Today I went on a great walking tour of “Red Berlin.” We went to the Stassi Museum, where we saw all kinds of cool authentic Stassi spy equipment, such as listening devices and smell jars. After the Stassi museum we went into a “ghost station,” which is a station that was closed down during the cold war because the train line went through both east and west Berlin. These stations have been almost perfectly preserved from before the cold war. The last stop of the tour was a section of the Berlin wall that has been preserved as it had been- pre-graffiti, there was also a big chunk of it with graffiti, and with both parts of the wall still in tact.





In the evening I hung out with a couple of guys from New York I met during breakfast. We got dinner, I had some strange “small flour dumpling” dish, and than went out to the pre-may-day celebrations. We ended up at a hipster dance party where the dj was spinning the yeah yeah yeahs, Franz Ferdinand, the Gossip, and more.

This morning I went to a flea market I had read about in one of the tourist books. There was lots of fur, lots of silver kitchenware, and lots of people. I bought, surprise-surprise, an eggcup. I also bought some opera glasses, which I’ve been wanting for some time to take with me to BAM performances, and for general spying. I was tempted to buy a doorknob because there were so many stands selling them, but than remembered I really have no need for an antique doorknob.



In the afternoon I went to the Jewish Museum, which is supposedly the most visited museum in Berlin. The museum itself was nice- chronicled two thousand years of Jewish history in the German region. But even more impressing than the museum was the building itself, designed by Daniel Libeskind. I had studied the building before, and typically buildings that have such an outstanding reputation do not live up to their name. But this building really was amazing. The exterior, the interior, the courtyards, hallways, stairways, were all well done.





After sustaining myself off a German candy bar for breakfast, and some butter cookies for lunch, I was starving by the time dinner rolled around. I headed back to the hostel and ate pizza and salad at another near by restaurant. I figured pizza and salad were the best bet in terms of getting something I knew I would like, and not accidentally ending up with meat, mushrooms, or anything else I don’t eat.

After going to bed early last night I woke refreshingly early this morning, greeting the day with coffee and a pastry from the near by train station. Even though I was awake, I was not nearly awake enough to handle the print on these train cushions:



While it was still early I took a riverboat tour around Berlin, seeing some older architecture, and some newer stuff too:







In the afternoon I wandered around an area that I read described as “Soho 10 years ago”. There were lots of little galleries, clothing stores, and cafes. I was relived that even though it was a sunny Saturday no huge crowds to be seen. I bought more eggcups, and a couple of over priced but beautiful headbands. It was at least 85 degrees today, so for lunch I cooled off with some ice cream from a very crowded haagen daz (sp?) Walking around I was impressed that many of the blocks are built in such a way that the interior of the block is a private park, and/ or playground. Peaking through building openings it seems these little private parks really are popular.



At this point my feet were sore, and my legs exhausted, so I headed by to the hostel for the reading and relaxing. Dinner was a couple of well-priced crepes (8 euros for two crepes and fresh squeezed juice) from a creperie just four blocks from the hostel.

I arrived in Berlin at about 8am- far to early to check it. So I headed to a downtown station and put my luggage in a locker and tried killing as much time as I could by walking around the neighborhood. I was pleased with this part of town when within the first hour I saw three very cheap crepe stands. I brought a sugar and lemon crepe for 1.70 Euros. Eventually I made it to my hostel, www.aurora-hostel.de, which is in a very nice neighborhood. I had been told that this neighborhood was a lot like Park Slope- and it really is. A good mix of residential and commercial, cute little restaurants and shops, and lots of young families with tons of strollers. I just wish I had the room to bring back one of their supper cute German strollers for Mia.



The hostel is nice. I have my own room, but am sharing a bathroom. I took it as a good sign that they were playing The Postal Service in the lobby when I checked in.








I went ahead and got settled in and took a walk around the neighborhood. Lunch was eaten at a restaurant named Frida Khalo- it worked well for me because the menu was half in Spanish and half in German. I had also read about it in the NYTimes travel section. So I ordered chips and queso and a frozen mango margarita. And sat on their outdoor patio enjoying the nice weather.

After checking out of the Frisco Inn I had most of the day to waste until heading out on my train trip to Berlin. So I ate one last pancake at a little French place I had eaten at several times. I took another canal boat cruise; this one took a slightly different route. The rest of the day I wasted away at an air-conditioned café.
My train ride down to Brussels was pleasant- the view was nice, the seats comfortable, and we were served dinner which helped pass the time. Dinner included three kinds of seafood, over cooked bland veggies, a roll, a chunk of cheese and a candy bar.



