Out For Tea

June 12, 2025 

 

I was on my own for the start of the day. I planned to get out to the main street to poke about the shops, but didn’t quite make it. Since I was up at 7, I needed a nap around 1 o’clock, and used my new trick of putting on a 15-minute guided meditation, setting an alarm for 30 minutes, and drifting off before the deep-breaths part of the meditation is done. The alarm woke me up, and I thought it was morning. So refreshing!

Katharina got home from work (she’s a pediatrician) at 2 o’clock, and we set out to check off one of the several things I’d put on my wishlist for this visit: tea at a Tajik tea house called Tadshikische Teestube. We rode a couple of S-bahn trains and emerged by the historic synagogue I’d visited with John on a previous visit to Berlin. The synagogue was all but destroyed during WWII (yep, our side did that), and is now a museum, not an active synagogue. There are concrete barriers in front, and a police presence, because, well, I can’t explain why. Why antisemitism still exists, or why it ever did, is something I’ll never understand. 

The domes of the synagogue on the left, television tower in the right distance

 

Notice the Big Ball in the Sky in a couple of my shots. While one might imagine some nefarious purpose, it's just a television tower. (That's what they'd like you to believe!) It's visible all over Berlin. My favourite story about it: when the sun shines on it, the reflection forms a Greek cross. That became known as "the Pope's revenge," because in East Germany, where it is (or was) situated, the government had removed all the crosses from the churches. 

Behind busy streets, quiet passageways

The neighbourhood we were in is riddled with little interior passageways between apartment buildings which have been developed into art spaces, cafés, and artisan shops. We walked through these leafy courtyards until we came to the one where our teahouse was located. The interior was really enticing, rather like the old Afghan Horseman in Vancouver for those that remember it, but on such a beautiful, warm day, we chose to sit outside. We ordered the “Russian Tea Ceremony” for two, which wasn’t really a ceremony. The very concentrated tea was held in a tiny teapot over a samovar. This was accompanied by minuscule bowls containing candied peel, rum-soaked raisins, some strawberry jam, and flavoured sugar lumps. It was supposed to be accompanied by vodka, but we chose apple juice instead. There was a dish with a number of cookies, packaged ones, not fresh. Our server told us we were to pour a small amount of the tea in our cups, then fill up with hot water from the samovar. She didn’t tell us what to do with the rest of the stuff. We took a guess and stirred the bits into our tea, which needed some sweetening, since it was strong and bitter (in a good way.)

Waiting for tea. Note ashtrays -- people in Europe haven't caught on to the nonsmoking culture of North America. The only safe place to eat is indoors, which in effect gives the best seating to smokers. Here, we were almost alone, therefore breathing clear air.

The interior of the tea house, had we needed to escape smokers

 

We lingered over tea, just talking, telling stories. So good to have this time.

Our "Russian Tea Ceremony", with sweet bits, cookies, and apple juice. The little teapot on the top is full of very concentrated tea, while the samovar is filled with hot water.

Afterwards, we walked through more of the little courtyards, then out onto the park that borders the Spree, the river that runs through the city. Across the river was Museum Island, that holds a group of historic buildings: the Berlin Cathedral, the “Old Museum,” the “New Museum” (which isn’t new), the Pergamon Museum. John and I, along with Ezra and Katharina, visited these on our first visit to Berlin in 2010. 

The Spree, with Museum Island on the right

It seemed like the entire population was in the streets today, drawn out by the hint of summer after some days of cool and even blustery weather. Something I love about Berlin is that it’s a living city. In other European capitals I’ve visited, the historic centres have become museums for tourists. Berlin is not like that. There were certainly lots of tourists where we walked today, but most of the people were locals out enjoying their city on a fine day.

There's that "Television Tower," spying on everyone

(I need to learn to make longer videos; 8 seconds seems sooo long when I'm recording!)

 

"Television Tower" with "The Pope's Revenge". Note S-Bahn train on the further bridge.

A nice restaurant before the dinner hour. Pretty sure I wouldn't want to wrap myself up in those hairy animal skins!

 

While we're out and about, here's a little lesson on using the Berlin transit system. First, you buy a ticket from the dispenser, then you validate it in a little red box. It's not clear (to me, without help) that you have to do that, but if you haven't validated your ticket, you are not travelling legally and could be kicked off the train if an official comes along to check. This is the same on European intercity trains -- you need to find the little box to validate your ticket.

Purchase tickets here. This local took a long time figuring out how to do it, so don't expect it to be easy. Know some key words, like "fahrkarte" for ticket. Otherwise, just poke at the screen, and eventually something will happen.

 

 

The validation box, this one attached to what looks like a mini fire hydrant.

Expect to share your ride with bicycles.

Amelia was at a birthday party from after school until 7 tonight, which is how Katharina was free to spend time wandering with me. We picked Amelia up at the party venue, an apartment like this one, where about a hundred kids emerged. Well, maybe not quite a hundred, but it might as well have been. Parents, mostly fathers, were there to pick up their kids. I was struck by the big smiles as they spotted theirs among the throng. I am struck generally by the strong sense of family I get, watching people here. Maybe it’s not different from home, but at home, people are mostly in their houses and yards, whereas here, because people live in apartments, families are out and about, and their affection is in-your-face visible. I don't have any photos of that affection -- you just have to imagine it.

I do now have some shots of some of Katharina's family members, from their visit yesterday. Maybe you can see the affection in these.

 

Katharina's mom, Agnes

And Katharina's sister, Theresia, and husband Damien