Nikolaus
We usually mark St Nikolaus Day, following the tradition set by German friends who invariably sent us Lebkuchen in a very timely manner. This year, however, is the first one in ages that we've actually spent in Germany and I remarked to my Hero last evening that, perhaps we ought to have polished our shoes and left them outside our hotel room door, just in case.
Imagine my surprise then, this morning, to open the door and find this little package outside! St Nikolaus had visited us! How lovely was that?!
For it was a dreary day that greeted us when we went outside; not that we're here for the weather of course.
We took the U Bahn to Mitte, from where we planned to visit one or two favourite haunts, checking off things on my list as we went.
Sadly, the WMF shop on Friedrichstrasse couldn't fulfil my wishes but the chocolate bears in the Neuhaus shop opposite more than made up for the disappointment!
From there, it was a relatively short walk up to Under den Linden, in pretty awful rain, it has to be said.
with a brief stop to take the obligatory photo of the manhole cover of course.
Not to mention a Berlin Bear.
Such things lighten an otherwise dreary walk, as does the sight of several beautiful windows in the Russian Centre Store. How cute are those little deer?
Stopping only for the Ampelmann, we made it to Unter Den Linden, where we did our best to avoid the enormous puddles of water by the roadside as we waited to cross.
Two favourite haunts were on our list here, conveniently next door to one another. The Miele shop was on our list because our microwave is beginning to show signs of its age and we knew we could see the full range of the latest models here. Then, the adjacent Nivea store never fails to delight with more down to earth (and affordable) treats!
Today, Nikolaus gave us a gift there!
From there, it's only a step to another favourite: Dussmann's bookshop, just around the corner near the Friedrichstr Station. Here, we knew we could spend an hour or so browsing and so we each went in our own directions, arranging to meet up again later.
I was happy browsing the craft books whilst my Hero took a look to see if the book about Berlin's Railway Stations he’s been working on with our friend Ilja was there.
From there it was a short S bahn ride back to Leipzigerplatz and the shopping centre there to fulfil one or two other items on my list. Whilst there in Depot, Nikolaus delivered another treat
Thank you!
Weary feet then made their way back across the busy road junction to our “home ground” of the Paulaner Stube across from our hotel for an early supper/late lunch.
