Armed with my museum pass, I wandered around some amazing galleries and collections in Berlin. I finally got to visit the Neue Nationalgalerie and fell in love with a lot of the art work. One favorite painting was Kirchner’s Potsdamer Platz. We also got to see a special calligraphy exhibit and I got to spend some time with the old Masters at the Gemäldegalerie.

But what really made my museum visit special was a trip to the Altes Museum where the Egyptian collection is housed. You see, right before I went on vacation I had received Michelle Moran’s book Nefertiti. I remember hearing good things about it from some of you guys and thought it’d be a great vacation read. So I packed it up in my book bag for the trip but it didn’t dawn on me that I would actually get to see Nefertiti’s bust at the museum. The inspiration for the book!

Isn’t it fantastic? Well, I know the picture is not the best (the bust is encased in glass) but it really is dazzling and you can’t help but be amazed that such a treasure survived so many years. Aside from Nefertiti’s bust, I think my other favorites were the papyrus scrolls.

Anyway, after I saw the exhibit I quickly picked up the book and thoroughly enjoyed it (my review). The only thing I had a hard time with at first were the dates that the author notes in the beginning of the chapters. I didn’t realize that there is a calendar in the glossary that explains these. So don’t forget to check that out when you read the book. As I was nearing the end of the book I had so many questions about what could have happened afterwards and what do you know, there is a sequel coming out this August. Yay. I will definitely be looking for it.

Hello Everyone! I’m back from vacation. Actually I’ve been back for a few days but it always takes me some time to get back into the swing of things.

My last few days in Berlin were wonderful even though a bit exhausting. I was running around catching trains, meeting up with friends and just having a good time.

*Pic from inside the Reichstag

What was surprising to me was that I had a list of bookstores that I wanted to check out and didn’t get to go but to one of them. I couldn’t help it though, I found some fantastic museums to get lost in and spent countless hours looking at art. One of our friends who lives in Berlin said I probably visited more museums than she has. Ha,ha.

I did make the requisite stroll down the Ku’damm and stopped in at Hugendubel to check out their books and treated myself to A Most Dangerous Woman by L.M. Jackson. A new series featuring a woman sleuth in Victorian London. You know I could not pass this one up.

Anyway, stay tuned because I have to tell you about my visit to one museum and how it relates to one book I’ve just finished.

Can’t wait to catch up on what all of you have been reading!

*View of Fernsehturm