PA Centre Orchestra Talk

Home at last...

2010-12-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

The plan was to fly from Berlin to Munich to Philadelphia to State College on Tuesday, BUT that was not to be. Suffice it to say that snow and overwhelmed European airports changed that itinerary to start on Tuesday morning in Berlin and arrive in State College on Wednesday at 7:30 pm.

Remember those cots at the Frankfort airport that I mentioned in an earlier blog? Well they had to be used again, this time the entire airport was shut down and the entire flight grid in northern Europe was thrown into chaos. We have stories to tell is you'd like to hear them.

In any event, until the trying return trip, our time in Berlin was the best in 10 visits. Please consider a visit yourself if you haven't done so already and feel free to ask for our advice.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! -DM and PT

Not to worry...

2010-12-22T02:05:00.000-08:00

Not to worry, USAir has let us down and we are a day late waiting on standby in Munich. We'll let you know what happens. Thank God there's plenty of beer here.

DM

Saturday -- German History Museum

2010-12-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

An observation about the TV in our room. The choice of channels is immense and as you can imagine international. You may make your choice by language, country, and genre. There are many European and Middle Eastern countries listed and many channels have captioning in Arabic. The United State and Israel are not listed. Just surfing through the lists there are generally fewer commercials than in the US and of course on the German channels plenty of Christmas cheer.
It’s tempting to stay in the cozy comfort of our room but we finally ventured out to give Einstein’s another try. On Saturday morning there were fewer hurried and harried business types vying for tables and we secured one fairly easily. The Hungarian goulash, red beet soup with horseradish dumpling, and cold tafelspitz (sliced beef with wilted onions) were great.
We spent most of the afternoon at the German History Museum with the intention of a general stroll through exhibits we’d seen before but found the new “Hitler and the German People” exhibit so fascinating that it took all of our time.
To find this exhibit you pass through the Courtyard of the Zeughaus (arsenal), a large central opening in the museum which contains a few very large pieces of artillery and on the walls are 22 masks of dead warriors by Andreas Schlueter. The huge room is left relatively empty because the statue of the Elector Friedrich I, King of Prussia, intended to placed at the center was never installed. The statue was out of date by the time the statue was to be placed, not showing Friedrich as King and so the installation never took place.
To find the “Hitler and the German People” exhibit one passes through this courtyard, surrounded by these masks and descends into a large basement with 8 areas of concentration on the subject, from “Fuhrer Myth and Fuhrer Movement” to “Hitler and No End.” It’s my understanding that this exhibit is one major step for the world and for the German people in the direction of trying to understand what happened in the period of National Socialism.
The brochure offers a description of the exhibit’s concept, “1050 square metres of the I.M. Pei Exhibition Hall are devoted to three chronologically and thematically arranged chapters showing the socio-political conditions, forms and consequences of Hitler’s rise and rule. Each exhibition sequence presents photos, posters and ensembles of objects to illustrate its central themes. Assertions of the Nazi propaganda machine are offset by counter-images. Additional picture walls elucidate the negative dynamics and ambivalence of the politics of the Nazi regime.”
The experience of moving through this display is chilling. There are numerous descriptions in English but hundreds of German documents, videos and historical items that must have real meaning to the many German citizens who were taking time to examine them. All of the horrors of Nazi atrocities that we now know are illustrated, but the important element of this exhibit is that the path that was taken by the criminal regime and the German folk who were ready to accept, is clearly outlined.
Lies hidden in propaganda were the fodder fed to the hungry people and the greatest revelation to me was the highly organized and seductive way the Nazi’s were able to take advantage of media and technology to engage and subvert the people of Germany.
One example is the party’s constant effort to reach into and be a part of every family in Germany. To do this they made certain that newly developed radios were uniformly constructed, inexpensive and available to everyone. Once in the home musical and entertainment programs could be interspersed with political messages and indoctrination from the party.
A quote from the final section: HITLER AND NO END “Hitler and his predominance continues to exert their perverse power of fascination. The political disassociation with the Nazi past is meanwhile an integral component of our political culture. And therefore we are nowhere nearly finished with Hitler.”
As we left the museum through the courtyard I had a much closer look at the Masks of Andreas Schlueter.
We decided to relax and enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the lobby of the Adlon this evening. There are many plush chairs and small tables scattered beneath its very high dome and between a restaurant/bar and reception, as well as a pianist playing from the balcony above. The staff is always hovering to attend to any need you may have and we enjoyed small dishes of lobster and a bowl of goulash along with excellent wines.
Tomorrow -- Neues Museum -DM

