Berlin

Getting to Berlin wasn’t too bad. It was a long trip, but with a Eurail Pass you get first class, which seems to usually be pretty empty, and it’s pretty nice on some trains. There seems to be very little standardization of 1st class amenities, even within the same car. Depending on how lucky you are, you may end up in a nice enclosed suite or a cramped chair. You may be able to store your bag near your seat or you may have to leave it near the door. Ich verstehe nicht. Stopped long enough in Koeln to take pictures of the Dom:

http://ikemi.info/graphics3/ToBerlin2011/index.html

That’s actually my second time there since we stopped there after my first Edelweiss Alpine tour.

I ended up in the huge, multi-level Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) which is relatively uncrowded, clean, and well patrolled by armed police. It’s also a mall with all kinds of fast food, from sushi to McDonalds (and Burger King). There are also supermarkets where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. There are connections to the S bahn (the elevated, although sometimes it goes below the) U bahn (subway). The Hbf was formerly the Ost Bahnhof before the wall fell. I used my Eurail pass to take the S-bahn to the Zoo, which was formerly the main train station for West Berlin and known for the seamy elements it attracted to its backside. If I had known, I could have taken the S bahn farther to Savigny Platz, which would have dropped me right off by my hotel. As it was, I walked from the Zoo which gave me an idea of the area. Besides the Berlin Zoo, I came across a large sex shop and then transitioned to the still trendy Kurfuerstendam, which has a lot of shops and restaurants, and was still pretty busy. I guess you could say it’s similar to Westwood in L.A. since the action it once saw has drifted to area in the eastern part of the city, but may be coming back.

The NH Berlin Hotel (same chain as the one in Trier) turned out to be well situated. It was near both S bahn and U bahn stations, the Tourist Information center, and a Starbucks. The only thing missing was McDonalds. Starbucks is important since it’s about the only place you can find free wifi. Otherwise it is pretty expensive (Maybe 12 euros/day) athough the NH Hotel will give you 30 minutes free. McDonalds is important since their food seems to have less sodium than the local cuisine. The hotel is also near a lot of restaurants of all types with sidewalk tables. I tried a Greek restaurant the first night.

The first day I got up early and took the local transportation to the Reichstag. The Reichstadt opens at 8AM so you can hit it before the other museums. Security there was very tight, as thorough as FSA so leave at your hotel knives, etc. However, they will return them to you afterwards. It’s worth the trouble to get on the roof and as Rick Steves says. If you like high tech, the mirror lighting system with the sun shade are worth checking out.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Brandenburg2011/index.html

The Brandenburg gate has really been cleaned up since the last time I was there. No more pushcart beer vendors or guys trying to sell Soviet military items. There’s also an S bahn station there so you can get on your way again. Next I got on the S-bahn at the Brandenburg Tor for a trip to the Musee Insel and a whirlwind tour of the Neues and Altes Museums. Unfortunately, there is no U or S bahn station near the Musee Insel, which seems to be a major oversight. However, there are the East German trams you can take, but they aren’t covered by the Berlin cards. I just walked since I always need the exercise. It turns out the S bahn station after Fredrichstrasse is nearer than Fredrichstrasse, something I noted for the next day.

The Altes Museum has a realy strong collection of Greek Art, as well as Etruscan and Roman. You really have to conclude that some of the best classical Greek art is in England and Germany. What you see in American museums gives you no idea of what the Greeks were really capable.

Pictures: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/AltesMuseum2011/index.html

The Neues Museum of course has the bust of Nefertiti, as well as what little of the treasure of Schliemann the Russians decided to return. Most of what you see on display are reproductions. The caliber of the Egyptian artifacts is of course very high. The building itself is of interest since an attempt was made to incorporate as much of the original bombed out structure as possible to give you an idea of what the museum was originally like. Amazingly you can take non-flash pictures of almost everything, except the Nefertiti bust. Yes, it does look good, and it’s not any other Egyptian art you can see. The other amazing thing in this museum is the golden hat that is actually an astronomical calculator.

