The weekend in Berlin went too quickly, with plenty of laughter,
sunshine and silliness. Friday was a busy day with arrival of my friends
and I to Berlin, dance practice, concert in the concerthaus and to end
the evening, out on the town at a speak-easy look alike bar, where my
friends and I were dressed up in 1920’s clothes and stayed out until the
early morning hours, hehe 😂
Saturday and Sunday was equally busy days, with several important sights
in Berlin, including; TV tower, Alexander platz, Altes Museum,
Holocaust Memorial, the Red City hall, the parliament building which was
heavily damaged during WWII, Berliner Dom, Brandenburger Tor, the
memorial of the book burning of ’33, the Wall Museum and Check Point
Charlie where I had my official passport stamped with; two Check Point
Charlie stamps, British, French, German and DDR stamps which was very
neat.
Brandenburger Tor
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| Berliner Dom with my friends |
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| Impromptu fencing match |
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| Tv Tower on Alexander Platz |
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| Memorial of Book Burning in '33 |
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| Check Point Charlie |
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| Check Point Charlie, American Zone |
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| Germany during WWII |
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| The Wall, or what's left of it |
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Amazing to think that it has only been 26 years ago that the wall was
torn down! It was a revelation to see it. Plenty of pictures were taken,
sights visited and listed for more exploration in future.
Saturday evening was it the long awaited Ball!!!
The ball at Schloss Fredrichsfelde was well attended, including Her Majesty Queen Louise of Prussia and the dowager Queen.
After you have entered Schloss Fredrichsfelde and left your cloak in
the cloak room, gone up the ancient but elegant staircase, you hand your
card to the Master of Ceremonies, he goes in, – you wait nervous and
anxiously for him to announce you – you finally walk into this amazing
room, the ceiling like a summer blue sky, people dressed in proper 1816
clothes and jewels all around – and there in the middle of the room sits
the royals; Queen Louise of Prussia and the dowager Queen, you walk up
and drop into an elegant court curtsy and nearly drops your tiara, and
you feel the heat of your blush from the cleavage of your dress to the
very roots of your hair! Amazing, horrible and interesting to say the
least. You back away and end up next to your friends while you try to
regain your composure.
The court introduction felt like it must have felt like 200 years ago
when you are a new debutant! Nervous, excited, hoping you will not be a
wall flower, scared of embarrassing yourself – which I accidentally
did!
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| Queen Louise of Prussia |
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But the dances were familiar and well trained thanks to Martin from the
Jane Austen Center in Bath, and other dance teachers. The dances
included, The Duke of Kent, a dance my friends and I are very familiar
with from our visits to Bath during the annual Jane Austen Festival. The
men and women who attended was in most cases beautifully dressed, the
food was good and the company the best with my dear friends! So I felt
like Lydia Bennet and danced nearly every dance during the evening!
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| During a dance |
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| Me in my new ball gown and emeralds |
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| Christin, my regency sister in cream and diamonds |
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The ball looked like a movie set, and we the guests actors, dressed to
the nines in regency clothes, jewels and titles. It was well organized
and the music matched the beautiful surroundings! Schloss Fredrichsfelde
is the only castle I know in the world which is located within a
zoologist park.
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| The ball in full swing |
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| Just before another dance |
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| Another dance |
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| The Queen and two lovely guests in regency |
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| Look at that ceiling, is that beautiful or what? |
The ball was like taken straight out of a Jane Austen book, Schloss
Fredrichsfelde was even more beautiful than any Austen location I have
ever visited! With the painted ceiling, the fantastic acoustics and the
amazing portraits, it felt like I had stepped through the looking glass
and straight into the world Austen described in minute details in her
books.
So I am definitely coming back to Schloss Fredrichsfelde sooner
rather than later. So will I see any other Austen lovers there in May,
maybe for the next Queen Louise Ball?
As the last official energizing dance was danced, before a good
friend started to play waltz music, and many couples took to the floor
and twirled around to the waltz. There were many talented dancers, even I
was given a chance to learn a few more tricks to be able to dance a
waltz.
Piano music 🎶 followed, though very talented my friend did not
conquer the technical details and the many years another guest managed
to display on the piano. The few remaining guests who listened were
spellbound!
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| A very talented dancer and pianist |
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| My friend Ciaran playing, me enjoying the music |
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| The talented pianist, and me enjoying the performance |
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Soon after that, I was called upon to perform to the best of my
singing abilities, and without music, music sheets and with a small
audience I sang to my hearts content! The song came from the musical
“The Sound of Music”, it was ‘Edelweiss’ which I performed, and I have
NEVER heard better acoustics than in that ball room!! Among the audience
was my dear friends; Eva, Vera and her beau, Ciaran, and my regency
sister Christin, another female guest and Her Majesty Queen Louise! I
was afterwards on a high from the amazing feeling of success and a loud
applause for my performance 🎶🎉🍸
The whole visit ended on a rather stressful if lucky ending! I was in
the airport with 5 minutes to go until my flight was boarding!! I made
it home after an amazingly funny weekend with my good friends.
I personally hope we can repeat it in the coming year.