Friday - Einstein to Opera

2010-12-20T00:29:00.000-08:00

The snow has been falling intermittently since we arrived. Everything is covered in the white fluffy stuff and it is COLD!
This morning found us trekking two blocks up Unter den Linden to Café Einstein for breakfast. This is indeed a very popular eating place. The section at the rear of the long and narrow café was “overbooked” as the tall, harried head waiter explained, the pin stripes in his fashionable suite almost shimmering with nervous concentration.
In the front of the establishment it was a free-for-all, you’re on your own situation and we finally grabbed a table for two by the front door. There was a heavy felt curtain strung on a circular rod inside the frequently opened door to catch as much of the winter wind and snow as possible each time groups of patrons entered and began their search for table and chair.
The goal in this café is similar to the Viennese tradition, find a place, order large or small and you are the owner of that property until you decide to leave. The woman at the next table ordered a coffee, wrote extensively with pen in her tablet, made several cell phone calls, did some work on her laptop, more phone calls etc all the while making sure there still a drop of coffee left in her cup.
Our orders: Viennese Breakfast (2 eggs in a glass, 2 rolls, marmalade and butter, coffee extra) and New Yorker (bagel with lachs, cream cheese etc) were excellent fortifying us for our safari into Friedrichstrasse. Pat covered the Galaries Lafayette front and I tackled Dussman’s a bookstore/music house the size of five Barnes & Nobles together.
The sheet music section is excellent and in past years I was able to generate several ideas for music for our school visits. There are orchestra scores galore and every kind of instrumental music, choral music and opera imaginable. Then to Dussman’s basement, big as a house with every classical CD and video you can imagine. I usually can’t spend too much time there. I get vertigo imagining listening to all the music on those copious shelves.
After a rest in preparation for the Komische Oper we donned out finery and because of the continuing snow and wind, decided to take a cab to the 7:30 performance of Prokofiev’s Love for 3 Oranges.
Feeling a bit guilty that we were taking a cab for only a few blocks we explained to the driver that he would be helpful because he could show us where the door was.
“They have a door?” he quipped. “I don’t think they have one. It’s probably outdoors tonight.”
The cabbie was very friendly and gave us a tip that we should descend into the subway station directly in front of our hotel and have a look. He said it is brand new and at the moment only goes one stop, and that it is beautifully done, a mini-museum display of the history of Berlin. We’ll work that in for sure.
We found there was indeed a door to the Komische Oper and we arrived in plenty of time to attend the pre-performance talk about the opera. There were many children in attendance with their families and even though the talk was in German I have the impression that I understood 1% of the description. I could be wrong.
Berlin has three world class opera houses which vie with each other for the public’s attention and approval. The lobby and outer rooms of this house have been newly renovated and are beautifully lit with mirrored walls making the space seem to go on forever. The inside of the theater itself remains the original ornate opera house, bright and inviting and with wide, comfortable seats and libretto titles on the back of the seat in front of you.
The production of Love for 3 Oranges was very colorful and extremely lively, a great production for families and kids. The youngsters we observed were all interested and excited about the performance and red booster cushions were provided for those a bit too small to see over the seats and people in front of them.
The chorus was super, all the solo roles (and there are many in this opera) were beautifully matched, the orchestra much better than I remember from some years ago and conductor Dirk Kaftan was inspiring and spot on in what is a very difficult score.
Some of the delightful stage bits included the appearance of the Prince whose endless list of illnesses are the despair of his Father the King. The Prince is carried onto the stage on a gigantic pillow on which he is prostrate with fatigue and weariness. Fata Morgana and Celio engage in a wild and wooly game of cards along with a wicked sorceress who finally wins the game as Fata Morgana loses her wig. The 3 oranges are the size of large wine barrels which when ripped open reveal 3 princesses in costumes resembling the fruity color and texture of real orange slices.
The third orange is open ostensibly to provide drink for the Prince for suddenly everyone has become very thirsty, and out steps the Princess Ninetta whom the Princes is destined to marry. But not so fast, to complicate matters Fata Morgana immediately turns Ninetta into a rat whose jittering nose and hands as she scurries about the stage delights the children and everyone in the audience.
Of course, all ends well, Ninetta is changed back into a Princess, a false wedding of the Prince to the wrong bride is avoided, villains are exposed, the correct wedding to Ninetta is accomplished and everyone celebrates with great joy. In this production the famous March is repeated to accompany an elaborate and enthusiastic set of bows.
It was the best Love of 3 Oranges I’ve seen, live or on video and it was inspiring to watch the parents exit with their kids, some asleep and some carrying their red cushions to turn them back in What fortunate young people have the opportunity to experience this kind of music LIVE!
Tomorrow -- German History Museum -DM

