Hamburg - Berlin - Dresden - Seiffen

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Hi Guys,

It has been a week since our last update, quite slack, but we are on holidays!!! Also, if there are any spelling mistakes, it is because the keyboards have the letters in different places here = very confused Amanda & Andrew.

We wanted to backtrack a little with our last update, as we forgot to mention an awesome Greek Pizza Restaurant we went to in Hambuerg. We were recommended this place by the hotel, one of the best recommendations so far. We ordered this donor kebab platter for two (so we could try everything).

Before we even got the meal, the owner gave us a shot of Uzo each (warm tummy from that). Then came the food, oh my! The platter was huge, plus you get salad, fries, rice & bread. It was delicious. Then the owner gives us another shot of Uzo after tea, add this to the glass of wine with dinner, boy did we sleep well that night!!

Then it was on to Berlin. What an amazing city. We visited an Aldi where the cigarette packets were just thrown in a container at the register, so you could pick up whatever brand you wanted. Much less stricter than home!!

Our first full day in Berlin (Wednesday) last week, was quite cold and wet. It was pouring, the umbrellas we bought in Amsterdam were definitley getting a work out. As it was so wet and cold, we decided a bus tour might be the best way to see the city. We weren't the only ones who thought this. We hopped on the bus and went all around Berlin, it was a good few hours that we were on the bus and saw alot of sights, which we decided to go back to visit the next day. We did hop off at the Eastside Gallery which is one of the last remaining standing parts of the Berlin Wall. It is hard to imagine, that this one wall divided people so much.

After this, we headed towards home, and stopped at a Russian restaurant. Again, our travel blog is about food 😊. We had an entree made up on Mozzarella Cheese, prosciutto, tomato and rocket all rolled together. Mains were stuffed chicken (russian style) and steak. We enjoyed it so much, we went back again the next night for dinner!!

Thursday, the weather was much better, thankfully. No rain, but a little chilly and overcast. We did all the touristy things in Berlin, visited Checkpoint Charlie (gate between West & East Berlin), that the Americans used to monitor, ensuring only peole allowed to travel between the two areas crossed. Went to a memorial walk, where you walked along and learnt all about the starting of Hitler's reign in Germany. Visited the TV Tower, which had amazing views all over Berlin and lastley, we went to the Holocaust Memorial. This is a place that will stay with you forever. It was incredibley moving, and at times, had me close to tears. It talked about Hitler's reign and what happened to the Jews.

How this could happen is astonishing, and you want to think it wouldn't happen in this day and age, but it could so easily. It was an eerie place, but amazing, considering you had so many tourists in the one place, but it was silent.

Friday we had to leave the appartment and head for Dresden and then to Seiffen (where the Christmas tragic is let loose). Dresden was supposed to be all about old churches and museums....until we found out Volkswagen have a factory there and you can do tours!! They only make 1 car here, the Phaeton, it's an uber luxury model (about $160k aussie) but the factory was amazing. We also stumbled apon a local produce market and got some almond stuffed green olives & home made salami.

The road to Sieffen was a small, narrow, winding road as it took us up to about 900m above sea level through many quaint little towns. Once there it was beautiful, just what you would expect from a movie.. Our accom was up the road overlooking the town, no one spoke English....hmm, menus not in english...actually, nothing in English. The barman spoke about 20 words worth, enough to help us with the menu.

Saturday, it was bitterly cold, and wet, but do you think that will stop her shopping when there are 40+ Christmas shops... After about 4 hours we (I) decided it was time to go as we didn't know how we were to get any of this stuff home we had bought.

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