Yesterday we did the bike tour to Potsdam which is 35 km west of Berlin in former east Germany (look at a map, it all makes sense). Now, I know a 35km bike tour sounds impressive but what you do is put your bike on the train and then have a leisurely cycle through the park. Potsdam is the Versailles of Germany where all the Kings of Prussia built there castles for guests, wives or anyone else they wanted to impress.
Here our guide Mariel, who we loved, is explaining the succession of kings in a chalk diagram. Guess what, all the kings were named Frederick so to help us out she identified them by their hairstyles, talk about speaking our language.
The highlight was the palace for Frederick the Great. Fred was a big old homo with a dad who was a military hero (also named Frederick, of course). The dad wanted the son to follow in his footsteps but Fred the son was more into architecture, design and "gasp!" his boyfriend. Dad threw him and his boyfriend in jail and to make a point had the boyfriend beheaded in front of young Fred! Young Fred was eventually released from prison and married a women who he immediately separated from once daddy kicked the bucket. From that point forward Fred saw his wife only once a year just to make sure she was doing okay. Fred found a new man and brought him to live in this palace (Voltaire). It is decorated in the gayest of styles "Rococo" and Fred made it so over the top they called it "Frederikan Rococo". Already we are thinking WE LOVE THIS GUY but the icing on the cake is that young Fred is also famous for introducing potatoes to the German diet and people still bring potatoes to place on his grave. Who would have thunk it , a gay introducing potatoes into our diet, I guess he wasn't into the Atkins/South Beach trend.
This is Frederickan Rococo.
Fred's Grave with potatoesJust up the street from our hotel and across from the Memorial for Murdered Jews is the memorial for the murdered homos. Our people only get a single block (not 2700) but ours has a movie inside. Check it out, the movie is of two men kissing, full motion. It was kinda fun to watch the reactions of families walking up to take a peek inside.
What you see when you look inside!
We'll try and post some more later. We are on our last two days of holidays and we are trying to enjoy every last moment.
We'll try and post some more later. We are on our last two days of holidays and we are trying to enjoy every last moment.
3 comments:
Poor Frederick. I'm glad he gets a memorial, even if it involves potatoes.
Happy, happy this morning!
7 hour bike tour,my God, thought Versaille bike tour was long. I am jealous, those bike tours are so much fun.What an interesting story about the "Freds". Yes, his palace certainly is very "happy"
How wonderful that Germany is so accepting of all life styles. As is Sweden & Denmark. maybe some of the western countries could learn a little something from them.
Sounds like you boys feel right at home there, go & enjoy your last few days, just say "hi" if you can't blog, so I know you are alright. Only a mother would think "maybe something happened to them"
Love you both, and have a blast!
I think I woukd love Frederick- and so jealous of the bike tour!
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