Thursday -- Philharmonie

2010-12-17T14:14:00.000-08:00

There are several excellent buffets in the larger department stores in Berlin, the most elaborate being the Winter Garden at the top of the Kaufhaus des Westens, affectionately nicknamed KaDeWe. More bout KaDeWe in a bit.
Not only is it Philharmonie day for us (the concert house where the Berlin Philharmonic performs) but it’s also shopping in the West day.
In the morning we mounted our bus 200, just a few steps from the rear entrance to the Adlon, to travel to another cafeteria/buffet on the top floor of the Kaufhaus Karstadt on the Kurfurstendam. The breakfast buffet there is inexpensive, with fresh baked breads etc and a view of the buildings along the Kurfurstendam, the Hollow Tooth (now 2/3s covered for some restoration and maintenance) and even the treetops of the Tiergarten in the distance.
The shopping on this street is daunting and can only be attacked by dividing our forces, the goal to finally attack the KaDeWe later in the day.
Kaufhaus Karstadt actually devoured a fair amount of my time especially in the toy department (many fascinating games, models and stuffed animals, unique to the Continent) and in the basement where there is a supermarket, book shop and electronics. One can only look longingly at the electronic gadgets as they would not work when connected to the electric outlets in the US.
I next checked out the offerings at one of my favorite musical haunts, Cover Music. There is not much classical on sale there but what is there is quality and cheap. I was amazed to find the LP section greatly expanded since my last visit and a number of customers pawing eagerly through the bins. Perhaps the conservative nature of many Germans is bringing back the soft and human sound of vinyl.
A stroll through the Europa Centre, past a large animated Winter scene display of mice in motion brought me to the street and a brisk walk to the shopping fortress of KaDeWe.
There will be insufficient space here to describe this enormous department store, covering a large city block and then some, with floor after floor of treasures. This is the largest department store on the Continent, a worthy rival to Harrods in London.
Every year we look forward to the magnificent window displays on the street at the front of the store and this year though supremely elegant the colors were limited to mostly gray, white, silver and black. Perhaps it is a subtle statement about the times though for many the German economy is surging ahead.
I find it difficult to pull myself away from the food floor though I can only look at the tempting displays and savor the wonderful aromas. Of course I have no place to take these tempting sausages, fish, meats, spices etc to cook so I have to leave them alone. All through the department though there are preparation stations where you may settle at the counter and be served a meal of that kiosk’s specialty. The range is from Asian to French to fish and the Moet Chandon counter is always full.
The shopping excursion having taken most of the day we returned to the Adlon, dressed and again mounted the bus 200 to travel past Potsdamer Platz and finally arrive at the Philharmonie, that incredible concert hall constructed during the reign of Maestro Herbert von Karajan.
The audience is part of the show at the Philharmonie, actors of every style and costume. There are the well-dressed couple in suit and fine dress, hair gray or graying and attitude seriously concentrated on being the fans and the critics of the orchestra. I found that different dress seemed to demand different stride. A plaid jacket requires a jaunty bounce, jeans on the scruffy side a smooth, jazzy walk and formal dress a stiff constricted step, or perhaps no step at all. “This is my space and I’m not budging.”
The music was led by Maestro Neeme Jarvi currently the Chief Conductor of the Estonian National Symphony and Head of the Resident Orchestra of the Haag. This is the first time I have seen Jarvi conduct in person and I found him very elegant and in command. This fantastic orchestra is capable of great performances and this conductor alternately took charge and from time to time let go and allowed the orchestra to take its own direction.
The concert began with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Suite from the Ballet-Opera Mlada, a colorful little collection of tunes in the Russian style, in five movements. The positive aspect of this selection is that the orchestration highlights the beautiful sound of the Philharmonic’s players. The negative is that there is not much music of substance except for the 5^th movement Cortege, a brilliant piece of orchestration.
The concerto was the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with Russian pianist Arcadi Volodos as solist. Jarvi and Volodos made an excellent team, occasionally stepping out of the confines of the traditional performance to turn a phrase or two to their own tastes. I was happy to hear this performance as I will be performing this concerto with our own Russian pianist Svetlana Rodionova and PCO in January.
I stayed awake for most of the piece.
After intermission Maestro Jarvi brought us the score of Sergei Taneyev’s 4^th Symphony, a work I only know from a recording. That version is rather droll and not easy to enjoy and I found the live performance much more interesting.
The Berlin Philharmonic can bring strength, beauty and elegance to anything they play, in passionate passages the violinists frequently move more above their chairs than on them. I really have never seen another orchestra put as much body language into their performance as this orchestra does and the result is always exciting.
As for Taneyev’s symphony, it kept me awake all the way through. This composer is often referred to as the Russian Brahms but I can only see that association in the often dense texture and orchestration and some harmonic manipulation. I think rather there are more passages that resemble Bruckner’s sequential developments but even that is not a fair comparison.
What is disappointing about this symphony is the lack of depth. The basically simple contrapuntal sequences used to build climaxes have little that is challenging to the ear and the sudden uncovering of soft solo instrument melodies is almost naive. The second movement delivered the most interest and delight, the outer movements were pompous and often over orchestrated and the Scherzo fun but pedantic.
My feeling is that the performance was brilliantly executed. The music itself, less than it pretended to be.
Tomorrow -- the opera -DM

