I am starting this on Sunday afternoon and we are all taking it easy, Miriam particularly. This morning it was clear that we needed outside medical help for her. A very nice young doctor came to the apartment and prescribed antibiotics, an inhaler and paracetamol. Hopefully these will start to have an impact in the morning.

On Saturday in the early evening we had our pre-booked visit to the Reichstadt, the German parliament building. This building was hardly used between 1933 and 1999 after it was nearly burned down in 1933. It was re-built by the British architect Lord Norman Foster and the German parliament met there again in 1999. The glass cupola rises nearly 50 metres above the ground. It has a double helix ramp up and down to the top. It has an opening at the top to expel the stale air from the legislative chamber at its base. A good audio system describes the Berlin skyline as you climb. Many environmental features of the building design would no doubt astound the Australian Prime Minister.

After our climb we found a good Italian restaurant for dinner.

On Monday morning, Miriam whilst still coughing badly was in need of some fresh air. We walked to Museum Island to visit the Neues Museum, one of the 5 museums on the island in the Spree River. The highlight here is the Egyptian collection with the standout the bust of the face of Queen Nefertiti.

We spent a good 2 hours here before heading back to our apartment via the famous Fassbender & Rausch chocolate shop for some treats.

Later in the afternoon, we walked south from our apartment to Checkpoint Charlie which itself is now a tourist trap. However adjacent is the worthwhile Museum of the Wall. Here we saw examples of how people escaped across the wall but how some perished in the attempt. The museum is probably in need of a major update, it is cluttered and old fashioned. From there we walked to the Topograph of Terror. This is a massive area without outside and inside exhibits. It was warm so we only concentrated on the inside displays. The exhibits takes you through the evolution of Hitler's regime and the manipulation of the German people. Outside we saw one of the few remaining sections of the wall.

Then we had a quick drink at the Sony centre with its great canopy designed to evoke Mount Fiji. We had dinner at a steak restaurant near our apartment.