Tools for the trip

Just one day in Berlin

I always knew that allowing just one day in Berlin would be a dumb idea so we almost didn't make the trip (from Würzburg) at all, then at the last minute decided better to have gone for a day than not go at all.


I'm so pleased we did though because we had a ball. Hiring bikes, we made a full day tourist itinerary which traversed the city several times, Alexanderplatz, past the Fernsehturm, Museum Island (no where near enough time to qeue for the Pergamon), Brandenburg Gate, a Currywurst stop, Jewish Monument, Checkpoint Charley, Stasi Museum, meandering through Tiergarten twice, Ku'damm street, lost in the KaDaWe department store (that place should come with a health warning, so hard to escape, kind of like Smith & Caugheys on steriods, I got stuck in the toy department).

Outside KaDeWe to draw the ‘Berlin’ Sculpture on Tauentzienstraße outside. Eventually making our way back through the Brandenburg Gate again as the sun went down to meet Rolf Shroeter at the excellent Schleusenkru biergarten, a very pleasant meeting accompanied with Pils and  flammkuchen and our day ended with us winding back through the city in the early hours to the hotel.

There is of course much much more to see, not all tourist sights, but that will have to wait until next time!

Colloseum and Constantines Arch, Rome

Overindulgence, Bavarian style

Reception hotel in Buchenburg

My brother had his wedding in the Allgäu region of Bavaria. We had a great time experiencing a Bavarian style wedding and hospitality. 

We feasted on such delights as Leberkäse (meaning 'liver cheese' - much nicer than it sounds and actually containing no liver or cheese!), numerous bretzel, delicious flammkuchen, cakes, cakes and more cakes, and of course numerous varieties of Pils, Weisbier, Doppel Bock, Radler bier etc.

Rathausplatz Kempten

Then to Füssen to see the

famous Neuschwanstein castle

and battle with the crowds of

tourists. And battle with the

sketchbook - lots of trouble

fitting the front view of the

castle on my page!

A spectacular castle and stunning

setting though, and I did get

to try my first Currywurst while

in the queue - delicious! 

Leiberkasa, currywurst and flammkuchen

Neuschwanstein Castle