Thursday morning's major expedition was to the grand painting collection at the Gemaldegalerie. It's one of the most comprehensive and important collections of European art from the Renaissance through the 18th century. Highlights include masterpieces by such favorites as Durer, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Watteau and Caravaggio. The collection's rarities include noteworthy works by such Flemish/Dutch artists as Van Eyck, Van Der Weyden and Bosch. After a refreshing lunch of pasta and Barbera wine at a friendly Italian restaurant ("Essenza") on the Potsdamer Platz, we headed to the Nikolai Church (1230,) the oldest building in Berlin. Remodeled in the Gothic style, this church is now a museum with many displays of past life in the city. Despite intermittent rain, we also saw the Biedermeyer-era Knoblauch House, near the church. Our Berlin dinner was at the famed Aldon Hotel (aka The Kempinski,) in its "Quarre" restaurant. During the inter-war period, the Aldon, near the Brandenburg Gate, was the site of celebrated visitors and residents, from Berlin's society and intellectual worlds. - Dan
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