Last weekend, I played host to my third and fourth visitors in Berlin... Laura and Jordan.The weather may have took a turn for the Baltic, but we made the most of it still.

After picking them up from the airport, we had some issues with the stupid woman at Rudow train station giving us the wrong train tickets, and a bit of drama when I thought I'd left my wallet on the bus - but soon all was well with the world!

Starting off with a trip to Burger King - there's nothing like a bit of traditional German food ;) - we then headed to Stadtmitte (that I excellently translated as „Town middle" for the benefit of my guests, for our first Christmas Market experience. We wandered around and soaked in the atmosphere around Gendarmenmarkt, while Laura took pretty photos of the nice buildings. When we realised you had to pay to get to the centre bit, where there was some kind of entertainment, and it started raining; we decided to go for a coffee. We also checked out the posh chocolate shop, with big models of Brandeburger Tor, the Reichstag, the bombed-out church, the Fernsehturm, and the Titanic. We saw all but one of those in real life as well as chcolate form. Then as the rain turned to snow we went to Lafayette, the posh shop, and wandered up and around there. Jordan pretended he wasn't with us by walking the opposite way around shops, and Laura duetted with a choir of German schoolkids on a Christmas song. We then wandered around Brandeburger Tor, for some more photo opportunities, before heading to Potsdamer Platz and the Sony Centre. We decided against ice-skating as neither me nor Laura were really insured, but we had our first beer. And watched some people „sing" Walking on Sunshine on a big-screen version of Singstar. Finally, we stuffed our faces, and then went out to local gay bar, Silver Future. There was one fit guy but as usual I failed to get the courage to approach him. We had a few (cheap!) beers and then an early night!

On Sunday, we started with a lovely long lie-in! Then we headed out to Ku'damm, for another Christmas market. We each had our first mulled wine, to warm us up in the freezing cold of Berlin (though it's got much colder since then!). Me and Jordan also decided to tackle the ½ meter wurst (sausage), and after seeing our success, Laura joined in too. She also had crepes. Greedy little thing ;)

We then went to the Reichstag, where I promised some warmth, but when we eventually got to the front of the queue, and then through security, we discovered the funky dome may as well be outside for how cold it was. We did take some sneaky pictures, illegally, incuding a quite masterful one showing where Angela Merkel sits on parliament days. The spiral system also greatly confused my brain, I couldn't understand how the upwards spiral and the downward spiral never crossed paths. Highlight was security guy asking us „Deutsch or English", and when we answered English he asked us where we were from. After Laura's „the Lake District" and my „Liverpool", he went „ah, Australia then".After some Thai food, we went to the place I take everyone who visits me - Roses. We had a lot of beer, and I ended up dancing the night away with an „Old Abbey" lookalike, and another girl we christened Stacey Solomon. The night ended nicely with a Paul Daniels lookalike on the bus prompting loud drunken shouts of "Debbie Magee!!"

And the final day we hit up Alexanderplatz, once again each of us got a ½ meter sausage... it'd be rude not to really! Then we also had crepes and coffee, before heading to the funfair. I offered to hold the camera while Laura and Jordan went on the elevated flying chair thingy (that made me feel ill just looking at it!), but in the end we decided we'd all go on the Worlds Highest (Transportable) Ferris Wheel. We got on and were provided with blankets to keep us warm on the ride (though they didn't help much!). Although this was probably the most family friendly ride in the whole place (including the carousels etc.), the ferris wheel whipped up a fair speed and managed to scare me a little. (ok that's an understatement- but I managed to refrain from screaming like a girl at least!) It span round at varying speeds, as we attempted to take photos of the pretty views and it was actually the kind of adrenaline rush I can enjoy (i.e. a very little one!). We got some takeaway, and Jordan tried my favourite - the Turkische Pizza, and ate it all - despite there being salad in it! I was very proud of him! And we ended the stay with some drinks in SilverFuture, though - the three of us aside - there was no talent in there that night, sadly! ;)

All in all, I had a great time, and Laura and Jordan will be very relieved to have escaped before it got to minus 15 degrees here, leaving me alone with the cold and the ½ meter sausages!

Memorable Quotes:

„We're all barmen here"

„That's what they say about you"

„I just lost the game"

„Tschussy"

„D'you want a crepe Jordan?"

„Say „bitte!""

„An-gay-la"

„Debbie Magee!!!"