Berlin’s Großer Wannsee – Twelve kilometer long and so beautiful!

“Have you ever been on the Peacock Island,” I asked my lovelies on the weekend, while we sat on the terrace of the in 2015 reopened restaurant Wannseeterrassen  (Wannsee terraces) and enjoyed the magnificent view of the Havel and its many sailors. Of course, none of us had been, because who would be a tourist in their own city, if not foreign friends or out-of-town friendships wanted to be entertained. There was general shrug and then also a confusion with the Villa-Island Schwanenwerder. There now seemed to be needed some clarification: Less than ten minutes later we reached the pier of the ferry, which took us with a short ride on the Havel to the island.

The proud peacock accompanied by his rather pale brownish feathery partner … Fortunately, this beauty classification does not apply to us bipeds

About a hundred peacocks currently live on the Peacock Island and so it is not surprising, that we promptly ran into one after our arrival. Accompanied by his rather pale brownish feathery partner – unfairly distributed by nature, by the way – the proud peacock unfortunately still did not show us his colorful feathered fan. But then, the nature, the flora and fauna of the island is just unbelievable beautiful: In the 67 hectare landscape Park, declared in 1990 by UNESCO as a world heritage site, is a green paradise and a haven for rare plants and animal species. And the Peacock Island is also closely linked to the Brandenburg-Prussian history.

Me infront of the castle on the Peacock Island, color-matching the beautiful, blue hydrangeas

Once, the Peacock Island served the Prussian kings as a retreat, Friedrich Wilhelm II, nephew of old Fritz, let there be built an air-castle from 1794 onwards at the southwestern tip of Werder’s for himself and his mistress Wilhelmine Encke – later Countess Lichtenau. Thus, the great period of the island began, which only then really became the Peacock Island. His son Friedrich Wilhelm III. instructed the completion of the initiated landscape park in the English style. A Meierhof for milk production had been created and the cavaliers-house for noble guests with original Gothic facades was expanded. Great artists of the time such as landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné and architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel created, with the help of the court gardener Fintelmann from the island, an artificial paradise in the 19th century. There were kangaroos, bears and a lion, shade palms and Ailanthuses, the South Sea Islander Maitay who had been summarily renamed Heinrich Wilhelm, a giant named Karl Friedrich light and dwarfs.

My favorite place on Peacock Island: The gardening

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And the dwarves with their very own history were the reason why I had a desire to explore the island and the history associated with it. Specifically, since I read the novel „Pfaueninsel“ (Peacock Island) by the German writer Thomas Hettche, in which the author brings the dwarf-siblings Christian and Maria Dorothea Strackon and the other mentioned figures, including the island of history, to life. A gift from my friend Christine, which I devoured in a few days and took me to another world. It is the love story of the dwarf Marie, the historic documented castle mistress, who comes as an orphan at the age of six years to the island, including dwarf brother Christian. Marie falls in love with Gustav, the nephew of the court gardener who grows up with her. Who too always loved her, but can not be with her because her smallness, her crooked legs, the flat nose and high forehead gradually made her to someone else, a stranger from another world, which is also no longer with love possible to be integrated in the emotional life of the rational, now successful man and not integrated into the always reasonable expectant age itself, the incipient Maschinenzeitalter, the industrialization. Hettche’s love story tells about the adjustment of nature, of human dignity, the nature of time and the sensitivity of the soul and the body – and not least of love in its multiple manifestations, on which traces I now walked around the island. Dipping into Marie’s world, which Thomas Hettche describes so sensitive and multifaceted in his book.

In memory of his big love Queen Luise, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III. has built the Luisen Temple on the Pfaueninsel

And so we walked from the castle up to the Meierei, past the cavalier-house and picnic area where refreshments are served. My favorite part was the garden with its flowerbeds and shrubs and the rolling hills that lead down to the Havel river. Here, I want to open my picnic basket next time and just lie in the grass. And further dream myself into the world of dwarf Marie and the Prussian kings. BvH

Like a magnificent frame the trees line the view at the Wannsee

I’m waiting for the ostentatious walks and the hoarse cries of the peacock. Unfortunately, in vain!

Ballroom above the dairy (Meierei)

The facade, King Friedrich empathized like a Gothic building

MyStylery in action: Anyone at home?

