Tuesday 30 September 2025

Today was a day to slowly stroll, sip and snack our way around some of the touristy sights we didn’t do yesterday and for Lady P to revisit the Berlin she last saw 50 years ago. Being experts now at the tram and train network, we got ourselves to the Brandenburg Gate. Here we discovered a little Italian restaurant and it being 12.00 noon, we shared some bruschetta and lemon prawn starter, with a couple of cooling beverages. Having booked access to the Reichstag for 4.45 pm and being told to be thereon time, we strolled in that direction.

On the way we found the Deutschland Museum and went in for a visit. This was particularly good, with many interactive displays and smells. The quiz questions at various stations were fun and we did get quite a few right. Speaking of museums and quizzs, Flashy was regaling Jenny with tales of his passing of the 1960 Queensland driving quiz at the Herberton Museum. Showing her his hand signal for left turn and stop was met with “You can’t do that. This is Germany. You’ll end up in jail!”

Checkpoint Charlie got a walk by and a photo. No sign of Alpha or Bravo, though.

After the Reichstag visit, where you climb up to the roof to get a view of Berlin, we retreated from the cold afternoon wind into a café for some apfelstrudel mit schlagsahne en eis, a glass of Riesling, a raspberry tart and a decadent waffle. That ticked off all of the German foods on our list.

To go home or not? Not was the consensus, despite aching feet. So off on the tram, back to our neighbourhood and to the Licht bar. This is a typical local pub where we ordered schnitzel for Flashy, a steak and chips for Jen and some chicken wings for Lady P. Afterall, we’d only been snacking through the day. 

Out came the plates, the size of a family sized pizza tray. They must have them specially made. On said plates were a gigantic veal schnitzel, and a steak, both with the ubiquitous fried potatoes and a nice little salad garnish. Lady P’s chicken wings were a little more delicate. We started in on the feast. Not long into the meal, just after Lady P nicely sampled a third of Flashy’s schnitzel, the waiter appeared with another schnitzel on a plate and said, ”Chef said your schnitzel was too small, so here is some more.” 

We made it through the meal - just and decided that a couple of spiritus nightcaps at the nearby bar would help dissolve the rich food. Well, we think they did, because we all slept well.

Some of the remaining wall.
Memorial to  the 2,200 Soviet casualties in the Battle for Berlin.
Jewish Memorial.
Check Point Charlie.
The Reichstag.
Brandenburg Tor.
A memorial to one of the wars they actually won. The Prussians against the Danish.

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