Where has the last twelve months gone? It’s been quite a year with one thing and another. Hubby and I invested in a little holiday pad on the Norfolk coast. Our oldest granddaughter graduated as a nurse. Youngest granddaughter discovered life without a boyfriend is much more fun… two trips to New York to see the Yankee kids one very great pleasure our gorgeous grandson loving school life but the second trip soon after just the saddest trip as we lost our dear friend Michael our daughter in laws father. A huge unexpected loss to all the family. On a brighter note my baby sister became a grannie to rather gorgeous twin girls. Roger’s golf is still not improving……. But his cooking is……I’m now working as Clinic co- ordinator at our daughter’s new clinic in the centre of Norwich.
Norwich Inns 2024 BERLIN
Our annual well arranged AGM Buying group trip. Roger and I book for a few extra days as my niece Anita and her family are based in Berlin and we would love to visit & catch up with her and her family. We leave home on Sunday at 7am, the drive to Stanstead was quick and uneventful. Speedily through security which we needn’t have paid for as airport was quiet, overtaken by the young DeAths who were making major purchases in the sports shop – no doubt also doing a last minute purchase of lederhosen . Arrival at Berlin airport was worth all the stress of travelling for the first time ever ‘hand luggage’ (only never again ) as we speedily exited the airport to be met by my lovely niece Anita who insisted on taking my very small case and escorted us to the train. This train direct to our hotel cost an extortionate €3.80 each. A great trip and Anita was a brilliant tour guide explaining all through the journey the different areas and traditions of Germany. Anita’s hubby is a German national named Axel who was born and raised in East Berlin so brought up with communism. A short walk from the train to the hotel, dumped the luggage and rushed off to find a tram stop as we are going to Anita’s neighbourhood to meet up with Axel and the boys. Anita found this direct tram on her Google app and before long we were off to her neighbourhood. 20 mins or so and a short walk we arrived at the restaurant we were to meet the rest of the family. Hubby Axel, sons Ben 14 & Joe 12. Sadly Ben has a cold and stays at home. After a super dinner at a German pizzeria we walk to Anita’s house for delicious dessert of Tiramisu loveling prepared by Ben the previous day. Anita and Axel purchased an apartment at what they thought was a huge gamble years ago but is now in a bustling wealthy area. Such a great investment. We leave the boys as they have school tomorrow. Anita and Axel walk us to the subway and we take the train back to the centre . We walk around the historic Alexanderplatz showing The Festival of Light. We are lucky enough to catch the last night of this annual event. It was wonderful sight. Axel is a wonderful guide and an extremely interesting guy. We take loads of photos and walk for what seems like miles as it’s now 9 pm and we have been up since 5.30 . We stroll around, have some gluhvien, walk further and eventually the guys escort us to our hotel. We bid fair well agreeing to meet later in the week. A quick coffee and negroni in the hotel bar and bed at 11.15pm having recorded 16000 steps. My feet are not happy.
Monday
We wake at around 7am, read the news on our phones have milkless tea in the room so yuck black tea? Must bring some milk up tonight. We relax and do not hurry but before we know it we have missed breakfast. While I’m showering Roger pops downstairs and bribes two coffees for us to take our vitamins with! We decide on a hop on hop off bus. A great idea as we both just want to get our bearings. This bus stops almost outside our hotel, we purchase tickets from the hotel concierge who I feel looks like a the main character in a book I recently read called Gentleman in Moscow. After a while we decide to drop off at the East side gallery. An area of the wall which has been really colourfully decorated by various artists. It’s bitterly cold and I’m in need of more coffee so we pick up the next bus. After a couple more stops, so much building work going on in Berlin, we alight the bus once again at Alexandrapltz and walk to a little restaurant area we noted the night before. It’s now noon and I’m starving. We find a typical German restaurant and order light lunch – well I did, Roger ordered Pork Hock, I swear it was a big as his head, served with boiled potatoes, mushy peas and boiled cabbage. I had freshly pickled herrings with yoghurt, gherkins, capers, boiled potatoes and salad. It was simply the most delicious meal ever all washed down with a couple of Bavarian beers. Weary after lunch we saunter back to the hotel trying to stay awake a bit longer as it’s now around 3/4 pm. A little glass of wine to wake me up in the cosy hotel bar and before you know it the advance party arrived to check in and one by one joined us in the bar. A great catch up. Everytime we were about to leave and retire to our room somebody else arrived for catch up and not wanting to appear rude we continued to enjoy a few more alcoholic calories! We did eventually retire slightly hurt at 22.30 Roger immediately fell asleep while I caught up on this blog…
Liquid Tales 
Great stuff keep it coming!
Cece xx
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