Not the Wurst Day in Berlin

For the math challenged, today is our first full day in Berlin. 

It began w one of the highlights -- brunch at a place called Einstein's. As EH pointed out, every German country tries to claim him: she & I breakfasted two years ago at an Einstein's in Vienna. Here's your food porn:

The day in a nutshell:

• After brunch, we went to Pergamon -- Berlin's antiquities Museum. The highlight was Nebuchadnezzar s blue wall. Picture

(Nevermind, pics not working with ipad now 😠)

• Let’s be clear: the Pergamon is neither the Louvre OR especially the British Museum. When you admit some of your statues are copies of those in the British Museum, you have to admit you were only a second-class colonial tomb raider. 😂

• Then we stopped for a drink at the cafe there, where we remained invisible to wait stash for over half an hour! The bus-person told us they were "very busy," which seemed an exaggeration considering it was a Saturday in tourist season. 

• Then one building over to the Alte National Gallery. Their poster child is this painting, which is NOT a Renoir!

• The highlight here though was two-fold: I was wearing a Minnesota polo & held the door for people, several of whom asked me directions – in English!!! Then EH & KH BOTH got busted for carrying their purse wrong! By the same docent! I was told it started w KH pointing too closely to a statue. 😊

• It was raining outside. We waited. We found the right spot to hop on the off & on bus. We saw all of Berlin, including TWO Irish pubs & many Starbucks!

• Dinner was at Vapiano. If you don’t know the chain, it serves Italian food in a strange way – you have to stand at a counter & watch then prepare your food. Quips were made abt it not being a good food service day. ☹️

• We had Hagen Daz (there’s a retail store next to our local Starbucks) for late dessert. We had a six half scoop sampler, onto which “the chef” (Ice cream shops have chefs?!?!) added special toppings 😊 It was gone before anyone thought of a picture. But we’ll prob be back. Oh yeah I’m suppressed to remind you they were HALF scoops 😂

So far the weather has been spotty, with annoying afternoon showers both days & the famed German efficiency had been little in evidence – tho more than one German near us has mumbled “it’s Berlin, you expect it.”