A Walk in the Park

A few days ago, there was a break in the wind and rain that has been plaguing Berlin, so Adrian and I packed up a lunch and took a train to the Großer Tiergarten. 

Where we ate lunch!

Adrian swinging his feet.

One of the algae covered channels.

Covering over 520 acres, it was hard to remember that the Tiergarten is in the middle of a city! Occasionally the sound of a car horn broke through the lush foliage, reminding me that beyond the thick tree trunks all around are concrete buildings and pavement. Each curve of the winding path brought a new group of people into view: young English tourists discussing the people they had each snogged the night before; new mothers in brightly colored scarves pushing prams with snugly bundled infants inside; elderly couples strolling together in comfortable silence; a smattering of folks lying on the lawns with books or phones, enjoying the sunshine which will become rarer and rarer as the autumn turns to winter.

The perfect size for a reclining Mary.

Pretty sure I don't want to swim in that pond.

Despite the many people touring the park, there was never a moment where it felt crowded. In fact, most of the time it felt like walking through a forest. The trees were dense and tall and the paths followed the landscape, making the walk seem much more isolated. Several of the paths curved alongside the river or wrapped around a pond. There were so many little "hidden", tucked-away spots that would be perfect for reading, bird-watching, or just relaxing. They felt so secretive, even though I knew that I was one of hundreds of people that would stumble upon them that very day.

While walking along the tree-lined paths, watching the sunshine filter through the leaves, Adrian made a confession. Apparently as soon as I decided that I would join him in Germany, he immediately began looking for parks we could visit. The Tiergarten was one of three he had starred on Google Maps for us to check out. It has actually become our standard "what should we do today?" date: a walk in the park followed by a beer (or an ice cream!).

It almost looks like it could be summer in this picture!

I can't wait to continue to exploring this park, especially as the seasons change! Autumn will be gorgeous with all the leaves turning, but I am especially excited to return in the Spring to see all the budding trees and blooming flowers. Look forward to seeing even more pictures from this staggeringly huge park!

There are more formal gardens throughout the park, but I'm saving them for Spring!