Prussian Paradise

Gorgeous vistas like here to the Luisen Temple

Beautiful old barn

Old tree populations characterize the island

The Cavalier House with its historically faked Gothic facades is still inhabited today

The Peacock Island got declared a conservation area in 1924

Unesco World Heritage

A marble monument in honor of the actress Mademoiselle Rachel – a star of her time

By the way, the island is car free and smoke free. Even the carrying of bicycles and animals is prohibited here

Open this gate to the gardening …

… and the rolling hills that lead down to the Havel river

The Peacock Island is located in the Havel in the southwest of Berlin …

It goes green

… It belongs together with the palaces and parks of Sanssouci in Potsdam and the Glienicke Palace for Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg …

… and is listed as a world heritage at UNESCO

In 1821 King Friedrich Wilhelm III. gave his garden director Peter Joseph Lenné the job to build a rose garden, a palm house and a menagerie on the site …

… And so that the rare plants and animals were not sitting on dry land, a pump house had been installed on the south bank, whose steam engine drew the floods of the Havel by voice lines in all corners of the island the following years

The rose garden

Former stable

The scent of lavender

The scent of lavender – to me, this is the scent of vacation, sun, summer

At times of the dwarf Marie not only representatives of exotic flora and fauna such as kangaroos, shade palm trees and a lion lived on the piece of land in Havelsee

On this ferry you get from the mainland to the Pfaueninsel

Before visiting the Pfaueninsel I had Lunch at the chic restaurant Wannseeterrassen

… from there you have a fantastic view to the Wannsee

Info Pfaueninsel

The island lies in the forests and waterways district Wannsee is 22 kilometers from Berlin city center and five kilometers from Potsdam away. Nestled in a complex, multi-layered historical cultural landscape, the peacock island with an area of 88 hectares, including 67 hectares of land area is designated as a nature reserve since 1924. The reserve is reported as Fauna-Flora-Habitat and part of the EU bird sanctuary. The Peacock Island is also called “Prussian paradise”.

How to get to Pfaueninsel

The Peacock Island can be reached from the center of Berlin by bus line 218 from Theodor-Heuss-Platz Underground Station through the Grunewald and continues on Wannsee S-Bahn station. Then the short ferry to the Peacock Island follows.

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Bruges – Belgian pearl of medieval architecture. Here the market place “Markt”

For me as a Lübeck-native, a visit to the Belgian city of Bruges is like a déjà vu. Only that my hometown can not keep up with this collection of picturesque patrician houses, baroque city palaces and classical façades. Walking through Bruges’ old town, the many canals and bridges are reminiscent of Amsterdam. You can feel it in every corner of Bruges, that this architectural jewel was one of the most successful commercial cities from the 13th to the 15th century and it impresses me in which historical homogeneity the city still presents itself seven centuries later.

Bruges was never destroyed by wars or large-scale fires, which is why the famous historic center – since 2002 Unesco World Heritage Site – has been preserved

To get in the mood for my visit to Bruges, I watched the US film “In Bruges” with Colin Farrell and asked myself how they kept away the tourist crowds during filming. I was warned by my Belgian friend Winny: “Yes, it is always crowded in Bruges. Nevertheless, you should have been there once.” Maybe not on a weekend and certainly not when 20,000 football fans storm the city and celebrate the championship title of their club FC Bruges at the market in the old town. Day tourists flood the historic walls in every season from no later than 11 am and roll through the narrow streets of this picturesque village in West Flanders. Those who want to escape the crowds during the day simply walk beyond the respective squares such as “Markt” and “Burg” and suddenly find themselves in quiet residential areas or in greened patios. A break is also offered by the Beguinage, which is indeed a sightseeing highlight, however in which groups have no access.

Fancy a break? The Beguinage is a green oasis of peace, but in the center of the city

Culinary, Bruges has adjusted to the tourists: around the market, castle and other “places to see” there are many restaurants, unfortunately not always good, and often with overpriced food. And although I know, you should spare mussels in months without the letter “r”, I ordered Moules Frites. The Belgian specialty is offered here all year round, is frozen foods and of doubtful quality. My tip: have lunch or dinner at one of the many Michelin and Gault Millau restaurants, many of which offer comparatively affordable lunch menus. Or one discovers the locals’ spots beyond the tourist paths, such as the café “Sanseveria” in the Predikherenstraat.

Discover the locals’ spots beyond the tourist paths, such as the “Sanseveria” in the Predikherenstraat: The hip side of medieval Bruges

When the night comes over Bruges, the day tourists have left again, and the city and its inhabitants sigh recognizably. The old town dives into a special light, which effectively stages the old walls. Just around the corner from my hotel Prinsenhof lies the gourmet restaurant Guillaume. I enjoy a delicious menu and a super nice service. On the way to the hotel I experience the now deserted streets of Bruges by moonlight. Pure romance! A feeling that would hardly have come up a few hours earlier.  BvH

Bruges at night

Triennale Bruges

Art installation by Studio KCA at Jan van Eyck place

Attention, art fans: Until September 16, the Triennale Art Exhibition in Bruges awaits with 15 – partly accessible – works and installations that are spread over the entire Old Town. Central theme: Liquid Society highlights the implications of ever-changing interpersonal relationships. Art and city can thus be jointly explored by a tour.

