POTSDAM

We took a half-day trip from Berlin to Potsdam, where Frederick II built his summer palace, Sans Souci. The town is small and elegant, with many buildings restored to their historical appearance, much to the dismay of our guide Robert, who thought it gave the town a Disney-like feel. However, as Scott pointed out, without these restorations, we might not have visited what would otherwise be an unremarkable city.

After seeing numerous Baroque and Rococo structures throughout Europe, Sans Souci is just another extravagant estate. What stands out is its former owner, Frederick II, who was likely a big old closet-case, and only saw his wife twice—once at their wedding and again 30 years later, reportedly commenting on her aging and weight gain! Perhaps he should be regaled as Frederick the Bitch?