January 27-A Snowy Day in Göttingen

Before today we had only had one afternoon with snow.  So it was very exciting to wake up to some snow, return from Berlin to more snow and then more the next morning.  Since it would be unusual to cancel school due to the snow the kids just wore their snow pants and jackets to school and were dressed to play outside during recess.

This was walking to school.  All of the kids jackets and backpacks have reflectors on them.

The playground at school.

So while Brooke and Seth were at school in the morning we checked out the sledding in the forest right beside our apartment.  We bought 3 plastic sleds here.  Then one evening we got home and found 2 wooden sleds with our name on it.  Our landlord had brought them over for the kids and said he hoped they had a fun time.  

Papa John went sledding too.

Sometimes you just have to do a selfie.

After school we all went sledding.  We could fly down this big hill.  It was sooooo much fun!

January 24-26 Back to Berlin

We had a fun time when we visited Berlin in October, so we were happy to go back when Mom and Dad visited. It was much colder in January and the kids had fun playing in the snow.

I thought this drain cover was neat with iconic symbols of Berlin.

This is Potsdam Platz which is an area of Berlin that had been destroyed during the war.  So the buildings were new and this area is known for its architecture.

When the Berlin wall was removed they left these original sections.  It was very interesting to see exactly where the wall had stood.

We had lunch at Vapiano's Italian Restaurant.  It is one of the few restaurant chains we have eaten at in Germany.

Then we took Mom and Dad to see the Brandenburger Tor.

A photo pop with Mickey.  He stood around until we paid him.

We revisited the Holocaust Memorial. I think we could spend hours running and hiding here.

Hi Papa John

Joshua and the boys

Grandma Earnie enjoying every minute with the kids.

It was so cold the water was frozen. 

January 26-1936 Olympic Stadium in Berlin

I was pretty excited to see the 1936 Olympic Stadium.  This is what we saw when we got off to the train.

And here it is....and it was sooooo cold.  

The stadium has been renovated and is still used today for sporting events and concerts.

This is the bell that they rang to kick-off the games. Hitler was in power and there were Nazi signs that have been somewhat camouflaged around the bottom.  

They wanted to paint a different picture of Germany during the games to hide the terrible things that were really happening.

The picture below shows the winners from that Olympics.  Jesse Owens (U.S.A.), an African-American, won four gold medals in Nazi Germany.

January 24-Potsdam, Germany

This is the summer palace of King Frederick II (Frederick the Great), called the New Palace. It was a place for guests to stay since Frederick himself didn't live there.  Frederick III also died in this palace.  The palace was built in the 1800's.  We went inside for a tour.  

This is across from the New Palace and is the servant's quarters.  There was a tunnel underground to transport food to the palace.

Joshua is standing in front of the servant's quarters.

Another view of the servant's quarters.

We are standing in front of the New Palace.

We walked all around this "park" in Potsdam.  It all belonged to the king and he built impressive buildings, terraces and gardens.  Maybe it was great to be a king?

Grandma Earnie and Brooke

Brooke and Papa John

You can see a statue behind us....we are just posing like the statue.

Grandma Earnie even posed.  :)

I thought they were going to pose sweetly for me, but they were trying to push down columns instead.

This is one of my favorite pictures.

Another one of the king's places.

Behind us is his palace with terraces built up in front.  I'm sure it is beautiful in the spring.  It was fun to have snow.  But it really was very, very cold.  Actually the coldest we have experienced in Germany.

Probably a chapel.  It is located near the King's Palace.

The mini Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam.

Potsdam was one of the neatest places we have visited.  We went to Berlin first and then took a train about an hour and a half to Potsdam.  Several different people had recommended that we go...we are glad that we did.

January 22-An Afternoon in Duderstadt

We asked the Wagner family from church to meet us in Duderstadt one afternoon and show us around.  The town has around 2-3,000 people and the Wagners live outside of the main city.  Duderstadt was one of the checkpoints people would have to pass through from East to West Germany.  This is on top of the city wall.  After living in Germany the verse in Proverbs 25:28 is even easier to understand.  It talks about how a man without self-control is like a city whose walls have been broken down.  The cities needed a strong wall to protect it from attacks from the enemy.

So, so fun to have Mom and Dad here.

I think I have only read of cannonballs.  Pretty neat to see an actual cannonball that was used.

A view of the city from the watch tower.

I think it's  neat that cars can drive through the arch of the watch tower.

Even UPS makes deliveries here.

This is the Lutheran Church in town.

Here is the Catholic Church.  I think the size of the doors is impressive.