Berlin trip

[olmue]

The great thing about German schools is that you have frequent two-week vacations. The hard thing about German schools is that you have these frequent two-week vacations. I think I'm ready for school to begin again, but it's been a fun two weeks. I've seen huge swaths of Germany in the past few days, from Frankfurt to Nurnberg to Berlin.

Last night we got back from a few days in Berlin. The kids enjoyed the four-hour train ride on the ICE (German high-speed train, around 200 km/hour), although the novelty wore off quickly. I hope the other travelers survived. If anyone is planning to spend some time in Berlin with kids and would like recommendations on where to stay, let me know. We had a studio apartment with a kitchen for a great price, within walking distance of the museum island. Also, if you plan to see any museums, consider a three-day ticket. Kids 16 and under are free, and a 3-day adult ticket will get you into something like 50 museums for only 30 Euro. Not that you will be able to do all that with kids. I swear the museum guards were using their radios to notify colleagues in the next room that we were coming. No national treasures were destroyed in the process, but neither was it relaxing. Here are some highlights.

My oldest pointed this out to me. The book I'm querying features herons and snakes, and my current WIP has stuff about ancient Egypt. Hm, is there a way to set this as my blog header with free livejournal?



Nefertiti herself (fuzzy because she's behind glass):


And the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, designed by Nebuchadnezzar (yes, of the Old Testament). An inscription on the side says, in part (museum translation): "...Upon the walls in the inner room of the gate are bulls and dragons and thus I magnificently adorned them with luxurious splendor for all mankind to behold in awe." 2500 years later, people are still admiring his art.

Awe, indeed.


More here.

Comments

[robinellen.livejournal.com]

Oh, neat! I remember wishing I could spend a week at the British Museum when I went -- I think it had an egyptian exhibit, as well, but I never made it that far (I didn't even see the Rosetta Stone?!)...what fun :)

[olmue.livejournal.com]

All I know about Egyptian excavations I learned from Elizabeth Peters :), but yes, the Brits and the Germans both did TONS of research (and carried back many a souvenir...) I'm thinking if we ever make it across the channel, we'll HAVE to visit the British Museum!

[katibgirl.livejournal.com]

I didn't know your WIP had ancient Egypt in it - what's it about? If you don't mind sharing. I know lots of stuff about medieval Egypt, if it ever branches in that direction...just as rich as ancient Egypt, in my opinion, but a lot less is known about it.

[olmue.livejournal.com]

I suppose you would call it "suburban" fantasy, as it involves ancient Egyptian mythology wandering in the Michigan suburbs--but I bet medieval Egypt is pretty cool, too! Three of the six in our family have vested writing interests in Egypt, and one of us is a German medievalist. If the two end up intersecting, I will definitely contact you!