Potsdam and picnicing

  Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
Saturday, May 10, 2008

Another day, Another Palace.

Today we headed to Park Sanssouci. Once again glorious weather. It was so sunny that Ute purchased a parasol.. Park Sanssouci is large enough for several palaces, getaway palaces, fountains, and gardens. Altogether it's a clear indication that these people had money to spare.

At Schloss Sanssouci, we toured the kitchens (with its innovative cooker), the schloss, and the lady's apartments. Lovely, but a bit surreal. For me the best part of the day was wandering through the gardens. The lilacs were in bloom and the scent was everywhere.

Our wanderings took us by the Chinese Teahouse, the Roman Baths (actually a "cottage"), and Schloss Charlottenhof. As we walked toward the Orangerie I could imagine riding horses or picnicing in the meadow. While the gardens near the house are formal, the rest of the gardens are English style.

The last stop before heading back to Berlin was the Orangerie. Despite its name it is not a greenhouse but another palace. When things got too much at Schloss Sanssouci, the king could retreat here for peace and quiet. The views from the gallery are wonderful. All in all, this is a can't miss place. Away from the crowds at the main palace, the rest of the grounds are peaceful.

After our exhausting day, what better way to cap it off than a picnic in the park? It helped that the park was literally across the street.