A walk to Poland and the Grand Budapest Hotel

On the Sunday we headed to Görlitz for the day which is a small town on the Polish border. It is used often to film movies because it's so picturesque (and I'm guessing cost effective). Even from the time you arrive at the train station.

So you probably figured out from the title of this post, it's where they got inspiration for and filmed part of the Grand Budapest Hotel - sadly the department store that was "the hotel" is under construction and closed to the public.

We had no real plan so just wandered around. From the train station we headed to the square where the department stands. They were having a fall festival that weekend.

First stop of the day was lunch! At the Kartoffelhaus and what should one eat there, well kartoffeln and bier of course 😊

Then we headed towards the ober and untemarkts where you can find the prettiest buildings in the city and the oldest. Since we were just wandering I don't really know what any of them are except the city hall and of course churches which are pretty obvious.  

City Hall

St. Peter and Paul’s Church is perched high above the River Neisse, and is the symbol of the city. It, like all these old churches was built over years and completed in 1497 though it suffered a fire later and had to be rebuilt. From the church you can see Poland across the river.

Since it was right there, of course we walked to Poland!

Poland!

Walking to another country is exhausting so we needed a rest.

Last stop before catching the train back to Berlin was the theater just because it was there and we had time to kill - pretty though.

Exploring West Berlin

My last visitor to Berlin and another opportunity to play tourist. This time we headed very far west - to the Allied Museum and Grunewald Forest. After two ubahns and a bus we made it there.

The Allied Museum is in the former American sector of Berlin during the cold war. The main part of the museum can be found in the old movie theater  and library.

The museum is free of charge and houses artifacts and objects from this time period. The Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade of 1948/49 is a central focus.

The open-air exhibition includes the British Hastings TG 503 Airlift plane, the dining car of a French military train, the last guardhouse from Checkpoint Charlie and segments of the Berlin Wall. 

From there we walked to Grunewald park which is a large forest which when the city was divided was the largest in the west. I had been told it was a lovely place to walk though Berlin had recently had major wind storms which made walking a little bit of challenge!

Of course it wouldn't be Germany if it didn't include a beer garden 😊

Oktoberfest x2

In Germany Oktoberfest is actually at the end of September but everywhere is seems to take the name literally and has it in October. Of course I had to compare the two countries I was living in! Obviously the German one was better 😉

Berlin, Germany (and a bunch of crazy Germans)

Paris, France (with Americans and a Brit)

Sigtuna and Uppsala

The Viking tour also brought me to two other towns in Sweden, Sigtuna and Uppsala. Founded in 980, Sigtuna is the oldest town in Sweden though there are many legends that mention Sigtuna. At one point it was the most important city in the country. The medieval centre is the main attraction there.

Steps away from the old town you will find St. Olaf's Church, well what remains of it. The church was originally built around the year 1100 though no one is quite sure by whom. It is dedicated to the Norwegian viking Olaf Tryggvasson, king between 995-1000.

Across the street there is a traditional old school house which is now a municipal office.

While it is not a very big place, it is definitely worth the visit! And then the last stop on the tour, Uppsala which is best known for its university. 

The city has shifted from its original location - now called Gamla Uppsala. I didn't spend much time here, it was mainly to visit the Uppsala Cathedral. The cathedral dates to the late 13th century and is French Gothic style though a Lutheran church. 

Of course it wouldn't be Sweden without another rune stone!