Pictures:
http://ikemi.info/graphics3/NeuesMuseum2011/index.html

The penultimate museum of the day was the Bode, which I visited mainly for the Byzantine collection hidden in a corner. The main attraction is a restored (with interventions) mosaic from a ruined church in Ravenna. There’s also an inscription from the wall at Constantinople that probably documents the last work done on it before the fall.

Photos: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/BodeMuseum2011/index.html

Next door is the Pergamon Museum where they were erecting something that looked a huge oil tank in front of the entrance. This time I actually liked the museum better than the first time I visited it. Since that first visit I’d been to Pergamon and seen where the altar was supposed to have been, so I had a better context for it. I wish I’d had more time for the rest of the museum, especially the extensive exhibits upstairs on muslim art. I stayed till the museum closed so I had a chance to see the altar with no people on it. There was also an exhibition on a museum of art from the fertile crescent that they hadn’t been able to evacuate before it was fire bombed. Water was sprayed on the still hot stone statues and they exploded into little pieces. There has been a effort to try to piece some of the statues back together.

Photos: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Pergamon2011/index.html

I stopped by the Dom, but it was already closed, so I decided to head back to my hotel, passing by the Lust garden and then north to the S bahn station I should have taken. Along the way I saw the DDR museum (didn’t enter) and a heck of a lot of cafes along the river.

The next day I didn’t have to get up early, but returned to the Musee Insel to enter the Dom, the Old Picture Gallery and visit the Deutsches Historicshe Museum. However, before that I took the metro system to Humboldthain Park to look for the remains of one of the last flak towers in Berlin. The U-bahn actually dumps you off at the park, near the offices of an agency that conducts tours to the flak tower, bomb shelters, and parts of the U-bahn. A gentleman from that agency pointed me in the right direction. You more or less go straight from the U-bahn and hit a nice rose garden. After admiring the roses, you go through the back gate of the garden and start your way up the “hill”. The hill is actually the ruins of the back side of the flak tower. There is a switchback path that is gentle or you can take stairs that go straight up. There is a small area for picnic benches at the top and then the platforms for guns on the other side. One of these is now occupied by a sculpture and there is a lot of graffiti, which isn’t surprising in Germany. You can descend by stairs on that side that take you back to the rose garden. There is a pretty good view from the gun platforms.

Photos: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Humboldthain2011/index.html

The Alte Nationalgalerie is in a cute little building, but it is the one you might skip if you’re in a rush. When I bought my Berlin Pass the girl said it was closed, and I could have taken her at her word.

Photos: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/AlteNationalgalerie2011/index.html

Then I went to the Dom, which is okay to visit if you get the discount with the Berlin card. I climbed up to the museum, which mainly contains models of what the Dom could have looked like. I didn’t feel like climbing up for a better view, so I exited, where you’re forced to go through the crypt and then a coffee shop. I wanted a cup of coffee, but a gentleman had decided to take up permanent residence chatting at the counter, so I emerged back up at the Lust Garten and headed for the Deutsches Historisches Museum.

Photos: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/BerlinDom2011/index.html

The Deutsches Historisches Museum has a little bit of everything. It tells the history of Germany with displays which often include artwork and examples of the decorative arts. The special exhibit was on the role the German police played in the Holocaust. No photos there, but they were allowed in the rest of the museum. The museum is also known for a dome by I.M. Pei. I was lucky and hit it on a free admission day, which was good since it’s not included on my Berlin Card. This card is a good deal since you get free admission to some top museums, discounts at others, and public transportation for three days. It saves a lot of hassle.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/DeutschesHistorischesMuseum2011/index.html

On to Trier

After my hike to Kleine Scheidegg it was time to say good-bye to Switzerland and proceed to Trier, Germany with my Eurail pass. This required an early rise to catch the trains from Wengen to Interlaken and my 8AM train to Mannheim. Mannheim wasn’t listed in the timetables so I had to ask at information to verify which platform I should be on. I got to Interlaken early and I was glad of it, and even had time to grab a sandwich and coffee for breakfast. The weather was good and the train to Mannheim was one of the nicest so far. The train to Geneva hadn’t been as in as good a shape as I had remembered. From there I transferred to a train to Koblenz. On this train I had my first views of the River and the long boats on it. We even passed a castle or two. Since it was a Saturday you see campgrounds full of trailer tents now and then. After that it was a regional train along the Mosel to Trier. I caught a bus from the train station to the NH Trier Hotel which is near the northern traffic circle and a nice park.

