Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Wednesday 17 June 2020

A Fata Morgana - Revisited (1)

photo Britta 


So long it was forbidden ground for me - the lockdown draw a railing around my mobility - I could only go where I could - go. Felt like sitting in a golden cage.

Almost every day I walk about 10.000 steps - but that would be not enough to reach the Charlottenburger Schloss - Google map said: 2 hours walk to and fro - but then I wanted also to walk in the beautiful baroque park!

The Schloss became a symbol, a Fata Morgana, almost an obsession.

Yesterday, which was warm and the air was filled with the intoxicating smell of flowering lime-trees, I got plastered by that.
Got reckless (in a very cautious way: took my unsightly anti-virus-mask - I do have beautiful ones from van Laack, almost an accessory, but they are not so effective), took all my courage into my gloved hands,
- and for the first time since February I walked into the Berlin version of Hades, the underground:

photo Britta 


As you see: not many people here! (I chose a time when people don't have to go to work).
I did not enter the nearest entrance, U Wittenberg Platz, because there is the luxury store KaDeWe, which is open by now and visited by many tourists. I also avoided the next stop, "U Bahnhof Zoo" (a very very bad station even in normal times, and a traffic junction, and a junkie junction..) but of course had to walk a long way to the (hopefully) "more harmless station" Ernst Reuter-Platz.

Only three stops later I was there - "there" means: again a very long walk through Charlottenburg (which I used to visit an acquaintance - the goldsmith Anne Rink - often a costly chat - yes,  yesterday too :-)  - meaning: I had to run back to a bank... and then back to her - but I wanted a symbol of my new freedom.

Then I had to recover from that, which I did by visiting one of my favourite cafés, Café Reet;



... they have the most wonderful Tarte mousse au chocolate - which is not fat, I always wonder how they do it - it slightly crumbles in your mouth in the way cracknel crumbles, but very softly.
Thus strengthened I walked on.
And felt a bit like her:



Minerva - or Athena - a statue created by the Dutch sculptor Bartholomeus Eggers (*1637 in Amsterdam, died 1692) - which stands now in the Charlottenburger Schlosspark.

                               Pallas Athena: goddess of wisdom, strategy and combat. I love her!

(to be continued)





6 comments:

  1. Wat een interessant blogje. En prachtige foto's. 10.000 stappen elke dag? Je bent goed bezig,ha,ha!!! En ook nog in de Hades geweest en Athena gezien!

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    1. Thank you, Guusje! Ja, almost every day 10.000 steps - but yesterday it was a bit too much, almost 18.000! So today I have a lazy day :-)

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  2. Bravo to you Britta, you conquered all of your fears and had a great day out, but I would love to know what you bought from the goldsmith Anne Rink!

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    1. Yes, Rosemary - though mostly I conquered the fears of family and friends - they are more afraid than I.
      When the triplets were borne Anne made me a beautiful ring: thick gold with a wonderful ruby, and in one side of the golden ring sit three little diamonds. Their symbolism is clear :-) - and, if I follows our nun&nature&healing-expert Hildegard von Bingen (born 1098), the ruby is a mighty stone for body&soul.
      And so beautiful!
      And now I saw in her shop window a tiny necklace made from small pearls (I have beautiful sea-water pearls, but even with jeans they look a bit intimidating) and in-between some little rubies and a piece of gold. It looks absolutely cheerful and happy and light - as I was yesterday on that lovely day! (In another blogpost I might show a photo).

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  3. I am still staying away from crowded places. It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself on your little journey.

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    1. Mostly I stay away too, Emma - I do not like crowds in Corona-time and avoid even too crowded terrasses in front of restaurants. And I often wear a mask as protection.
      And yes, Emma - it was like a holiday for me - I have waited oh so long to go there again!

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