Below the blue whale, the gourmet restaurant Spinola has built up its kitchen. Art enjoyment from close proximity

Speaking of enjoyment: This café on the Biskajersplein square is only available during the Triennale

Stretching towards the sky: Sculpture Lanchals – long necks – by John Powers reminiscent of a gooseneck

Temporary bridge installation by Jaroslaw Kozakiewicz

Want to cool down? From the pink plastic pavilion of the Spanish architect Selgascano you can dare to jump into the canal

Urban Model Belgian artist Wesley Meuris called his triennial contribution to architecture and urban life

Minne Floating School by Kunlé Adeyemi: A kind of floating school, dealing with climate change and an incentive to create renewable energy

Planning is everything: What is where at the Triennale Bruges 2018?

Where to bed in Bruges

There are some promising boutique hotels in Bruges such as the Van Cleef, Hotel Die Swaene or the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce. The Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce is beautifully decorated (I love the Belgian interior with its soft colors) and is right by the canal. With its historic façade, it is one of the most photographed spots in the city. An aspect that causes some unrest. I decide for the Prinsenhof, which is within walking distance of three minutes from the market in a quiet side street.

Boutique Hotel Die Swaene

The Hotel Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce is right by the canal…

…and beautifully decorated. I love the Belgian interior with its soft colors

Rozenhoedkaai: one of the most photographed spots in the city. What a terrific view!

Hotel Prinsenhof…

…with its pretty lobby and Delft tiles surrounding the fireplace

My spacious room is decorated with beautiful fabrics and equipped with a separate toilet. The service is professionally friendly, but unfortunately not cordial

Bruges and Culinary

I let myself be spoiled in the star restaurant Guillaume. The gourmet restaurant Guillaume in Korte Lane is located in an old cottage. From the outside it seems almost a bit unspectacular, so we almost passed it. I opt for the three-course menu “Crazy Creations” for 52 euros: Amuse Gueule from reinterpreted Vitello tonato, roast beef and pike-perch. As a starter: lobster, Fois Grois, Iberico ham and exotic fruits. Followed by guinea fowl with roasted diced tomatoes and a raspberry slice for dessert. We renounce the wine and choose the Rosé Luberon from Provence, 32 euros a bottle.

I let myself be spoiled in the star restaurant Guillaume

As a starter: lobster, Fois Grois, Iberico ham and exotic fruits…yummy!

At the Aux Merveilleux at “Eiermarkt” place you not only enjoy the view to an imposing chandelier …

…but also a delicious breakfast with oven-warm bread and croissants

Welcome to chocolate paradise: Belgium’s chocolate is legendary, but there are also qualitative differences here. Therefore, not every truffle praline offered on the Wollestraat in umpteen side-by-side laying confectioneries, is of superior quality…

…A feast for the eyes: The chocolate mountains tower up high

The Assiette Blanche restaurant is cozy with its wood paneling. A lunch menu is served for 37€:

After the Amuse-Gueule – Anchovy and Parmesan-stuffed Macaron – a deep-fried sole with lettuce and aioli is served…

…followed by grilled hip of lamb with blanched and pureed carrots and wildflowers

Dessert: Rhubarb and strawberries with meringue and vanilla ice cream. A glass of open white wine from the Macon is offered for 7 euros. The service is excellent and especially friendly

Lovely Bruges

Passage to “Burg” place

Richly designed facades on the houses around “Burg” place

Here the town hall

Lush Baroque, wherever you look

Long waits and queues in front of the boat launchers for a ride on the canals of Bruges. Tip: Boots take a half-hour trip to neighboring Damme three times a day, the formerly important trading city. Previous reservation required

Beautiful architecture in “Kortewinkel” street as here the bar Groot Vlaenderen

…with impressive door details

…and again …

…and an imposing private door portal

Above the rooftops of Bruges

Impressive I find the roof structures with the winding chimneys and playful towers. What a splendor!

Does Harry Potter live here?

It’s best to always keep your eyes turned upwards so that nothing escapes you

…such as this magnificent house facade

I love the Belgian style with the pale red clinker and the darkened door and window frames. Sooo noble!

