Up at 6am, train to catch. I am not feeling great, bugger. It was a 6 hour trip and we only caught quick glances of countryside and towns between rail walls, trees and more trees, sorry no photos. The countries are so flat, towns are concrete jungles of high apartments. Some of the trees are just starting to turn red & gold, lots of corn fields, and even some Canola. We stepped off at Berlin Hauptbahnhoff and stood stunned and totally bemused as hundreds of people surrounded us. "well where are we?" says Thommo! Err Berlin - I said. What now? Find someone, we made our way to the exit, switched on the Garmin, keyed in our hotel and set for walk. Nothing! It was internally stalling, couldn't trace us!? I had to go and ask (at last) . We had travelled too far, back on the train and back 3 stations to the Zoo. Again Thommo was determined to master the garmin, I asked a bus driver, but Thommo was convinced he was on the right track - off we treck (in the opposite direction). Remember, I am not feeling good! We walked approx 500mtrs. and it was heading into a cobbled track through a park, and alongside the Zoo. I propped and Thommo said he would go ahead and check it out. I stayed with our luggage and watched camels in their enclosure, while walkers & cyclists streamed by me. I almost started to think Thommo was lost, but he appeared at last - "we'll get a taxi!!' I was too tired to even laugh, so we walked back the 500mtrs, asked the taxk, and we were only 500mtrs in the other direction!!
Into reception, only to be told 'sorry we are full tonight, but we have a room for you close by, and we have upgraded your room for the next 2 nights!!' NOT HAPPY, This 4 hours since we arrived in Berlin!! Now we are in our temporary room, and Ihad to lie down. Thommo said we have to get you fixed, I had to admit I was not doing us any help this way, luckily the hotel has a house doctor, and what a gem he was. Yes, I have drugs, injection to combat the nausea,follow up drops for the stomach bug and real pain killers for my back. NB. Woke up much better tnis morning.
First mission to transfer ourselves to our original hotel (after a delightful breakfast) and getting our gear into the upgraded suite we were really keen to hit the streets. I rang our friends son Tristan (Prasser), who is studying in Berlin with girlfriend Louise, mainly to apologies that we wouldn't meet up with them as we had planned as I am travelling rather slowly, and it would mean a train trip for us. But Tristan had given us some invaluable tips, including to try and see Brandenburger Gate today, as there was a major marathon organised for tomorrow in town, possibly road disruption. Note; Triston sounded rather sleepy? Good reason, they had been out in the Octoberfest!!
So, off we went and walked the Joachimstrasse which is a major retail mecca here - cafes, shoes, clothes, shoes, coffee shops, souveniers, shoes, coffee shops, cafes by the hundreds it is unbelievable. We checked out the Berlin Story and did a tour of an underground shelter (4 built in the post war in the event of a nuclea result in the cold war period). Huge bunker for the preservation of 16000 people (first in first saved)! Set up for supplies for 14 days (safe to go outside). Of course this was not true with knowledge today, and tne living conditions would have been intolerable - but it was interesting to learn this fact.
Our next plan was to go and see the Brandenburger Gate. We successfully negotiated the train trip, this time, we were armed with all the information. What fun it was in the square, a local marathon was in progress, with The Gate as the finish we were able to see, cyclists and roller bladers race in cheered along by thousands of spectators. It was great atmosphere, and we have a couple of photos at last.
We haven't planned tomorrow yet, Thommo is snoring on the couch as I am typing!! So watch this space for more surprises!
Pics. Me in front of The Gate. Thommo found a Bear?! (it is the Berlin Bear). Me really in Berlin, and of course bicycles!
xoxoxoxo
No comments:
Post a Comment