A gentle 45 minute drive on the Autobahn brings us to Potsdam, a beautiful town formerly hidden away behind the Wall, now a UNESCO World Heritage site with 12 palaces and countless gardens. We go first to see the garden created by Karl Foerster, a plant breeder, who operated during WW2 when he bravely employed Jews and hung on through communist rule when he was demoted to mere worker. His daughter runs it now and her private garden is a feast of colour and texture: note the use of daylilies and grasses. Merryle's nursery stocks his delphiniums which I must get when we return.
Next is to Sans Souci (without cares), the summer palace of Friedrich the Great grandson of Queen Victoria. He came here to relax which is incredible when you see the formality and the weight of gilt everywhere. Our guide Ursula overwhelms us with a stream of instantly forgotten facts - all I have retained is that this was a court without women and any woman who did come hated the uncomfortable furniture.
Lunch was a picnic from the bus as prepared by Lucy and Fab - delicious fresh salads, good German breads and wine and fruit salad dominated by raspberries. No wonder other users of the bus park lined up to share our lunch and were shooed away by Gail! And no wonder that most of us snoozed off on the return to Berlin.
I seem to recall there were some 'Roman ruins' in the grounds of San Souci built specially for the King! No doubt they're still there!
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