Places of silence

Yes, they exist, the tranquil places of peace and silence in Bruges

…like this delightful red-clinker cottage located right by the canal

Meeting point for the ducks and swans of Bruges to the opposite of the Beguinage

Tower with a view and beautiful shutters

The enchanted garden paradise in the middle of the city of Bruges and directly by the water: more is not possible

Idyllic street café Terrastje

Only a few cobblestone streets away from the Bruges hustle and bustle, you enter a quiet residential area that reminds a little of London with its bay windows and front yards

And of course, windmills are as much a part of Bruges as the old rampart along the canals, on which they were once built

Info Triennale Bruges

triennalebrugge.be

More travel tips you find here!

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First impression of Warsaw: A lot of high buildings!

How did you get the idea to spend a weekend in Warsaw, my friend asked me surprised. The capital of Poland doesn’t really count to the top tips among the European destinations and is rather rarely visited by travelers. But Warsaw is a truly positive surprise and as a city trip highly recommended.

The Cultural Palace – Pałac Kultury i Nauki – the landmark of the city and a considerable Palazzo Prozzo

Once you get closer to Warsaw’s center you will first pass concrete wasteland that rather reminds of Berlin-Marzahn or Hamburg-Mümmelmannsberg. As in all former countries of the Eastern bloc the socialistic construction eternalized itself in the monumental buildings, especially in the Cultural Palace, which virtually stands out of the Warsaw skyline. The building that has been built in gingerbread style was once a present of Stalin to Poland and therefore still counts as sign of oppression for many Polish people today. For sure an imposing construction. It is especially the old town that fascinated me from the beginning of my trip. Warsaw’s center has been nearly completely destroyed during the Second World War. Only in the following decades the historical houses were reconstructed with a lot of love for detail.

Warsaw, the underestimated metropolis. Stare Miasto – the Old Town

The Polish capital is stronger connected to the era of the Second World War than any other city. Warsaw and its mainly Jewish inhabitants have suffered immeasurably under the terror of the Nazis. It was a special need to give me an idea of the former Warsaw Ghetto and its extent. Today bronze plates paved in walkways remind of the Ghetto wall, which stretched over three square kilometers in the district of Wola from 1940 onwards. A visit to the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising ‘Powstania Warszawskiego’ also gives a comprehensive impression of this gloomy chapter of Poland’s history. Here, the story is reproduced in a multimedia and impressive way.

Beautiful sightseeing and charming alley in the Old Town

After the museum visit and dispute of history I now particularly notice the beauty of Warsaw. Especially in the neighborhoods of Mostowa and Stare Miasto, with their filigreed, neoclassical and baroque house-facades. Everywhere you will find small cafés that invite you to linger. One drinks tea, coffee latte or one of the craft beers brewed in Poland, before I visit the memorial site of the composer Frédéric Chopin, where the heart of the Polish national composer is kept. Speaking of Chopin: fans of his music are recommended to see one of the open-air piano concerts that take place from May to September in Łazienki Park.

Trendy restaurant in the Mirow district: The ‘Winosfera’

It is well known that culture increases appetite for more. Those who love the hearty Polish cuisine are well served in traditional restaurants such as ‘Dawne Smaki’. In Warsaw, however, a young and modern culinary scene has also been established, such as restaurant ‘The Elephant’, which has recently been launched by Mystylery. The ‘Winosfera’ in the district Mirow is also very popular with its extensive range of wines. For a small drop-off, go to the ‘Panorama Sky Bar’ of the Marriott Hotel: simply enjoy great cocktails and the 360-degree view of the skyline of Warsaw. Then I fall tired into the bed of my hotel, the Sofitel Victoria in Warsaw’s Old Town. A smartly designed hotel with excellent service: I will certainly come back soon! BvH

The boulevard ‘Nowy Swiat’ is part of the former royal route and today counts to one of the great historic avenues of Warsaw’s Old Town

How to get to Warsaw:

From Berlin the best and fastest way is to go by plane with Air Berlin or by train in 5.5 hours

Today declared as World Cultural Heritage of Unesco: The Old Town of Warsaw

The Saint Kasimir Church on the ‚Ulica Freta‘ street

The ‘Ulica Mostowa’, with its colorful house-facades and cobblestones, looks as if time had stopped here

The Barbakane (town wall) was built in 1548 and is located at the transition from the Old Town to the New Town. At the beginning of the 15th century, the New Town, the district of the artisans, was founded

The Royal Castle at the Castle Square

The ‘Plac Zamkowy’ place with the Warsaw Castle

The Cultural Palace seems almost omnipresent. It just appears everywhere, no matter from where you look

Modern skyscrapers occurrence all over Warsaw – like the 220 meters high Warsaw Spire-Tower, which was still under construction during my visit