As many of you can probably guess I only ate the roll, cheese and candy bar. My two hour layover in Brussels turned into a 3 hour wait, with the only thing open being this “24 Hour Store” - a glorified vending machine selling everything from tampons to sandwiches.



When the train arrived I was directed to the wrong end of the car, causing me to walk to length of the train once it was it motion. This did give me a chance to check out all of the different seating sleeping arrangements. First came the basic seats, the lowest level, than came the basic beads. The basic beads were packed six to a room, three bunks high, the rooms small glass boxes with a flimsy curtain for blocking out light, with seemingly no room for luggage. I was relived when I made it to the other end of the train. Relived that I booked a first class sleeper cabin. My little cabin was a nice wooden walled room, with a sink and mirror, room for storage, and locking doors, and I had it all to my self. A nice German man helped get me settled getting me fresh towels and drinking water. In the morning he brought me a croissant and tea and made sure I didn’t miss my stop. Thank God for First Class.

Another pancake for breakfast this morning- it’s really a shame that I have no idea what exactly is in these things. I did a good amount of shopping today going in lots of antique and vintage clothing stores. Several more eggs cups were bought to add to our ever-growing collection. I got a couple at an cute little ceramic shop:



I tried going to the Amsterdam Centre for Architecture, but it was closed. The impressive building made the walk over worth it:



For my afternoon snack I had some pastries on a bench by one of the canals:

Today I took a bus tour out to Keukenhof, a true tulip wonderland. Keukenhof is an expansive park, open to the public just 8 weeks a year when the 7 million bulbs are in bloom. Located just 45 minutes away from Amsterdam the trip there and back was easy. We had 4 hours to wander the extensive park and surprisingly you almost needed that long. I took plenty of pictures but I will just share a few here:







Lunch was a picnic sitting in one of the most comfortable lawn chairs ever made:



This is from one of the very well designed resturants:



By the time I got back to Amsterdam I was exhausted.

Seemingly still jet lagged I once again slept late today. Breakfast was a couple of cups of English tea to get the blood flowing. It seems that everywhere here serves some slight variation of “English Breakfast.” This said breakfast consists of eggs, beans, some type of meat, and sometimes mushrooms. Seeing the posters for the product is enough for me to lose my appetite. So I stick with tea, and head out to the southern end up town. I first head to the Anne Frank museum but when I see the two-hour long line I decide that maybe I should just re-read the book. My next stop if the Van Gough Museum. The new addition to the museum is fantastic.



Unfortunately that is where fantastic qualities end. The exhibit was nice enough- over crowded and bit too commercial. But fine. Luckily I spent more time wandering the streets looking at the beautiful homes and canals than I did looking at every painting Van Gough ever painted printed on a postcard, umbrella, or vase. But enough of my cynicism. A long with my lovely walks I also had another nice pancake, this one with lemon, from a cute little restaurant with a patio overlooking a canal.





I than headed for a design store I had read about- Frozen Fountain. This store could be trouble for me. Luckily there isn’t anything this much to my liking in New York. They seemed to have everything that Tord Boontje has every created- far more than the "until dawn curtain" that has become so popular I can't consider buying it. A few items carried by Future Perfect, my Brooklyn design resource. And to mix it up a bit a few Eames pieces. The one thing I really wanted that was under a hundred Euros was too heavy to take with or mail back. The one thing I really wanted that I couldn’t afford was a 1,995-Euro ceramic bunny in a bowl:



After the slight thrill of going to the design store, coupled with the disappointment of leaving empty handed I continued to wander about the city. Because today was so very warm (75,) I did the American thing and ate a cone of Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream, which seems to be sold on every other block.

After the long day of walking my legs and feet went on strike, so I mostly spent the evening in. Dinner consisted of a beer from downstairs and some fries from around the counter.

Unfortunately today was a mostly unproductive day. Most attractions, shops and gallaries are closed on Sunday. But I did go to the Stedelijk Museum CS Contemporary Art. One highlight of the museum was the well-designed restaurant on the top floor:







I walked around and did a bit of shopping- spent more money than I really should have, but that’s what traveling is for. I had dinner at a delicious near by restaurant I had read about in my Wallpaper City Guide. The restaurant is name Brasserie Harkema and could be bested described as Italian fusion. I had the most delicious risotto with asparagus and paper think waffle cut potato chips.



