Munich

We spent today taking in the sights and sounds of Munich. Nowt much to report really. So we decided to make like a tree and ... got a night-train to Florence :)

Don't go to Portugal!?

The next city in our sights is Munich - only a short train journey away. After sorting accomomdation, etc... we split up. Dave went to get thrown out of a posh coffee shop (!?) and the rest of us went on Doug's tour of the Olympic Stadium. It was closed. Nice one Doug! *

We finished the day in a Brauhaus that was allegedly Hitler's local - you could see where they have painted over the swashstikas! We met some right wierdos in there. Neil (a blonde Robin Williams look-a-like), Chung (a guy who had a camera that looked like a Tie Fighter) and an American Essex girl from Cologne!?

Neil kept telling us not to go to Portugal as they steal your bags. In my humble opinion, it was stolen because he was stupid - he was sitting outside a street cafe and left his bag hanging on the back of his chair when he went to the toilet. He cam back to find his bag was gone - hardly surprising!? My favourite quote of his was "no boos man - wot tha fuck!?" :)

Finally, the plan was hatched - a route was chosen and out we walked - stealing two quality Biersteins. Lee and Doug - Master Criminals :)

* (It was closed as they were preparing for the European Athletic Championships that were being held here in a few days time.)

Day of Rest...

... well even God needed one :)

We woke up at 11am - tired from all of yesterday's events!?

So we spent the rest of the day shopping, drinking beer, writing postcards,...

Had Königsburger Klopse (liver dumplings) for tea - mmmmmm lovely!

Berlin

What a quality idea!

I woke up this morning in Berlin :) We retrieved our tickets and stepped off the train, only to be given a free guide of the city (this is too easy!)

After which it was time to find a bed for the night. Hotel Charlottenburg - cosy enough, but on with the tour...

Warschauer Strasse is where we found long sections of the Berlin Wall. It wasn't as high as I thought it would be.

We then wandered along to Alexanderplatz to see the World Clock. Next to the TV tower, where I stupidly bet €50 with a con-artist and surprisingly lost! I know :(

Checkpoint Charlie (reconstructed military checkpoint) on Friedrichstr. was worth a visit. From there we followed the remains of the wall to Potzdamer Platz. A cool place to hang out, but made even more so by the exhibition that was being staged there. "Die Erde von Oben" (The Earth from the Air) is a breathtaking collection of photos from all around the world - I highly recommend it!

Berlin isn't quite ready for our visit - the Brandenburger Tor is hidden under a cloth and the Reichstag is closed for refurbishments. So we climbed the Siegessäule for a good view of the city.

We were getting tired after all this walking so we had a short break at the hotel before heading for pizza and a few beers. After a while people got up on the karaoke (my idea of hell), but to be fair Barry Cheung's version of 'Mandy' was priceless :)

Köln

7:55am and we're on a train to Köln.

We arrived at 11am and to work up an appetite we climbed all 559 steps in the Cathedral. It is such an impressive building and is so different from the surround buildings - it's a wierd contrast. It is also a bloody long way to the top!

We spent the rest of the day bumming around the town - sight seeing and beer drinking.

At 10:36pm we left Köln on the the Nacht Zug to Berlin. It's quality! We are in a room for six people and were lucky enough to get the top bunks. One worrying thing... The conductor took our tickets off us - he said they would be returned in the morning (I hope so!)

The room slowly filled with people. First a quiet foreign couple. Then two lads (English I think). The one who slept on the bunk under me kept farting! He smells :(