29 November 2006

Lunch

There's an excellent place to have lunch in Berlin.


The area is set up with different cooking stations. You can choose your meals and either sit at tables or stand around the counters to eat. Germans are into standing at high tables to eat!

This was our lunch - fish, shrimps, salad and the ubiquitous potatoes, washed down with a glass of prosecco.


It was delicious!

Lucky Dogs

We're back in Berlin for a few days, with a 2 day trip to Paris on Thursday and Friday. Expect pics of Paris here soon!

Spotted on a Berlin street were these dogs in a van, waiting patiently for the driver to return with another of their pals before being taken on a walk.


If the dogs' behaviour was a testimony for the company's training, then the trainers are excellent at what they do!

21 November 2006

11 November 2006

Schwarzwald Fun

We’re back in Dubai for 2 weeks and already loving the warmth after colder Germany.

Before we came away, J had a business meeting in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe which is an hour away from Stuttgart.

We have friends just out of Stuttgart who we visited over New Year, so this was a perfect opportunity to take the ICE train a day earlier than the meeting to stay overnight with P&M in Herrenberg.

ICE trains are a superb way to travel the country. Travelling at up to 250kph, they're comfortable and a much easier way to get around Germany rather than running the over-hyped security insanity and paranoia which rules air travel nowadays.

Leaving the new Berlin Hauptbanhof Railway station at the ungodly hour of 5:30am, the ICE train made short work of the distance and we arrived in Stuttgart to change trains; finally being met with open arms and big hugs by P&M at the Herrenberg station at 1pm.

It was another perfect autumn day, so after dumping our gear back at the apartment, we headed out into the countryside fringing around the Schwarzwald, aka the Black Forest. After eating lunch at a superb traditional German restaurant, we walked it off by trekking up to a schloss in the woods, revelling in the cold air and marvelling at the beauty of Mother Nature who was busy turning the greenery into yellow, orange and gold.


After walking off lunch, we were hungry again! Next stop was a Wasserschloss, or water castle, where we piled into the teahouse to order cake and coffee.


Luckily we only ordered 2 pieces – look at the size of them - those are fullsize dinner plates!


It was the most delicious Black Forest gateau and Cherry torte that we have ever tasted. What made it even tastier was being in great company with good friends, having yet another amazing adventure!