The wind was picking up when I arrived and that night it poured. I managed to beat the rain when I went out to dinner, but forgot the map the hotel had given me and ended up at the local McDonalds for a grilled caser salad (appropriate in the former imperial Roman capital) and a Burger Royale since I had skipped lunch. I did a little exploring on the street closest to the river but gave up quickly and headed back to the hotel. It was warm and windy and sure enough it poured that night. The next morning it still looked nasty and I wasn’t feeling that great (something I picked up while climbing up to Maennlichen) so I stayed in bed waiting for the weather to improve. Per the forecasts so I loaded up and headed out for the town, stopping first at McDonalds again for breakfast. Apparently they don’t have an equivalent of a Big Breakfast, but they include lettuce and tomato in the “TS” versions of their breakfast sandwiches. There was a McFit next door to the McDonalds.

Following my GPS I got to the Porta Nigra around noon time. Just as I was entering the adjacent Tourist Information office, it started to pour. I put on my full storm gear, but the downpour passed and it eventually developed into a beautiful day. Following Rick Steve’s recommendation I skipped entering the Porta Nigra itself since it’s empty and also the city museum. I think I had entered the Porta Nigra on my previous trip, anyway. In Roman times there were four large gates like the Porta Nigra, but the rest are gone now. In the Landes Museum you can see a model of how the Porta Nigra appeared when It was a church.

The next stop was the Dom, but Sunday services were ongoing so there was limited access. I checked the Bishop’s Museum around the side, but it was closed till 2PM, so I proceeded to the protestant church a few blocks down, the former palace of Constantine. This time they had erected a number of large posters inside, many with English translations, which told the history of the building. Even before the Americans leveled it, the building had gone through many alterations. Anyway, there was a local belief that the bombing of the structure was divine retribution for the congregation not making an anti-Nazi pledges, as had most protestant congregations in the Rhineland. South of the Basilica are some very nice gardens and then the Kaiserthermen, the large unfinished Roman baths. The ruins are still fairly impressive and there are numerous tunnels one may explore. A video presentation in the visitor center explains how the baths were planned and how they were actually built. After the Roman era apparently they became a gate in the walls.

After asking for the directions I went through the city wall and turned left to the nearby Landes Museum. This place had me confused for a while since the entrance to the main exhibits is through the gift shop. The museum coordinates well with a visit to the Roman ruins since it contains displays on the Celts, Romans, and post-Roman inhabitants of Trier. Especially noteworthy are the mosaics, more than I’d ever seen in one place before. On the topmost floor there is a model of how Roman Trier may have appeared, which gives one a context for the Dom, Basilica, Kaiserthermen, and Porta Nigra, among others. Roman Trier was a kind of Washington DCd, a town that was purpose built to be a capital city, and didn’t evolve into one.

From the museum I backtracked to the Bishop’s Museum since I didnt want to miss it. My main interest was the reconstructions of the paintings that had been found in the ruins of a house under the cathredal. They had been reassembled piece by piece. Some think they portray members of Constatine’s family.

From there it was off to my last stop, the Ampitheater, which was about how I remembered it. It was kind of a middle-sized or small one, especially if you’ve seen the ones in Turkey. The seating area is now all earth. This one is interesting since they’ve reconstructed the wooden flooring, and you can explore underneath, but there isn’t much to see. After that I had to hoof it back to my hotel to meet a friend who was coming up from Luxembourg. I missed the Barbarathermen, but I think I recall them pretty well from the last trip. Compared to the rain the night before, and even the next day when I left, I was pretty lucky with the weather in Trier and got to see some things I had missed on my first trip. For that I had to thank the Rick Steves guidebook on my iPad.

