I awakened to a migraine! A monthly occurrence not entirely unexpected and not due to the three glasses of Chardonnay last night although probably not helped by that. So a quiet morning. Staying off my devices – iPad and iPhone. Joe and I went back to Galerie Lafayette to buy an additional bag – needed after my spending spree! A French woman served us. I also purchased green leather gloves. Not that I’ve needed much cold weather gear here. The weather has been mostly marvellous. In the absence of other pictures here are some of the hotel. This is in the lobby looking from one of the couches towards a cafe space where you could have coffee and light lunches. Odd looking, but comfy chairs.
This feature greets you coming in the front door. The Brandenburg Gate made of – chocolate!
The lobby has an art deco feel to it. This partition which Ive posted before and which is beside the lifts is very beautiful.
And so is this ceiling which is behind the chocolate Brandenburg Gate.
In the afternoon we had a tour of the opera house. This is a room we hadn’t seen before, very large, where they have receptions and lectures – including ones about the production before every opera during the cycle. I’d have been interested in those.
Recognise the floor decoration? It’s the same as that found at Sans Souci as are the ceilings.
I liked seeing the beautiful interiors sans people. This is the cloak room.
And this the lovely round corridor.
And here is the view of the stage from the upper levels. People here would have seen the conductor enter the pit – we in the sixth row from the front could not. Just clapped along when everyone else started.
It’s a beautiful House – as they say. Here’s the view from the balcony left of the stage – used by friends and associates of the House – they were in use during our cycle.
And here’s the view of the stage from that balcony. They were preparing for a ballet – Eugene Onegin – while we were being shown around.
We got to stand in the orchestra pit but the view from above is better.
And got to stand on the stage and see all the back stage workings including the sets from our production but by that stage I desperately needed a rest!
And our guide would go on and on relaying gossip about the production – everyone hates it – the singers – no-one is talking to the Russians and on and on. Lost me when he preferred Barenboim to Thielemann. He finally finished having already taken this picture of the touring party beside the bust of Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff who was commissioned by Friedrich the Great to design it. Built at the beginning of Friedrich’s reign in 1741-43 it it’s position outside of a court complex, made it the world’s first independent, and at the time, largest theatre building in Europe. It was rebuilt after being destroyed in WWII in the ‘spirit of the original design’. Structural renovations were completed in 2017 at a cost estimated at 440 million euros.
In the evening, after a much needed rest, we walked to the square outside the opera house to view Berlin’s version of White Night, here called The Festival of Light. These are Joe’s pictures as I was saving my eyes / head. It was all rather wonderful. This is the side of the opera house.
And this is St Hedwigs. Such beautiful colour.
And this is the Hotel De Rome (very flash) – in which Joe stayed with Kim Carr on his previous trip to Berlin. We are standing in the square in which the Nazis burned books – and which was covered in snow when Joe and Kim were here in December.
All the while we were here wonderful music was playing and there were families and young people all around us. A lovely atmosphere. Here’s the fourth side of the square – the Humboldt University.
We joined the crowd walking along Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate. Joes to show the context in which pictures are taken – here’s the crowd. Big and good- natured. This is to the left of the Brandenburg Gate turning back whence we had come.
And this is the Gate looking very dramatic – there was a ten minute show which was great.
One more because it was so spectacular.
Well, another for the same reason.
We ate in one of the touristy beer hall type restaurants on the way back. Sausages and beer for Joe and I, calves livers and red wine for Clare. Walking back to our hotel we passed buses that had brought locals or tourists from outside the area to see the light shows.
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