After a relaxing ride alongside the Templiner See I began my visit to Potsdam with the Sanssouci Palace, the summer spot of the Prussian king Frederick the Great (18th century, Hohenzollern dynasty). I wanted to visit it, but it is closed on Mondays. An indigestion due to the bombastic Rococo I was spared.
In the separate Bildergalerie around the corner would work from Caravaggio, Rubens and Van Dyck hang. Also closed, which was a shame.
Colonnade behind Sanssouci Palace
In the surrounding garden, there were many fountains. All that water splashing caused an awkward urge to pee after a while, but everything here was closed. Fortunately, the toilets at the even more pompous Neues Palais, 1.5 km further through the park, did open. The palace too, by the way, but only with a guided tour. I don't understand enough German for that and I can't remember all those royal stories and dates anyway.
From this spot it was 3.5 km of cycling to the Alexandrovka Russian Colony. 'Colony' conjured up an image of a rather compact settlement for me, but it was anything but that. The colony is located in a large oval garden with fruit orchards, crossed by two paths with two wooden houses facing each other at wide intervals.
It was King Frederick William III (1770-1840) which there are in total 13 such homes had it built to commemorate his friendship with Russian Tsar Alexander I.
Half a kilometre past Alexandrovska on a hill stands a pink Russian Orthodox Church. Outside hung an appeal by diocesan archbishop Tichon von Rusa against the war and for peace. Photography inside was not allowed, a Russian woman told me after hearing my shutter click once.
From here it was only 1,500 metres downhill to the Dutch district, which midway through the 18th century was built by Dutch craftsmen and consists of 150 brick houses with typical Dutch facades. It struck me as rather artificial and hilarious. Currently, you'll find lots of eateries, cafes and boutiques. Pretty cosy.
Russian colony
By now the afternoon was well underway and one more stop awaited me: the Alte Markt with the Evangelische St-Nikolai Kirche (1837, destroyed in 1945 and reopened in 1981), and my actual goal: the Barberini Museum, featuring an exhibition of paintings by Modigliani and the permanent collection of industrialist Hasso Plattner, which consists of 110 impressionist works, including 38 Monets.
The Glienicke-Brucke, known worldwide since the spy blockbuster 'Bridge of Spies' starring Tom Hanks, I left for the next day. On my way to Berlin, I would pass it after about ten kilometres anyway. That bridge not only represents the border between Berlin and Potsdam, but also between eastern and western Europe until 10 November 1989. She was also the scene of spy exchanges between the US and the Soviet Union.
Thanks to its many parks and gardens, Potsdam is a relaxed city to visit. The people there do not seem agitated at all and, despite the tourist high season, nowhere was it really crowded.
16 September: Opening the door at Diamondway Buddhist Centre in Tallinn The centre's meditation sessions are open