The Museum of the Warsaw Uprising ‚Powstania Warszawskiego‘:

Here, the story is reproduced in a multimedia and impressive way

In the Warsaw Ghetto, from 1940 until the deportation in the extermination camps, 450,000 people lived under the most adverse conditions. Today bronze plates paved in walkways remind of the Ghetto wall, which stretched over three square kilometers in the district of Wola

The Nozyk Synagoge in the ‘Ulica Twarda’ built in the style of neo-Romanesque neo-Byzantium in 1902, was used by the Nazis as a camp in 1941. The building was restored in 1977. It is the only pre-war synagogue in Warsaw

The only preserved street of the former Warsaw Ghetto in Mirow is the ‘Ulica Prozna’. Up to a few years ago, the bullet holes were still visible in the facades, which now shine in new splendor…

… Here, a young new scene now established, with many street cafés and galleries, such as the ‚Galeria Velt‘ and the Café ‚Prozna‘

Pretty hip: Warsaw reminds of the Berlin scene in some parts of the city and its street cafés

The halls of Mirowska: In these historical market halls you will find the true Poland. Fixed prices are rather an exception. May the bargaining begin!

Warsaw, what a beautiful city!

The main street of the New Town ‘Ulica Freta’ was built at the end of the 14th century and was once the trade route from Warsaw to the north

Those who love the hearty Polish cuisine are well served in traditional restaurants such as ‘Dawne Smaki’

In the garden of the restaurant ‚Dawne Smaki‘ you will be able to escape the big city and to enjoy Polish Piroggen – stuffed pastries. For dessert they serve fresh fruits with whipped cream

Nikolaus Kopernikus-monument on the ‘Krakowskie Przedmieście’ street

The Holy Cross Church on ‘Krakowskie Przedmiescie’ street …

The heart of Frédéric Chopin, which has been pickled in French cognac, has been resting in a pillar of the Holy Cross Church since 2010. The inscription on the memorial tablet reads: “For where your treasure is, there is your heart.”

What a beautiful light incident on the altar

Dziekuje – Thank you!

Warsaw doesn’t really count to the top ten of European hotspots. Wrongly, in my view!

Off to Warsaw!

Merken

Merken

Merken

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Der Elefant (the elephant) is known for its extensive international range of fresh fish

A few months ago, an invitation from friends seemed like a very good occasion for a weekend in Warsaw. The metropolis on the Vistula has much to offer, also in matters of cuisine. With some restaurant tips, I coincidentally suddenly stranded in front of the restaurant “The elephant”. In the middle of Old Warsaw, already the stately, perfectly renovated facade of the historical building had a positive effect on me. An impression, which was not disappointed when entering the restaurant established in 1990.

My favorite restaurant in Warsaw? Of course The Elephant – Der Elefant!

As an interior-affine person, I was immediately inspired by the restaurant design: industrial chic meets brasserie charm. Metal windows, metro tiles, sheet metal lanterns. An aesthetic that inspired Gastronome Artur Jarczynski on his travels through the USA and Israel in the restaurants which inspired him and which he adapted for his own project “The Elephant”. There are several levels, which are differently designed with niches and cozy seats, so that the two-part restaurant – in one part there is fish, in the other meat – in spite of its size always radiates warmth and cosines.

Here emphasis is placed on local organic ingredients

The successful look is complemented by an attentive and professional service. Above all, the quality of the dishes convinced me. The fresh oysters were super delicious! A look at the menu makes you want more fresh fish of the finest: Both the grilled salmon and the meat fillet of the Black Angus were excellent. For this, the well-behaved waiter recommends a suitable wine from the extensive menu. The name “The Elephant” was, by the way, an inspiration of Artur’s wife and was based on her predilection for the gray pachyderms. BvH

Awww, the name giver! Don’t worry: the elephant head is not real!

Wines from Spain, Italy, France, Chile and Australia are stored here

Here delicious steaks and burgers are prepared

Gastronome Artur Jarczynski’s heart beats for Israel and Tel Aviv …

… and its Neve Tzedek, which is also my favorite hood in Tel Aviv

The bartender polishs the glasses

Here the motto is: Fish on the table

… and here is where the fish is prepared

The courtyard: Here you can wonderfully sit outside in the summer

Caution Burger fans! The elephant serves the best burgers in all variants

Also the restaurant furniture is ecologically correct: Recyclable materials and environmentally friendly colors have been used for the design of the rooms

The outdoor terrace

I loved the city so much that the first time in the Polish capital was definitely not my last visit

Contact “Der Elefant”

www.derelefant.com

Featured pic: Der Elefant

Merken

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