Wednesday - Morning, Noon and Night

2010-12-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

Morning -- The breakfast buffet at the Adlon is in the spacious Restaurant Quarre with a view of Pariser Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. I can’t imagine a breakfast item I would have wished for that wasn’t on one of the many tables: 30 plus open jars of jams and jellies, fruits, sausages, cheeses, breads and rolls, fresh juices and excellent coffee. I’ve never seen wait staff move so quickly and quietly as if they moving on roller blades with silencers. It was very difficult to tear one’s self away to pursue other adventures of the day.
Noon -- Midday brought a visit to one of our favorite Christmas markets, the one in the Gendarmen Platz, a classy affair with large pointed tents to house the vendors and restaurants. There one finds every kind of Christmas market food and drink as well as the usual stands with decorations and crafts from all over Europe as well exotic countries from Turkey to India. Situated in front of the Konzerthaus and between the two cathedrals on the square, this market also boasts an enclosed and heated area with wood carvers, artisans and other creative people offering their wares somewhat in the style of the State College Arts Fest. We particularly appreciated the hand-carved Christmas ornaments and decorations and couldn’t resist investing in those that have music and musical instruments.
Our goal in the middle of the day was to make a restaurant reservation. During the Christmas season some of the finest restaurants in Berlin maintain a tented version of their establishments in this market and over the years we have learned that one will never be permitted entry in the evening without a reservation.
We were actually refused at our first stop but at Lutter & Wegner’s we were provisionally accepted, the waiter writing MEYER on a slip of paper and warning us that it would be very crowded. Little did we know.
After a visit to Fassbender und Rausch, the finest purveyor of chocolate temptations I know, we lunched at the food court of Galaries Lafayette, the Eastern Berlin cousin of the great department store in Paris.
Like some of the other department stores in Berlin this Kaufhaus has a supermarket/delicatessen in the basement with kiosks having food and drink to be consumed at their tables or to be taken away. The Parisian baguette and wine were just what we needed.
Night -- With the protection of long johns and additional layers of clothing we braved the cold night air as we walked the several blocks to keep our 7 pm reservation at L&W.
In former years these restaurants were actually set up in large tents with candlelit tables, gas heaters and lap blankets to keep the guests warn. Well, times have changed and most of these restaurants now are set up in completely enclosed spaces (some of the chilling adventure is now gone) and the opaque tent-pointed peak has been replaced by a transparent, plastic peak. This now allows one to see the color-changing light show on the domes of the two cathedrals and the Konzerthaus, actually a very lovely experience but different.
This “outdoor” restaurant space was crowded and noisy, an atmosphere that the locals who appeared seemed to expect and relish. The blankets remained though in the now-heated space there wasn’t much need for them. We thought the tents in earlier days were crowded but that was nothing compared to this situation. Seating in L&W is now at long, narrow tables, perhaps 12 feet long by about 2.5 feet wide with people seated on benches on both sides. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a compact seating arrangement in the US. But then, I’ve noticed that most Germans don’t mind sitting with strangers, asking if a place is free at a table that is not fully occupied. Imagine an American walking into a restaurant and asking the same question. I’ve never seen it happen in the US.
We were seated (after extensive acrobatic gyration and stashing of coats) across the table from a couple of ancient Berliners (I’m assuming they were local) who were enjoying their meals just as we were ordering ours. It’s an interesting game, waiting patiently for your food, carrying on a conversation, avoiding eye contact with those consuming their food just inches away from you and wondering just how our two large plates are going to fit into the tiny space not occupied by their dished, glasses and utensils.
When our Sauerbraten and Wienerschnitzle finally arrived our cross-table Berliners took charge of the situation and reorganized the table, moving candles, glasses, plates and silver so that everyone had his own space. Clearly they had observed that these foreigners were not capable of the technique and planning required in this situation.
Our dishes by the way were delicious and the Sauerbraten exceptional.
One further observation. I believe that most of the diners at L&W were Berliners by the way many greeted each other merrily as if they were old friends. Even though this place was extremely crowded (many without reservations or the cunning to talk their way in, were turned away) no one was treating this as an eat-and-run situation. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy this Christmas swarm, savoring their food and lingering over their wine or beer all the while speaking rather loudly to be heard over the general din. Somewhere in the middle or behind this general cacophony one could heard the strains of Silent Night, an accompaniment to the very merry scene.
We did, however, feel somewhat cheated for not having to suffer what in former times was a cold breeze wafting occasionally throughout the tent. After all, we did go to the bother of bringing and wearing long johns. To make sure this effort had not been wasted we stopped for a time in a covered outdoor lounge with glowing heaters hanging from the tent poles. We took advantage of the lap blankets and found that our personal body insulation was indeed sufficient against the bitter cold.
Tomorrow the Berlin Philharmonic -DM

