As I mentioned in the last post, this is a visual sampling of some of the patterned surfaces and interesting places that caught my eye while in Berlin, not an exhaustive travel write-up.
The first full day was the Berlin Marathon, with 40,000 runners and a record-beating time. Because of this, we had more access to the Gate and enjoyed seeing it all lit up.
I made my way to the former East Berlin, where Frau Tulpe’s shop was located, and ended up buying some fabrics of her own design.
It was a fun place with lots to look at.
A lot of times I’d go to look at a sight the guidebook suggested, then wander off course and find interesting places like this: the Berlin Craftsman Association building, with wonderful light coming in through that back double door:
You can hear the Singing Lesson in this IG video clip.
This was seen on one of my many bus rides. I’d climb up to the top level of the bus, try to sit in the front and have my own private tour.
Every day at 4 p.m., the hotel would put out treats for “Chocolate Hour.” I could see this happening at a quilt retreat, although we’d need a lot more.
There were two main locations to see the Berlin Wall, and this one had paintings on one side. I had two favorites. This one showed the crush of ecstatic East Berliners, finally allowed to cross through their oppressive borders. I can recommend the book, Forty Autumns, if you want a taste of this (previously recommended).
And I like these women, who reminded me of women from the turn of the century.
While in Frau Tulpe’s, someone recommended this store, Karstadt, which called for another bus ride.
Couldn’t believe that I was seeing Free Spirit, and at a bargain price! (about 8 bucks a yard)
Everybody needs a wash day while traveling, and I brought my stitching along.
Another place we saw fabric was at idee. This one was next door to KaDeWe, a big, fancy department store, but I also saw idee. at the Mall of Berlin, next to the two-story slide.
Climbing up the Reichstag Dome presented so many interesting shapes and patterns, all with a view.
This building reminded me of a quilt pattern. It was across from the entrance to the Berlinischer Galerie (yellow tiles). It had several wonderful exhibits.
Grill (above) and floor tiles (below) from the Neues Museum, which housed antiquities.
The Bode Museum had room after room of red-and-white patterned floor tiles. I’m sure the guards thought I was a little bit dotty when surrounded by beautiful art, I was snapping photos of their floors.
My husband is always photographing the interior of domes (above); I followed his example in the Old National Gallery (below):
But one of the most fun days I had was meeting up with Evelinde, and going to lunch and seeing one of her local quilt shops. We met on Instagram, and I was so blown away by her being willing to meet up with a stranger and spend some time out of her busy schedule. She’s so lovely, and shared stories with me, answering so many questions. While there are many negatives to social media, meeting quilters halfway across the world, or the states, is one of the positives, for me.
We did Show and Tell in the restaurant; this is only one of her many fabulous pieces. I only had the pathetic little screen on my phone. She is inspiring!
She took me here, to Hobby and Handarbeiten (Handicrafts).
I rarely buy fabric overseas anymore, but I always like to look and see. I loved the embroidery floss–mine is always in bins and tangled up, and was generally impressed with the range of fabrics they carried.
Since we try to travel cheaply, I purchased my husband’s breakfast (for the next day) when I was out and about, and I thought you’d like to see what I had to choose from. I also supplemented with yogurt and juice and fruit from the local grocery store. And we ate great meals at night, mostly from small places near our hotel:
Lastly, I leave you with the sight of this beautiful plaza, Babelplatz. The caption is found on the Instagram video. Click to see my farewell to this great city.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
You’ve done many wonderful trips and are always so good to share the sights – thank you! This particular trip has been one of my favorites! I’m almost finished Forty Autumns and just love it – so glad for the referral. So, where to next? 🙂
Wonderful as always. Thank you for the trip. Your pictures remind me to look up and down to find great unexpected designs.
Your photos capture your trip so beautifully. With all the bad you hear about social media, meeting other quilters helps to overlook the bad. It is amazing that we can meet with quilters around the world and share our love of fabric. It’s a universal language!
So much eye candy and inspiration. I loved the idea of “chocolate hour”😉.
Your photos of shops in other countries are always interesting. And that staggered mirrored glass in the Reichstag Dome was so cool! Thank you for taking us again on part of your travels.
I love how you manage to create the feeling that I’ve had a sweet trip to Berlin. You have a fantastic eye for getting inspiring photos. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. I find the fabric shops to be quite interesting. So different looking from what we are used to here and yet full of so many pretty things.
Beautiful sites and people, but my favorite is Chocolate Hour. I do believe I will start that at my home.
Love to armchair travel. Great photos – that bakery! And a chocolate hour – how delicious. Thank you, Elizabeth.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I loved seeing these photos. It really makes me want to travel to Europe. Thanks so much for sharing.
Amazing floor tiles and architecture!
Thanks for sharing your trips through lovely photos.
I wanted to be standing in every spot you stood, taste and smell all that you
sampled and feel the air and sounds around you.
I think you accomplished that for me. The Berlin Wall painting stands out along with the Reichstag Dome and bakery and indulging in chocolate is just the finishing touch.
I traveled to Europe in younger days and now I get glimpses without the exhaustion of flying.
You made it so special for us, your readers and friends.
I am in awe of the beautiful sites you saw! I don’t recognize Berlin at all! It was dull, gloomy, and oppressive when we visited in 1973. I mean, we could FEEL the weight of intangible sadness in the city, even on the west side. What you’ve shown here is SO different. And vibrant! Can’t believe all the colors (that idee!) and design you saw. How wonderful that you could meet-up with a local and really have a quilt-y experience with her. That’s exactly what I did when visiting Sydney, and getting to meet and know my good friend, Di J. I’d like to think I could find a quilting friend wherever I went in the world, and hope that should any of them ever come to Florida, they would feel the same about me. Just love seeing these pictures of your time there. You make me want to go back, though I wouldn’t make a return visit to Dachau. Going there changed my entire perspective on WWII and German oppression.
If anyone would like to have an idea of what it is like to visit Dachau (which we also were privileged to do–as well as visiting “The Hiding Place.”) If you are ever in Washington DC, they have done a wonderful job with The Holocaust Museum. When it first opened, you didn’t need to make a reservation, but I think that changed. To hear the stories and see the pictures is truly something that everyone should see. Man’s inhumanity to man…I pray history never repeats itself! I do believe that there are atrocities happening (we had a missionary from Sudan speak at our church and it was so sad). It is good to be reminded of how blessed we are as a country.
I always love your travelogues–so many places I’ll never be so it’s nice to live vicariously.