I am writing this on Wednesday morning on the train from Berlin to Hilversum. Tuesday morning started a little rainy, Miriam still coughing a lot but determined to get out and see more of Berlin. We had researched best coffees in Berlin and picked Oliv in the Mitte area. We found it with no issues and ordered our capuccino and plum cake. The plum cake was great but the coffee disappointing.
We headed then to the DDR museum. This museum showed us what life was like in the old East Germany. There are many kitschy items from the period. There was a model of what the standard apartment was like. It was really a replica of the apartment we were staying in, albeit we have modern appliances.

Being a bit tired we then took the 100 bus all the way out to West Berlin. The most interesting site there was the Kaiser Wilhelm church. From a distance the bombed out ruins from the way are a stark reminder of the damage done to Berlin by the allied bombing.

Right next door is the new church and what an amazing building is that with the mainly blue tiles on 3 sides of the building creating a wonderful peaceful and reflective place. We entered to magnificent organ playing.
At one side is a simple charcoal sketch of the Virgin Mary done by a German surgeon in Stalingrad. Karl Reuber did not survive the war but his painting some how did.

By then it was quite late in the day but we headed back to the German History Museum for what had to be a quick walk through. This large museum tells the history of all of Germany through many exhibits and paintings. Most interesting to me was the era prior to the First World War where Germany was already exhibiting many of the technology traits that it is now famous for. By then we were both well and truly past in, so we walked home and had a simple omelet for dinner.
Today Wednesday is a travel day as we go to The Netherlands to spend a few days at the home of Mary and Frans. Then it is onto Scotland on Monday.