Tuesday -- Arrival in Deutschland

2010-12-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

The flight from Philly was uneventful except that as I expected the flock of young singing geese from the North provided an occasional vocal accompaniment to the trip. First there was the quivering buzz of conversation in a language I did not understand, with a number of highly accented bursts of vocabulary.
Then, as the aircraft began to travel over the salt water we encountered a surprising bit of turbulence.
You may have heard the gobbling sounds of turkeys in a coup when they are disturbed or “gobbled“ at, a crescendo and diminuendo as excitement grows and fades. Well as the plane rode this jerky little roller coaster of air, up and down, the flock of youngsters made a similar sound, not gobble, GOBBLE, gobble, but giggle, GIGGLE, giggle. A very interesting musical effect set in motion by the motion of the plane.
As we approached the huge airport complex now called FRAPORT the expansive runways and snow covered grounds dwarfed a single lighted Christmas tree as an understated greeting. Deplaning and heading for our next flight we walked past row after row of sleeping cots left over from the major snow storm of the week before. It appears they were left standing in anticipation of events that might yet be.
The long taxi on the runway had delayed our arrival sufficiently to cause us to miss our connection to Berlin. Never to worry though, Lufthansa planes travel that route repeatedly during the day. As it turned out we were booked not on the next flight but on the second one following because, as our ticketing agent said, “The next flight is massively over booked.”
Arrival at Tegel Airport in Berlin is actually a pleasurable experience for us. The airport is small and easily navigated and there is always the opportunity for the first genuine German beer which this time came at about 10 o’clock in the morning.
Berlin’s transportation system is a wonder and those who planned it have connected the Ease and West (still the two prominent divisions of the city) to the airport with bus routes that make access easy and inexpensive. A beer and a sandwich consumed, a 7-day bus/rail pass in hand we mounted the TXL bus directly to the Brandenburg Gate, dismounted in front of the Russian embassy and walked the short (but windy and cold) distance to the entrance of the Adlon Kempinski Hotel.
I must say the Adlon has not been on our list of potential hotels and pensions during previous visits but thanks to negotiations by the agents at Orbitz and perhaps the reticence on the part of travelers during Germany’s current, heightened terrorist watch, we were able to secure a rate for a 7 day stay that was impossible to refuse.
Situated on the magnificent boulevard, Unter den Linden, steps from the Brandenburg Gate and nestled among the Russian, French and American embassies, the Adlon attracts international political attention as well as visits by the rich, the famous and the infamous. You remember the M. Jackson appearance at one of the Adlon’s windows not that long ago.
The lobby is magnificently decorated with over sized, hand carved Christmas decorations, the restaurant is full and the ballrooms are filled with parties and meetings held by embassies, corporations and families.
The staff is attentive and generous to a fault and the attendant at the desk did not send us to our room but led us there announcing that because of the length of our stay we had been upgraded to a junior executive suite. What an impressive suite it is: living room, and bedroom on a corner of the building and overlooking the British Embassy, large bathroom with tub and magnificent shower, a separate toilet/powder room and large walk-in closet. The street below is a security street, permanently barricaded off, with policemen and their vehicles occupying the whole block. We feel completely safe.
Exhaustion finally took over and we caught enough Z’s to rise again in the early evening and carry out a tradition we’ve followed since the very first trip.
The Adlon is in the East, on Unter den Linden, and our little ceremony has to take place in the West, on Kurfurstendam, in the vicinity of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, now in ruins and nicknamed by Berliners as the Hollow Tooth. The church spire and part of the narthex are preserved as a reminder of what ravages war can bring.
Around 8 pm we caught the double decker bus number 200 just behind the hotel. On this occasion it was jam-packed with people heading to the concert at the Philharmonie. Bitter cold was freezing the bus’s windows and the warm, moist breath of this eager crowd of Berlin Philharmonic fans clouded the window panes so that there was nothing to see outside. Nothing to see that is until nearly the whole population of that huge articulated vehicle exited at the concert hall.
We will be there for the Berlin Philharmonic concert on Thursday.
Back to the ceremony. We successfully exited our bus at Breitscheidsplatz, wormed out way through the City Christmas Market at the Hollow Tooth and arriving at the stall of the purveyor of the very best Gluhwein in Berlin ordered 2 mugs of same “mit schuss.” Our 2010 Berlin adventure is launched. -DM

