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Published: October 20th 2014
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Once off the bus, finally in Berlin, all we wanted to do was get to our hotel. So we jumped in a cab (instead of taking the train) and were there in a few short minutes. Had dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant and were both in bed pretty early - exhausted after our crazy day of lost adventure!! Tried to beat the breakfast crowds, but so was everyone else it seemed - a packed house!! Got ourselves a good feed though, so we were ready to seize the day. Lucked out again with the weather - sunny and 23!! Our friends in Berlin (Elizabeth and Trevor) recommended we hire a couple of bikes to get around and see the sights. This was a particularly attractive option, given that one of the local metro train companies (S Bahn) was on strike!! Unfortunately we didn't realise this until we had already bought and validated day passes. Anyway, what a lovely way to see Berlin! 😊 😊 We rode along the Spree River, passed the government buildings, around the Tiergarten (central park of Berlin) and over to an amazing Holocaust Memorial (designed by Peter Eisenman - an American architect). Popped into a neighbouring
cafe for a cold drink and off we went again - over to Brandenburg Gate, along the river to Friedrichstrasse and across to Checkpoint Charlie. In need of some sustenance, we rode back to our hotel, parked our bikes and walked to a nearby Argentinian Steakhouse. OMG - our meals were divine!! Had a little rest in our hotel room, before heading out on our bikes yet again. Made our way to the East Side Gallery and walked a section of the Berlin Wall. By this stage I was regretting our decision to hire bikes - my front tire had gone flat, making it very difficult to ride. We tried to put some air in it at a service station, but couldn't get it to work. Another bike rider tried to help us, but he couldn't manage it either. So I soldiered on and was very relieved when we got back to the hotel! Quick showers and off again, thankfully in a taxi this time, bound for Elizabeth and Trevor's place. They have this fantastic 170 square metre apartment with great views of central Berlin. Trevor cooked us a feast, while Elizabeth kept our wine glasses topped up and enquired
about our travels. We had a capsicum soup for entree, then chicken and veggies for main, followed by a lemon curd-type of desert - all very yummy!! After that, Elizabeth asked if we wanted some lemon meringue pie - she just happened to have a homemade one lying around. We managed to squeeze that in as well!! Before we knew it, the clock had struck 11pm, so it was time for us to get our bums in a taxi and back to our hotel for some sleep. Bit of a late start on Monday, unsurprisingly. We had to take the bikes back across town - I still had a flat front tire, so it wasn't much fun 😞 The trains were all running (no strikes), so we were able to get back to our hotel without too much hassle. Packed up our things, checked out and jumped in a taxi, bound for the airport. Georgia and I had planned to sit and wait together, once our bags were checked in, but our planes were departing from different terminals. So we had to say our goodbyes early, after 6 weeks of travelling together, and went off in opposite directions - it
made me sad... am really going to miss her!!
Anyway, got myself something to eat and waited almost 3 hours for boarding to start - all the while struggling to stay awake!! When my plane finally got off the ground, it was over an hour behind schedule. At least I was able to get a bit of a nap in during the flight. Arrived in Rome and found my way to the taxi rank (my hotel does not offer a shuttle service to or from the airport). Bit of a pricey cab fare... I did, however, make friends with the driver who offered me a cheap(er), capped rate for a return trip on Wednesday morning. It was all worth it - my hotel is unbelievable!! Felt really underdressed when I was checking in. Lots of wealthy women strutting around in high street fashion... I was in thongs, jeans and a t-shirt!! They upgraded me to a room with a view of the pool and gardens. Wish I had someone to share this with - the room is so amazing!! I've never stayed anywhere so nice in my life! There are two showers (one over a bath), a king size bed,
balcony, slippers, robes, cable tv...the works!! The bar fridge is fully automated / electronic - if you pick something up and don't put it back within 30 seconds, they charge you for that item. I ordered myself some dinner (delivered to my room), had a nice hot bath and watched a movie. They even have a 'Pillow Menu'!! It lists 13 different types of pillows that you could request via the concierge... seriously?! Have to pay for the wifi and pretty much all the additional services are pretty expensive. The room itself was a reasonable rate per night, so I guess they have to make their money somewhere. I would still totally recommend staying here though - the Rome Cavalieri Hotel... treat yourself!!
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