Saturday, June 11th

So where to go to day? Can you come to Berlin and not visit the local concentration camp? Well yes we decided, we were not into concentration of any sort, as evidenced by the increasing frequency of senior moments. Instead we decided to head for the Schloss Charlottenburg which is the largest palace in Berlin. We were particularly interested in the exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo style! Style being something quite alien to Dungroamin Holidays.

This would be a trip by train, so our chance to try out the Berlin transport system. We walked to the station, carefully studied the timetables and route maps and settled on a plan of action. We boarded our first train and disembarked for our first change. Around this time, it seems we became aware of some works on the line which had closed one of the lines. So we took another train and changed again as our plan changed minute by minute.

We eventually stepped off of our third train to the realisation that we were only about half a mile from where we had started! Any way, based on the theory that if you try enough trains, you’ll eventually get on one going in the right direction, we reached our destination station, only a short walk from the schloss.

On the walk to the schloss, we saw a small group of trumpet players walking up one of the side streets playing jazz. Our minds immediately went to the funeral march in Live and Let Die and we hurriedly moved on.

The schloss certainly had some fantastically decorated rooms with ceilings to give you neck ache. The Porcelain Room with 2,300 items or porcelain had a real Wow! factor.

After emerging from the schloss, it started to rain and quite fortuitously, we found a very British looking tea shop, which we dived into until the rain eased off.

Back on the train for our return journey, we decided to get off at the market area of the town where we thought there were a variety of eating places.

Here Chris had a total mental block, as he decided that the women were suffering from a serious lack of retail therapy, and actually offered to let them go browsing whilst the men found a suitable eating place. This placed considerable pressure on the men, knowing that the longer it took to decide on somewhere to eat, the lower the bank balance would get! No wonder Jerry brings minute suit cases, less space for taking things back! Mind you doll’s house equipment doesn’t take up much room.

So we soon found somewhere and Chris was despatched to round up the ladies before too much damage was done.

After the meal we walked back to the hotel (only about 5 miles) where we had a well earned drink before turning in.

Sunday was a travelling day and this time most of us took a taxi to the airport – thus avoiding the need to cart the suit cases back to the station. But for Jerry and Fiona a chance to put some more miles on those suit case wheels.