To leave Trier I decided to go to the train on foot, just as I had done the day before, since the buses only run on the half hour where my hotel was. I could also use the exercise since I was going to be on the train the whole day. It was good that I left early since I just missed the rain that started to come in. My next stop was Berlin.

Photos of Trier at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Trier2011/index.html

Switzerland

My plane landed in Zurich around 7:30AM after a very pleasant flight. It was on a 767, which are pretty smooth, and I’d managed to get an aisle seat for once. Zurich airport has a train station on site, so it was easy to activate my Eurail card and make arrangements to go to Wengen. While I was at it I also made reservations to go to Trier the next Saturday. The Swiss have some faith in their trains since the itinerary I received for the trip to Wengen only allowed 6 minutes for each train transfer.

When I got to Wengen I found the chalet my friends had rented, but found that they were all in Interlaken, which I had just left. I decided to take a nap on the sun deck which had a great view into the valley after stealing a beer from their fridge. The next day it was an easy hike. We took the cog train down into Lauterbrunnen and then the bus to Isenfluh. From there it was a cable car up to Sulwald where we had an early lunch befoe starting our hike to Gruetschalp. From Gruetschalp it was down by cable car back to Lauterbrunnen.
Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Gruetschalp2011/index.html

The next day around 2:30 I started on my hike up Maenlichen. This is listed as a 3 hour hike, but about on third of the way up I missed a sign post and went on an hour long detour on a trail that was in bad shape. Back on the trail, I found that there was a detour to the Maenlichen Gipfel due to avalanches on the original trail that goes directly to the lodge at the top. The day had started off clear, but around 5PM I was hit by a downpour. Fortunately, I was already putting on my Arcteryx parka and Marmot pants when the rain and wind really hit-I had been able to see the front coming at me. The downpour was intense and I could feel the temperature drop, but fortunately it didn’t last. If it had, I would have been in bad shape since the exposed train got worse up ahead. Of course, I was passed by an old Asian guy (older probably than me) just wearing running shorts and a singlet who had gone up to the top and was on his way back down.

The trail meandered through the prominent snow avalanche guards. Up close they look much more imposing than they look from the ground. I was glad the storm was gone since I didn’t want to around these steel structures if there was any lightning. The trail up to that point had gone through some ver lovely scenery and there were some very good views. Back near the beginning there had also been a Mendelssohn memorial. Near the Gipfel, though, you were just among the steel maze which sometimes you actually had to go through. Reaching the Gipfel was a relief, but I skipped going to the actual top since it was getting late and I was beat. Fortunately, I had reservations at the Tuesday night barbecue at the lodge which included a ride down the gondola. I was disappointed that the dinner was in a glass and steel structure. I had remembered a very nice wooden dining room from the last time I had been there.
Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Maennlichen2011/index.html

The next day was a down day due to weather, but the following day was my trip to Geneva to see CERN. I hadn’t made reservations for the full tour, but that probably didn’t matter since it took about 4 hours to get there. After asking at the tourist information trailer I found out which tram to take to reach CERN, which took another half hour. The CERN visitor center and exhibits were pretty good, physically located in two places on either side of the street. The first one you notice is a large brown wooden sphere which houses displays which include English and are sometimes interactive. Without warning periodically there is a light show that takes over the whole display area in alternating languages. On the other side of the street is the actual reception area which includes a gift shop and another set of displays which have more detailed information. There is a four minute film and a display which gives you an idea of what the tunnel is like. These displays also emphasize the invention of the world wide web as well as particle physics.

