Guten tag meine damen und herren. Well Berlin has come & gone and plenty has happened since! It has been difficult to keep the blog updated as A. Finding WiFi is not always easy & B. Finding the time! Everything has been full on. I'm pleased to report back that I have been successfully negotiating us around the place using my limited German. Berlin was an interesting experience. While not the vibrant city John & I remember from the mid eighties when it was west & east Berlin & Berlin was in the middle of East Germany- never the less, it was interesting to see a unified Germany with Berlin once again at it's centre. We felt it had lost some of it's crazy, lively atmosphere it had when west Berlin was condensed into a melting plot of bohemians. Mind you the weather was a bit dreary when we were there this time as it rained for the 3 days we were there. But, undeterred, the boys managed to have a great time & stayed out all night on the first night there until 7.30 the next morning. Suffice to say their experience of the cultural & historic side of Berlin was crammed into afternoon activities! Meanwhile, John & I made the most of our time & marveled at being able to stroll down Unter Den Linden & view the Brandenburg Gates from the eastern side with the Qaudriga, rightfully, facing once again to the east. We also spent a few hours in the Tier Garten which was as lush & verdant as Hyde Park in London. The exception being the abundance of birch trees and the gardens of flowers being fenced of with chicken wire to keep out the animals coming to nibble on their sweetness. The Berlin wall now just a few relics that have been immortalized but everywhere are the reminders of the past. The food was always good as we sought out restaurants serving traditional food & especially plenty of Reisling und kalte biere. Then there was the cakes & chocolate which seemed to be everywhere enticing me & of course it didn't matter where you went it was all good. Well I need to say auf Wiedersehen for now as John wants the light out to get some much needed sleep for tomorrow's activities. Will fill you in on the next installment soon. We're off to Prague next & there is an unwelcome turn of events that happen we are there. Stay tuned. Tschus!