I spent the evening reading Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs. It’s a nice light and fun read after reading Joan Didion’s A Year of Magical Thinking.

I slept in this morning after not being able to sleep last night. Breakfast was a Dutch pancake (thinner than an American pancake, thicker than a crepe, but still the a foot and a half across.) Mine was served with whipped cream and candied ginger. I explored one of the many shopping districts. The district was really a narrow pedestrian only street with lots of stores on either side. After that I went to the Amsterdam Historical Museum and than took a canal boat trip. These are all pictures from the canal tours.









Because the doors and stairways are so narrow all moving is done trough the windows with the help of hooks on the gables.





A note of amusement: on average one car a weeks accidentally ends up in the canal.

Today I flew from London to Amsterdam- so much of the day was spent in transit. I train trip to the airport, a short flight, a train trip to Amsterdam’s Central Station. Than a short walk to my hotel- the Hotel Frisco. My room is on the 3rd floor, up very steep steps. There is no reception area- check in is at the bar next door. The room might be tinny but its all my own, and has its own bathroom.






Since I’m going to be here for 6 nights I took the time to unpack and settle in before going out. Just a block over is one of the main drags of the Red Light District. A couple of blocks the other way to the historic district.

Some canal homes right around the corner from the hotel.




So there really are a ton of bikes all over Amsterdam. I am immensely impressed by just how many and large the bike parking lots are.



There are little places like this everywhere- selling pastry, baguette sandwiches, and various flavored waffles; this one is on the corner across from the hotel.



I wandered the streets getting cheese toast (essentially slices of cheese on a toasted baguette,) and checking out a couple of cafes. I’m thrilled that Amsterdam isn’t nearly as expensive as London. Prices are reasonable, and everyone really does seem to speak English.

Today was museum day. After another continental breakfast at the hostel I took the underground to the Victoria and Albert Museum- that Kristen luckily recommended me to go and see. The museum is expansive covering design from just about every country and every time period. The temporary exhibit was on Surrealism Design- over all there was more painting than design, but still more Surrealist Design than I had every seen. There was a fashion wing that included an exhibit on what’s hot in New York fashion today and I was proud of myself for recognizing several names. There was another temporary exhibit that I found odd- it was a whole exhibit dedicated to Kylie Manogue- that pop star who was popular a few years ago. Several rooms filled with her pictures, her clothes, and a mock dressing room. It was strange.



After going to the V&A I strolled around that part of London ending up back at Harrods where I ate at their little grocery café across the street from the store. There was a conveyer bet sushi bar, a bagel bar, a Krispy Kreme bar, and a French bar, with take out groceries in between it all. I was a bit shocked that the Krispy Kreme’s were 90 pence ($1.80)- but than again everything here costs about twice what it does back home.

After lunch I had planed on going to see St. Paul’s- but decided it wasn’t worth the 9-pound ($18) admission. Here are a pictures of the exterior.



After leaving St. Paul’s I headed back over the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern. On this trip I saw much of their impressive permanent collection and took of pictures of their family and education programs. I also had dinner in their top floor restaurant with its great views.



Notice all of the cranes in the picture? I could count at least 30 construction cranes from where I sat in the Tate.

Tonight I get my stuff in order to leave early tomorrow to catch a flight to Amsterdam.

Today was my first full day in London- considering how out of it I was yesterday. A decent continental breakfast is included in the price of the hostel- so I had that for breakfast. After breakfast I look a double-decker bus tour of the city- as touristy as double-decker busses are they still are a good way to get a layout of the city. So far I really like the architecture in London. Both for its more pedestrian scale (buildings average about 6-8 stories) as well as the common juxtaposition of old and new.






In the afternoon I went to Harrods, which I had heard so much about, and I have to say really, is amazing. The store really has everything, including fine groceries, more than a dozen restaurants; every kind of department store item of the finest quality- and the store is beautiful. The kind of department store you can imagine people used to get dressed up to go to. I ended up just buying some chocolates and going nearby to Hyde Park and renting a chair to sit in to eat my chocolate and enjoy the sun. The weather has been so much nicer here than in New York. Here everything is in bloom- in New York there aren’t even leaves on trees. After my chocolates and sun I wandered through a few areas of town, ending up back at the hostel.










I also like seeing dragons all over the city- what kind of city has the dragon as its symbol?