The return trip by train was only three and a half hours for some reason, but it was long enough for me. If I had had more time I would have liked to have gone to Chambesy where there is an exhibit of Greek art works, but I accept limits. Geneva would have been a interesting place to visit for a couple of days, but it is very expensive to stay there.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Geneva2011/index.html

On my final day I took a hike by myself to Kleinie Scheidegg, which doesn’t require any train rides, but can include them. The day started kind of dubious as far as weather goes, but improved at the elevations I was at. I stopped on way up at Wengeralp for lunch and roesti, the national dish. The location was very lovely, but this version of roesti was pretty much hash browns with lots of extra oil. This upset my stomach a little, but kept me fueled through all of the afternoon’s hiking. Switzerland doesn’t seem to be a place to visit for the native cuisine. Kleine Scheidegg was pretty crowded and for some reason they had a couple of large teepees set up. I took off by trails that were much narrower than the ones on which I had arrived. I didn’t go out on the outermost trail, which we had take long ago on another trip, but chose a sort of middle one. This one curved gently around on both fire roads and trails, going slowly back to Wengen. Along the way I saw a lot of backpackers. Finally I got be to Wengen via Mary’s Ski Restaurant.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/KleineScheidegg2011/index.html

July 4th weekend

Although just one week before my trip to Europe, I decided to make my annual pilgrimage to Kings Canyon and Sequoia. This time however, I decided to take my Subaru instead of a motorcycle, since I had ripped one or more muscle in my right arm, according to my doctor. I think I did this when I dropped my GSXF in a Santa Monica parking structure. I was able to lift up the bike by myself, but apparently damaged myself in the process. At least the parking attendants felt sorry for me and waived the $5 parking fee.

My departure was delayed by a funeral, so I skipped the Japanese art museum in Hanford that I normally visit at this time, plus their current exhibit wasn’t of particular interest to me. On the way I realized I’d forgotten my cell phone, and I knew that I would need one, so I stopped in at the Bakersfield Costco. The touch screen one I picked up in Missouri last year I’d really come to hate, so I figured this wasn’t such a bad thing, especially since I use prepaid cell phones. The new Samsung has a full keyboard, which also made it worthwhile.

After an overnight stay at a Motel 6 and a Del Taco dinner, I proceeded the next day to the Three Rivers entry point to Sequoia. There I found that they were doing road work on the road up into the park, so I stopped at the visitor center to see how I could kill time until the next time traffic would be allowed to pass. The suggestion by the rangers was to visit Hospital Rock and check out the petroglyphs, sometime I had never bothered to do before. They’re actually quite vivid and easier to make out than other petroglyphs I’ve seen.

At the Lodgepole visitor center they confirmed my assumption that the High Sierra Trail would probably be the best match for my bad knees. After taking lunch there, I backtracked to Crescent Meadow to the trail head. I had plenty of time since I was only packing in 6 mile to Mehrten Creek where the trail became difficult to the large amount of water from all the run off. My new Osprey pack turned out to be pretty good, with no imbalances or stress points. I was also carrying a lot less weight than I had in the past. The trail of course is very civilized, but I got to see how the pack performed over rougher terrain for a very short distance when I entered the Mehrten Creek camp site. I was amazed by how much water there was and it was a relatively tight squeeze between the rocks and the water to start the climb into the camp sites. This is a case where the minimum 100’ distance to the water is maintained by going up. The first site was occupied, so I climbed up to the second. I was lucky that I got there when I did since people continue to come in after me and had to climb even higher. In the morning I found someone very near my site.

The Big Agnes UL tent I got to use for the first time, as well as the Big Agnes insulated inflatable sleeping pad. There was no wind or rain so I didn’t get a chance to really test the tent, but I was glad that I got the 2 person version since it was just the right size for one person. In the store I had compared it to the solo version and decided that the difference in weight was small enough to justify more room. The pad has to be manually inflated, but is easier to deflate than a self-inflating pad and is much more compact. I used it with my NF UL sleeping bag and decided that the insulation is about the same as that of the Thermarests I’ve used. I slept in my Patagonia down sweater since the NF sleeping bag is pretty minimal. Might look for a light down sleeping bag after this.

