For a change this year we decided to fly from Heathrow to Tegel. A trip was found on Expedia which fitted our requirements and it included the Berlin Hilton which would be our base from December 10th until the 13th. The hotel looked super on the internet and we were happy to try this hotel. So the tickets were booked on line and we printed off the documents plus a number of references to places we had not visited in previous years. Simon wanted to visit the Reichstag which he had missed last year due to the queues and misty weather. We would go as early as possible this year. Also I planned a surprise and booked tickets for it on line as well. In previous years we had flown flowm Luton to Schonefeld but I last flew into Tegel in 1989 when the local paper sent me to Berlin to see the Wall come down and to experience the feelings of the East and West Germans. I also wanted to see how the new American Embassy had progressed and also to see how far they had taken to pieces the old Communist block of offices (the Palast de Republik) opposite the Dom. I have been watching it coming down via the webcams set up on the museum roof and we can now see the twin spires of the St Nickolai Church and the Rotes Rathaus We got our Euros and packed a case each, mine would be the one with the wheels. Early to bed for a short nap so we could all be up at 3.30AM to get ready to go. |