From one pork and potato country to another

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After a train ride from Prague to Berlin, we checked in to a hotel near Freidrichstrasse station in central Berlin. Aside from the wind and rain, the first thing we noticed is that Berlin is a little cold (das is freezin mein weiner schneitzel). We are seriously failing at this whole chasing summer thing. This may be another Edinburgh, where the passage of time is impossible to tell from our photos because we are wearing all the clothing we own in every photo. I won't go on too much about the beer in Berlin, other than to say, the Germans have been doing good beer for a very long time. Enough said.

We decided to do a 10 km bike tour of Berlin and had a fantastic day out. It was a great way to see the city and make mental notes about places we wanted to go back to. Learned some interesting facts:

1. Berlin is the largest Turkish city outside of Turkey. This fact actually sent us on a successful hunt to find a good Turkish restaurant.

2. Berlin is the third largest gay city in the World, behind Sydney and San Francisco.

3. Berlin is built entirely on a swamp and has pipes running above ground pumping water away from foundations of buildings.

There are museums to suit anyone's taste in Berlin. We went to the Pergamon museum, which houses amazing pieces and replicas from the Middle East in purpose built rooms. We also visited the Berlin Wall and Check Point Charlie on our bike tour and then later went to a very moving museum that featured what life was like for those looking to leave East Germany. It was in the departure hall that led from East Germany to Freidrichstrasse station, where trains went to Western Europe (nicknamed the Palace of Tears). It took us forever to find as there were no signs for it, and it ended up being right in front of our hotel. Nice.

At the end of our three days in Berlin we had filled ourselves up with more pork and potatoes and beer, and learned so much more about German history. Time very well spent!

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