We had a nice week. For the first part of it Erica and Ian were visiting and taking in Berlin. It was great to hear their perspective on the city after taking a few tours on Monday and Tuesday. Ian got to see the Dungeons of Berlin program and reported back that it was one of his most favourite parts of his European trip. Meanwhile, Logan enjoyed a full week of school including celebrating two birthdays which are his “favourite part” of the school day and is disappointed when there isn’t a birthday to celebrate. 

On Saturday we headed to the Nikolai Quarter for some lunch and sighting. This area was originally founded in the 13th century and was at the cross roads of the Spree river and the main trading route eventually leading to the East and to the Silk Road. It was the heart of the new settlements of Berlin and Cölln in 1200 and is often referred to as Old Berlin. Many tradesmen and merchants settled here which gave the city a largely artistic vibe for the past 780 years. During this time many famous artists lived here including some American actors and actresses pre WWII.

Churches of Berlin - St. Nikolai-Kirche

Between 1220-1230 the most famous and oldest church in Berlin was built, St. Nikolai-Kirche [St. Nicholas Church]. The church was originally Roman Catholic but was converted to Lutheran after the Protestant Reformation in the Electorate of Brandenburg in 1539. The famous hymn writer Paul Gerhardt was a minister in the 18th century where his hymn "Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn" was used as the base for Bach's chorale cantata BWV 92. The father of Pietism, Philipp Jacob Spener, was also a minister from 1691-1705 and Nikolai-Kirche is where he famously worked out a lot of his Lutheran theology. 

The church’s last services were held on Reformation Day (October 31) 1938 because of dwindling crowd sizes due to the increased tourism the Nikolai Quarter was experiencing. During WWII the entire area was damaged by the allied forces and in 1949 the vaults of the Northern pillars collapsed. The DDR didn’t care much for the old historic buildings and thus the entire quarter sat in ruins until 1981 when authorities authorised plans to rebuild the historic district in preparation for Berlin’s 750th anniversary.

The entire square and church are beautiful. Great strides have been made to make this area feel authentic right down to the old world charm and food. The inside of the church hosts some spectacular original carvings from the 13th-19th centuries. Today the church is a museum and often used for concerts due to it’s extraordinary acoustics. Some lucky musicians are even afforded the chance to record here from time to time.

On Sunday we ventured back to Isle of Youth so we could get some time on the Spree. We got to the boat rental shop shortly after it opened and rented a nice paddle boat. Logan played skipper (often yelling Aye Aye Captain) as he helped Daddy with the ruder.

The first 30 minutes were pretty nice so we ventured a little further to see one of Berlin’s famous modern sculptures. The Molecule Man is the work of American artist Jonathan Borofsky. Borofsky’s work includes the infamous Hammering Man sculptures around the world among other large form sculpture installations. The Molecule Man is three humans coming together in a combative stance. Their arms and feet are lost and blended together in the middle while the holes represent the “…molecules of all human beings” according to Borofsky. A sister statue can be seen in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The statues were built in 1977 and 1978 in LA and then shipped to their final destinations.

After paddling around the statues we headed back to the dock. Unfortunately for us the trip back was against the current and the cool wind had subsided leaving the hot sun to bake us. Logan took refuge under the canvas of the back chairs while Doreen wondered if it would be easier to simply get the boat out of the water and carry it. As we approached the dock it felt more like a WOD then a relaxing paddle on the Spree but we were happy we got the experience and happy we got so close to the statue.

We enjoyed a nice summer lunch on the Spree, got some well deserved ice cream, and then biked home to get ready for a new week of adventures and experiences.

Until Next Time,

The McNeills