The Last Visitors

Our last Berlin visitors.  Ben and Allie came all the way from the US to sneak in one last visit before Fritz and I leave this town.  This was their first time in Berlin so we took them to all the highlights...

... starting with Saniye's cafe, Bitter Süß right next to our flat.  

This pretty poodle came too, but she was a little camera shy.  

We made a final trip to Potsdam where the Palace Sanssouci is finally starting to bloom.  

I don't have too many pictures to post from this trip since it's our third time to the palace, but I will say, it has been great to see it each time.  This time around, the gardens were all in full bloom and the statues were fully uncovered.  During the colder months, every statue gets covered up by a little hut.  The huts are tasteful as far as covers go, but a bunch of tiny huts doesn't really do much to enhance the scene.  

Peering over this footbridge, we watched two pretty male ducks do their showy dances and displays of dominance for a seemingly unimpressed lady duck, making it clear that this was twitterpation* season. 

*reference from the timeless Disney classic, Bambi.

Fritz and I have taken a picture under what we've called "Lover's Arch" at each visit.  It's given us an opportunity to experiment with poses.  

It was fun to explore our own neighborhood a bit more thoroughly with Ben and Allie.  We got to do the silly little things...

... like testing out the swings!

Ben was definitely a pro swinger.  Fritz might have had some coordination difficulties and was taking notes on Ben's technique.  

We went to a sneaky beer garden for dinner that is tucked in under a bridge.  It is almost hidden beneath a canopy of spring trees.  Berlin really does a terrific job of using space efficiently.  

The beer garden isn't fancy.  The tables and chairs are as basic as you can get and you have to pick up your food from a window using a plastic try.  But the beer is good.  The food is filling.  And the trees provide a natural ambiance in the glow of dangling lights suspended from the higher branches.  

This is the view from the bridge above.  

We left the beer garden with full bellies and elevated spirits.  

Our visit with Ben and Allie was a terrific ending to our time in Berlin.  The Germany adventure is quickly coming to a close so it was a treat to share it with our friends before we start packing.