I have a full-blown cold now. Boo. We only have a few more days to ourselves, as this trip is coming to an end. I don’t want to keep everyone from enjoying Berlin, so I dig out some DayQuil from my bag and push on.

It’s chilly again this morning. We leave in time for lunch again today. There’s a place nearby that is always packed. We go there to find it only half-full for Monday lunch. It’s covered with movie posters, even on the ceiling, and 90s-00s rap music plays. They have many different types of burgers. My gorgonzola burger is the best. Stefan loves his bacon and sauerkraut burger too. The kids each down a burger themselves! Good stuff.

We take Oliver back home and grab an Uber to the city center, back where we left off yesterday. We walk directly to Museum Island to see the Pergamon Museum. Both it and the Neus Museum are open today (Monday). The grounds here are beautiful with many columned porticoes. We decide to spring for the 3-day Museum Pass, only a few Euros more than the ticket for the 2 museums we’ll see today.

The Pergamon was built for the Pergamon Altar. Unfortunately that room is under construction at the moment, so we can’t see it. But when we enter, I’m immediately satisfied with our visit. The facade of an entryway built for King Nebuchadnezzar II stands before us. With cobalt blue and lions, it’s just wow. Then there’s a huge ornate gate that served as the entryway to a marketplace. Really cool. The museum continues with wonderful objects from thousands of years ago. It’s also just the right size. I think we are there an hour. Oh and did I mention they have free audioguides?! The kids run from one number to the next. I don’t think Oly listens to one sentence about the exhibit, but he knows his numbers.

Next door lies the Neus Museum, consisting of two parts: Egyptian and the Ancient World. It’s basically just floor upon floor, room upon room of super old stuff. Lillian is really into Egyptian stuff right now, so she’s pretty happy. Oly is getting tired, so he requires Stefan to hold him after just 15 minutes. We push through some fantastic rooms, but this museum is just too big for us today. I wish we had more time, but it isn’t meant to be today. We are tired.

Before heading home, we walk to the Cathedral. We’d love to go in, but the steep charge of 7 Euros/person dissuades us. We’re cheap sometimes. People sun themselves on the large lawn outside. It’s turned into a gorgeous afternoon. Perhaps we need to sit down somewhere outside instead of going home.

We see a lot of places to sit along the river’s edge. The kids want a snack, so we sit at a currywurst place. We want to try the famous Berliner treat. We all enjoy a bite.

Instead of taking an Uber, we ride the train home! It’s great because we get to walk past the cell tower thing that Oly calls “the sword” or “the spaceship.” The train is easy, just like the subway. We ride it 5 stops and depart just blocks from our apartment! I love taking public transportation in a new city. If I’m honest, it scares me a bit. I feel out of sorts, don’t know how to buy tickets, don’t really know where I’m going, etc. But that’s all part of the fun too. It’s an adventure, and it helps you see more of local life.

We pass the awesome playground one block from our house and have to stop. The sun is setting, so we don’t have more than an hour. Lillian and Stefan have to go back to the apartment because of a bathroom emergency. Oly and I sit in the sand. He digs in the sand as I watch families pack up and head home. Stefan and Lillian join us, and the kids play until there’s no daylight left.

Back home, I make the kids pasta they bought in Tuscany, with red and green stripes. Stefan runs out and gets Vietnamese food for us. I love calm nights at home like this. I know the kids do too. Lillian and Oly get a hold of my phone and take some selfies. I have to share because they make me smile.