Without Cares

Today we traveled to the nearby city of Potsdam outside of Berlin. This is the city where the Allies agreed how to split up Germany after WWII. Potsdam was in the former East Germany.

During the Cold War this is the bridge between East and West where each side would exchange spies that were captured.

The main attraction in Potsdam is the summer home of the King of Prussia, Frederick the Great, called Sanssouci. We spent all day in and around this famous place. I took lots of photos. But after today, the kids are done with antiquity.

The miscommunication was at an all-time high today. We were in two cars and couldn't find a place to park for some time. After we parked we saw the relatively recent burial place of Frederick the Great. He was moved here after reunification. He is buried next to his beloved greyhounds. 

After we saw the castle, we started on an approximate mile walk from the castle garden to the "New Palace." This is the long trail leading to the new castle. Our group was not moving very fast. The boys got way ahead out of sight. Tanta Nanna wanted to detour and take a look at a Chinese tea house. At this point we encountered a six legged intersection. (I have had to constantly remind the boys each day to take their piece of paper with contact information with them. And I was sure they didn't have it with them.) The crowd was fairly large, but spread out. I was starting to wonder if they had taken one of the other 4 legs of the intersection, and if so, how would we ever find them. I sent Maddie to run straight ahead and try and locate them. 

NOTE TO SELF: I will never do this again without all participants having cell phones. Its too nerve racking to think of being separated from children in a foreign country. I don't think the kids have any idea of the names and addresses of the people we are staying with, other than Tanta Nanna and Hanzi, Markus and Almut. I could be underestimating their understanding in this matter, but it still scares me too much to ever do it again.

This is the view of the walkway between the castles.

When Maddie brought them back to us, I yelled at them and they told me that Tanta Elga had told them they could go ahead towards the new castle. I told them I was the only one who could tell them that and they had to stay within sight of me. They (G-man) didn't like it, but they complied. Hanzi told me not to get so angry. Tanta Nanna said grandchildren are easier than children.

When we arrived at the new castle, it was closed. Maddie was the only one who would pose for a picture. Now all we had to do was walk back a mile to the car. We stopped on the way back a the tea house.

Things improved when we had another great meal. Don't ask me what it all was called. Hanzi and I had pork, shown below. Hanzi was worried that Sissy would see he was drinking stilles wasser and be concerned there was something wrong with him.

G-man had beef and Maddie and Blake had schnitzel. The potatoes were great also.

Things have really improved now, because all the kids are swimming at Hanzi's and Tanta Nanna's house.

The most interesting story I heard was right when we pulled in and parked near the castle. I noticed a windmill nearby. Here is the first time I saw it.

I mentioned it to Tanta Nanna and she said that Frederick the Great was going to oust the miller that owned this eyesoar, but he said he would fight the king in court because there were laws to protect taking of land from one guy and giving it to another. According to Tanta Nanna, the king was so impressed with this guys attitude about the law that he said the guy could stay where he was. It wasn't until later that I saw this view and kind of agreed with the king.

Sanssouci