I used an MSR remote tank stove and found that it takes much longer to boil water than one with a heat exchanger. I think I’ll eBay this one. Dinner was freeze dried since I was lazy, but it was a lot better than the stuff I had used long ago. For breakfast I had just Cliff bars and some hot chocolate. I was ticked at myself that I had forgotten my Via instant coffee. I got out in time to have lunch at Lodgepole again but before that I stopped at Moro Rock. I had always bypassed it in the past, but I decided that I would check it out this time. It was worth the detour and the steep climb up the stairs.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Sequoia2011/index.html

After lunch I drove over to Kings Canyon and the Grant Grove visitor center , and then down to Cedar Grove to link up with my friends. Didn’t have time to do much more than attend the ranger campfire before it was time to head home. That night I used the synthetic Big Agnes sleeping pad that is meant to go with the sleeping pad. It was considerably warmer that way, but that bag is too heavy and bulky for me to pack in these days.

Sunday I went home to meet my cousins at the San Fernando Obon.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/SanFernandoValleyObon2011/index.html

Off to Europe again

Yesterday, July 8, I started off on a trip to Europe by taking the shuttle to LAX. I finished fertilizing the plants and walking the dogs, making sure that their automatic feeders were full and the watering tanks were clean and filled. Don’t worry, my cousins are also looking after them.

Of course I repacked at the last minute, discovering that I had left some key things out. This is probably the best prepared I’ve ever been for a trip, or so I think; I won’t know till I open my suitcase and find out what I forgot. So far, the main problem is that I realize I should have done some more research.

The first leg of the trip took me to JFK where we arrived near midnight, much as I had long ago on another trip to Europe. I spent the night looking for a place to recharge my digital gear and checked out how the Airtrain works. The airport is not a all like I remember it, except that the chairs are still too uncomfortable to sleep on. However, if you did get their early enough theres a place in Terminal 8 where you can claim a cot as I noticed a number of travelers had. It looked like free water and snacks were also put out for them. I stayed in the airport since I didn’t want to go out in New York at midnight and I was planning on going to the Metropolitan Museum since my plane to Zurich didn’t leave till 6PM.

Getting out of the station wasn’t too had according to some instructions I had gotten off the internet. Last time there was a train that took you directly into Manhattan and then I walked from there. I’m not that yound anymore so I wanted to spend more time on the subway. Theoretically it shouldn’t be that hard since you take the Airtrain to Jamaica Station, catch the E train and then the 6 train uptown to the 86th station from which you walk a few blocks.

The problem was that the E and F trains had been changed for the weekend and the stop for transferring to the 6 train was closed in that direction. Not being familiar with all the stops made it hard for me to compensate. It also didn’t help that the Lexington and 53rd is now called the Rockefeller station. Even the customer support people didn’t quite have the directions right when I asked them. It ended taking over two hours to get to the Metropolitan, but I made it.

This is one case where the things were much better than I remembered them. I really enjoyed some of the exhibits, such as the art of New Guinea and the arms and armor displays. There seemed to be more interest in American stained glass and Tiffany glass in general, as I had noticed in my tour of midwestern museums last summer. The Egyptian temple I appreciated a little more than last time, and observed last time that we basically bought it from the Egyptians for 16 million dollars. I also like the gates of the adjacent restored playground. It was a pleasant place to visit while waiting for the museum to open. Once in the museum I was glad that I had purchased my ticket and audio guide voucher online since the lines were pretty bad. I was also glad that I’d bought a banana from a fruit vendor on the way over since there are no fast food places near the museums. The internal cafes and cafeteria also don’t open till lunch time. At least when the cafeteria did open I was able to get a relatively healthy albeit expensive salad. The audio guide was a good idea since after a night without sleep I wasn’t up to reading any captions. For that matter, I was pretty much a zombie by the time I got on the plane for Zurich.

Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/MetropolitanMuseum2011/index.html