As usual John was up early, feeling his way around the room to not wake Peggy, and going out for a walk in this lovely city. Lots of beautiful views of buildings, waterways and barges. After ninety minutes of walking and taking pictures, he returned to Peggy and pushed the wrong button, turning all the lights on in the room. The system for temperature and light and curtains is all run from an electronic system next to the bed and in the bathroom. Turns out you can turn on all the lights in the room and bathroom from the bathroom panel but not the other way around. Having turned every light “on” John went to remedy the situation and turned every light off so it was pitch dark. Ah well, time to get up…. The Park ... read more

After a late night – again – we slept in and got up for breakfast around 7:00. The Radisson breakfast is impressive (not as good at in Berlin) because of the numbers. The person checking you in marks off your room and then makes a note of how many there are in the party. Her list is an impressive series of rows of groups of five. Looks like markings on an Egyptian tomb. After breakfast John went off to the convention and the general assembly while Peggy went back to studying for Asian Art Museum tours. John visited the House of Friendship project hall and then walked over to the General Assembly, the first of two today. In order to move 10,000 people into the auditorium the logistics required winnowing the massive number of people down ... read more

John rented a bike from Donkey Republic early in the morning and bicycled to the Reichstag, past the Brandenburg Gate, into the Tiergarten park, around Potsdamer Platz and along the Unter den Linden back to the hotel. Before going the last mile, John bicycled through an area around Nikoaikirche church (with its two spires and clocks) just south of Alexander Platz which is filled with little eateries and fun shops. Perhaps we’ll visit this area when we return to Berlin. Hotels, Restaurants and Services we visited in Berlin: · Hotel Alexander Plaza, Rosenstraße 1, Berlin, Germany Tel: + 49 30 24001 0. Nice location and clean rooms with a good breakfast but hallways are a little shoddy. · Hauptstadrestaurant Gendarmerie, Behrenstrasse 42, 10117 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 76775270. Good prices for a nice lunch and ... read more

As per usual, John was up early to catch the light and walk the mostly empty city streets. He covered the walk to the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the government center, and everything in between. What fun to see these sites without the crowds or traffic. Then breakfast and planning for a day of museums. First it was a visit to the Berlin Dom, which we walked by last evening. What a beautiful dome, and what a spectacular and huge organ! Wish we could hear it being played. John attempted to go up to the catwalk around the dome but quit after many steps and a narrow stairway … and dripping with sweat. Got some good views out of dirty windows but perhaps another day. Walking across the street to the Altes Museum of antiquities we ... read more

Our bags are packed. Our itinerary is set. We have pored over travel books and online to find the museums and activities that would be the most enjoyable and educational. We have detailed plans for MANY museums, the Rotary International Convention, walks in new cities and trying new foods and restaurants. We have friends and family visiting our home in Mill Valley to take care of the plants and enjoy the Bay Area. We are ready to go!... read more