I had heard that Potsdam, which is just 30 minutes by train from Berlin, is a very beautiful city and it was on my “must visit” places list before I left Berlin. So, when I was asked out for a date in Potsdam, of course, I couldn’t say no.
We were supposed to meet late afternoon, so I decided to get there by noon, have lunch and explore the town. I have to say that the regional trains can be a bit confusing, so always make sure you are going in the right direction. I took the Regional RE1 train from Zoologischer Garten Bhf towards Magdeburg Bhf. The google map app I was using just mentioned to take train RE1 to Potsdam, without informing me that there is RE1 that goes in both the direction. I am glad I asked someone before hoping on the train or else I would have ended up in Frankfurt, on second thought, it could have been experience.
Once I got to Potsdam train station, I decided to just follow the signs that would lead me to the Zentrum (city center). I didn’t want to look at the map or have a list of places to check it off like most tourist would do. I just wanted to stumble upon cool places in this city.
As I walked over the bridge to get to the city center, the view from the bridge which over looks the city was simply stunning. I could see the dome standing tall and mighty. I headed towards the direction of the dome.
I got to the Old market square and was in awe seeing the Museum Barberini, Potsdam Museum, Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church), Obelisk am Alten Markt, and the Potsdam City Palace, all in one place. It’s definitely an architectural marvel.
The mass at the St. Nicholas Church has just finished and people were leaving, so it was a great time for me to sneak in, pay my respects and admire the cathedrals interiors. I love being inside a church, it’s always so peaceful and spiritual, but also very inspiring. Admiring these masterpiece and the attention to details, always inspires me to be creative. I enjoyed sitting on the footsteps of the church to admire all the buildings in that little square.
The colors of the Potsdam City Palace allured me to go inside the garden and soak in some sun.
As I left the Old Market Square, I took a narrow street which was lined with beautiful buildings. As I kept on exploring, I saw a quaint restaurant, which was a sign that it was time for me to stop by and have lunch.
After lunch, I passed a canal and got to the city center. The streets were lined up with boutiques and restaurants. Most of the shops were closed because it was Sunday. One of the streets had a flea market and vendors were selling some cool stuff. Only if I had space in my luggage, I would have bought some trinkets.
I saw the signs to “Neuer Garten” and “Schloss Cecilienhof” by Heiliger See, so I ventured towards the park. It was a very tranquil experience to walk among nature and sea listening to the birds chirping in the background. Also, there were some lavish houses inside the park. While I was enjoying the hike, I got a call from my friend, Seena, in Chicago. We did a video call so I could show her the beautiful park and the path that led me to the castle, which was more like a hunting lodge. I enjoyed sharing this experience in live with her. Thanks to technology, we were able to experience this moment together inspite of being thousands miles apart.
It was time for me to head back to the city center to meetup with my date. We had good times together and I got to check out the flat. It was fairly a huge condo with a huge living room, dining room, sun room and outdoor patio. Like Berlin it has become harder to find nice apartments in Potsdam as well, unless you’ve been living there for years. Potsdam definitely is a great city to live if you want a quiet life but want to be in midst of culture and nature. Also, it’s just 30 minutes from Berlin, if you want to come here for the action and nightlife.
My friend had mentioned that a visit to Potsdam is not complete unless you have been to the Sanssouci Palace and Park, and he was dead right. I was exhausted from all the exploring but I still convinced myself to at least checkout the Palace. By this time, my phone had only 10% battery power and I had forgotten to get the charger with me. Walking up the steps towards the Palace was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. Since I didn’t have much time, I decided to just enjoy the Palace grounds and go inside the palace some other time. I can see myself spending a whole day there, there was so much to see and so little time today. O’well, I just have to come back here some other time.
I headed back to the city center, had hazelnut ice cream and then made my way to the train station. With 3% battery remaining and my train ticket on the Berlin Bahn phone app, I crossed my fingers hoping that it wouldn’t die on me until I got back home.
Not having a ticket is a €60 fine. If you ever visit Berlin, make sure to always buy a train ticket and get it stamped or else you’ll be fined. The random ticket checking agent are everywhere and they are like secret shoppers. They are not dressed in any uniform like the ticket police in San Francisco but in everyday clothing like you and me. Once the train takes off a station, they announce to have your ticket ready for scanning. Luckily, I made back home with no issues and 1% battery power. Whew! That was a close call. It kept me on pins and needles through the entire train ride.
It was nice to be back home, so I could give my feet the much deserved rest after walking for nearly 9 miles today.
