Berlin 6-8 May 2011 with Mel, Ivo & Leo and Rom & Rini.

Highlights:

• Bundestag rooftop at sunset;
• Cycling all over the city (Todd's CA cruiser & my AMS Gazelle)
• Holocaust Museum

Saturday, 7 May 2011

A late arrival on Friday means Saturday is the first day of our adventure. A short walk along Friedrichstrasse from the Tryp Hotel is our "regular" cafe, CHIPPS. Upon breaking the fast, we hired cycles and rode all over town from Museum Insel to the Victory Column with a break for currywurst & beer on the lawn of the Opera House and another for pizza & beer on a roofdeck overlooking the Holocaust Museum. The day was punctuated by a tour of the Bundestag & drinks with Rom&Rini on the roof terrace. A bite for dinner & we were of to "Weekend" (Alexanderplatz) for a taste of the Berlin nightlife.

Sunday, 8 May 2011

A cheeky lay-in got us off to a late start. God forbid we miss a meal, we stop in at CHIPPS for a hangover cure. Sorted! We are back on the bikes with our sights on the Kaiser Wilhelm church and Checkpoint Charlie. Along the way, we get distracted by the nude male sunbathers in the Tiergarten -- buck naked in the middle of the urban park! A slight disappointment is the scaffolding covering the exterior of Kaiser Wilhelm church but we pop in for a peek at the historic & modern interiors...beautiful! Off to Checkpoint Charlie via Potsdamer Platz & the Kulturforum; experience the coexistence of old with new. With little time to spare, we hop a cab to the airport & return to London, having soaked in the culture & history that is Berlin. When do we go back?