Close to were we were planning to moor for at least a few more days there’s a possibility to refuel, both diesel and water. We refilled 4 jerrycans, indicating we wanted (4 x 22) 88 litres. The man that helped us did an excellent job: we had to pay for 88,02 litres! While he was refilling the jerrycans we had the opportunity to top up our water-tank. Before putting the hose into the tank it’s wise to let the tap run for, if possible, some 30 seconds. On the taps itself it sometimes indicates 8 seconds, but we think that’s pretty short. This has to do with the Legionella pneumophila bacterium. As you can see we initially pour the water into the lake instead of the tank first.

This is a picture of our ship, just left from the centre, while moored in Potsdam. We’re there from Monday the 2nd 1:05PM – still counting. The reason why is explained with the following pictures. This picture, by the way, was made a (few)day(s) after arrival, when we were on a ferry, thus having a look at our ship from an unusual angle. A day-boat partly obscures ours.

A picture, again, of the Schloss Babelsberg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babelsberg_Palace). For over 50 years it was the summer residence of Prinzen Wilhelm (Prince William,) later Kaiser Wilhelm I. (Emperor William I) and King of Prussia and his wife, Augusta Marie Luise Katharina von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress and Queen of Prussia. We were planning to visit the palace but, alas, visiting possibilities are limited.

By no means did we use our bikes in vain to visit the castle. Because this, dear follower, is the stunning view from it. Visible here is the Glienicker Lanke (from Berlin we came from the right; Potsdam is to the left) and the Glienicker Brücke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glienicke_Bridge). This bridge has a very interesting history. Too much to go into detail here, so we restrict ourselves here by only pointing out that the border between (free) West-Berlin and the DDR still can be determined by the two different colours of the bridge. Dark: West-Berlin. Light: DDR.

As already mentioned picture number 4 was taken from a ferry. That day, Friday, we pedalled to a little town called Caputh – which is not the same as ‘kaputt’, by the way. It is a bit challenging, distant-wise speaking. We did it anyway, to keep us occupied (waiting for the fender, you remember?), for our physical condition and, last but not least, some interesting old buildings are supposed to be seen there.

To be honest, the only interesting thing we discovered (it might be us, though) in Caputh was Albert Einstein’s summer-house. Open to the public only on Saturday, Sunday and (bank)holidays. Since we were there we made a picture of it. Admittedly is not much, but a lot more than no picture at all.

Our (epic) bike-journey was around the entire Templiner See. That’s quite a distance; convince yourself by reading about this lake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templiner_See. We did it clock-wise. While using the ferry at Caputh the picture illustrating the warning made us chuckle. Use the handbrake!!

Next to the, already described, Holländische Viertel (Dutch Quarter) Potsdam has its Russian Quarter, Alexandrowka, too. Again by using our folding bikes (oldies but goldies, we bought them back in 2007 – Bromptons) we visited Alexandrowka last Saturday. More info might be found at https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandrowka_(Potsdam).

This amazing quarter is laid out in the form of a Saint Andrew’s cross. King Friedrich Wilhelm III. (1770-1840) had thirteen homesteads with large orchards built in 1826 in memory of his friendship to Tsar Alexander I ( 1777-1825) of Russia. Twelve of the houses were originally inhabited by Russian singer-soldiers who served in Prussia after 1814. Our advice: learn a bit more about this quarter via https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandrowka_(Potsdam). Only in German.

One of the homesteads, still inhabited. Not by Russians anymore, we suppose.

Does any of you remember the ‘Poffertjes & Pannenkoeken’-restaurant in the Holländische Viertel (Dutch Quarter), we discussed last week? See the sub-page ‘Potsdam”- the final two little pictures. Anyway, yesterday, after the Russian experience, we treated ourselves by visiting this restaurant. Their pancakes are superb! They even have real Dutch ‘schenkstroop’ (pouring syrup???) available for the ‘spekpannenkoek’ (bacon pancake). Maybe you’ve noticed that one of us is not a 100% FB-fan. We can see her point. Bye for now.