Hello! Wilkommen to our blog!

We have just finished Berlin, having 'done' the city in just under 36 hours. We visited: The Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag (though sadly the spectacular dome was closed for maintenance), The Victory Column commemorating the Prussian military victories, the building site which hides Hitler's bunker, the longest fragment of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Jewish Museum, the Kaiser Wilhem Memorial Church (left pretty much as the British bombers of 1943 left it after a devastating raid), walked through Tiergarten Park, visited both East and West Berlin - ie. we've had quite a compact yet comprehensive time in Berlin!

We've also sampled bratwurst, sauerkraut and of course, the local beers.

We're staying in the Pegasus Hostel in East Berlin - a good find and a nice place in an otherwise rather shabby area. Being in East Berlin is an interesting experience - the effects of 20 years of economic stagnation under the communist government are clearly visible. Indeed the whole city still lives under the shadow of its turbulent history; famous monuments are pocked with bullet holes and vast chunks of the city consist of building sites as the area looks to rebuild itself after so much upheaval.

We're heading out now for a 'currywurst' washed down with some local Pilsner lager - mmm.

Tonight we leave Germany for Krakow in Southern Poland - we'll next be in touch from our base in the Orange Hostel in Old Town!

Auf Wiedhersen!

Phil, Ciara and Matt

xxx