Einkaufen gehen

Our plans for today, Saturday, were to go shopping.  We didn’t have specific things on our list but as always when we are in Germany, there are some favourites to look out for.  So, after breakfast we set out to the U-bahn, past the windmill we’d seen last night – doesn’t look anything like as enticing in the daylight, does it?

We waited for the characteristic Berliner green “Ampelmann” before crossing, wary of the strict fines imposed here for carefree jaywalking.

Tickets bought, we are set for the duration of our stay (and longer!)

The bright yellow train with the Brandenburgertor design on the windows is soon with us.

We’re heading for Wittenbergplatz and when we make our way to street level, we’re delighted to find the station is maintained in the old style.

The advertising is all in keeping, including this one: a hint as to our first destination this morning.

The Kaufhaus des Westens – or KaDeWe – is a landmark shopping destination and having been there some twenty or so years ago, I had only sketchy memories of it.  The calico bag I acquired on that visit remains in regular use in my collection, however!

Christmas was in full swing just beyond the doors and this beautiful tree was attracting quite a bit of attention.

It’s an unusual colour scheme and lavishly decorated - I’m not sure if I love it or loathe it!

We both loved the traditional glass tree decorations on sale beside it, though we decided they were way too fragile for our careless fingers and stone floors.

And though the KaDeWe bear of the year, Rudi, was very cute and very soft, he too stayed put.  We decided to head for the homewares to take a look at the seasonal table decorations and suchlike, but as we did, I spotted a familiar name and jumped off the escalator.

My hero had spotted a familiar name too – so I took the Steiff route and he headed for Marklin.

Whilst he browsed the trains, I took a closer look at the bears, including some eminent characters.

Much too sweet to end up at the bottom of the lake I hope!!

In another corner of that same floor were the Christmas decorations, including the traditional figures from the Erzgebirge.  We could have stayed amongst them all day, but having wrapped up warm against the cold weather, we were beginning to overheat and were both in need of fresh air.

Out on the street, the first flakes of snow were falling.

We continued to mooch in and out of shops: I looked for a coat in Peek u. Cloppenburg but nothing took my fancy.

So we continued along the Kurfurstendamm to the Breitscheidplatz dropping in and out of shops here and there.

In Karstadt we found ourselves amongst Christmas things again and enjoyed gleaning a few ideas to recreate at home, maybe.

By now, we were both flagging a bit.  Time to return to the U Bahn and make our way back to Potsdamer Platz to put our feet up for a while.

We changed trains at Wittenbergplatz and were soon back where we’d started.

The temptation to walk back through the lavishly decorated Arkaden was too great, though and we took a look around before going across the street into the hotel.

Here we found more Christmas decorating ideas and still more temptation to buy!

Simple things, pretty things, beautifully displayed.

But right now, my feet are complaining and I’m ready for a rest.  We’ve booked an early supper at the restaurant across the street because we have tickets for the opera tonight.

Enough for now, then.  We’ve got to leave some things for tomorrow