Our lunch stop on the way back to Frankfurt was the picturesque town of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber (the oldest and most intact walled city in Europe), known for its Xmas decorations by Kathe Wohlfahrt and 'Schneeballs' (a large deep-fried ball of dough). We managed to see the town hall clock chime at 3, complete with a mechanical man drinking a tankard, representing when the mayor drank 3 litres of wine without stopping, in order to save the town from destruction i...

In Berlin early this morning, guided by Katinka. Sights were Museum Island, Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate, Angela Merkel, Alexanderplatz. We went up the TV Tower for 360 degree views of Berlin then after the boys headed home Cathy and I viewed the Berliner Dom, Marienkirsche, Rathaus, Amfelmann shop, Alexa shopping centre and through the Akexaose to Park Inn Hotel. Drinks and then dinner at hotel bar (Wayne and Graham had to put up with the snooty waitress a...

Left Frankfurt at 8am and on the autobahn to Berlin (550 km via Erfurt, LeipzigHalle, Dessau, Potsdam). A slight detour due to an accident so wasted nearly an hour. Went to Ziko's restaurant for a traditional meal including unlimited drinks so we all had a good night! (Tomato soup, pork knuckle and pancakes followed by scnapps). Kassie played some music on the bus to Reichstag and Brandenburg gate so Cathy and I were dancing in the aisles. We went to the bar bac...

On the train to Frankfurt this morning (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt). Lots of people going to Düsseldorf to watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France (time trial around the streets). The train reached a top speed of 273 kph! Joined our tour group and headed into the Old Town for a look around and a taste of the local beer (Henninger) and Apfelwein (still raining so hard to keep dry). Went to an amazing Chinese restaurant near our hotel ...