing hymns and pray auf Deutsch. And of course the Berliner Dom is not-to-be-believed-beautiful, with gold everywhere and huge frescoes and carvings. Up high in this huge loft they had a guest choir, too, for Pfingsten and their voices were SOOOO beautiful. Ach!! It was neat to not be a tourist but be one of the crowd, elbow to elbow with all the German Omas chattering.

So, I've just finished dinner and a yummy Bäyrische bier (in honor of you, Amy, without whom I probably wouldn't be here in Berlin). Here's to all of you, family and friends! I love you all!!