Monday -Luftfahrt nach Europa

2010-12-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

The time of departure has finally arrived! Wonder of wonders the Christmas shopping on this side of the Atlantic has been completed, the security of Schoss Thor-Meyer set in place and final arrangements with the cat wrangler agreed to. Ginger and Ebony, cats of those descriptive colors have been assigned separate regions in our castle where they will not compete for food but will have ample access to “kitty-TV” (bird feeder viewing).
After the usual delay by the taxi service (our abode is evidently well hidden from drivers in both the transportation and the pizza industries) we are whisked off to the airport for the first leg of our journey, the flight to Philadelphia. The plane turned out to be a jet and the flight was not unpleasant for us, though for a woman in the row behind us it was not so. Apparently her husband had been bumped from the flight because his seat was “broken.” The minor operatic scene that ensued included, well above a whisper, a curse on USAir and multiple threats of a law suite. After all, whose responsibility is it to maintain the plane’s equipment, the passenger’s?
We have traveled to Berlin in 9 out of the last 10 Decembers not only because the round trip fare from Central Pennsylvania is so low but also because we have fallen in love with the large number of Christmas Markets that dot the city, the high culture and art that everyone seems to appreciate, and the fortitude of Berliners who brave the cold and the wind to meet friends and family in the Weinachts Markts over a hot mug of Gluhwein (mulled wine) and a steaming foot-long wurst (sausage) nestled in a tiny excuse for a bun.
Over the years we have discovered that the 3 hour layover in Philly is necessary for the employees of USAir to sort luggage and to deliver it to the correct plane. When rushed we have found that they tend to place said luggage under someone’s desk and are unwilling to surrender it until specifically ordered to do so from an official in Berlin.
In Philly as we assemble for boarding the flight to Frankfort a flock of about 20 young girls, evidently a youth chorus from Scandinavia, gathers to board with us. I wonder what entertainment this will bring.
Well, our flight is calling. More to come… DM

Travels to Berlin

2010-12-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

Here we are, getting ready to depart for Berlin on Monday, anticipating our visit to the Philharmonie, to the opera and our stay for the first time at the Adlon Kempinski by the Brandenburg Gate. Check back soon and we will keep you posted on our adventures. -Douglas Meyer