Well, for the best part of a rain sodden and misty week.
Berlin is big, very big, and this was a first visit (and first trip to Germany for me). We tried to maximise our time there and immerse ourselves in the city's complex, unforgettable past and its more vibrant present though only managed to scratch its surface. The Brandenburg Gate. The Reichstag, home to the German parliament. The concrete blocks of the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The Jewish Museum and the 10,000 open-mouthed metal faces of Menashe Kadishman's powerful Shalekhet (Fallen Leaves). Remnants of a war. Remnants of a wall. Remnants of a city divided. Everywhere so many buildings and structures telling so many stories.
But there is a lighter side to Berlin, especially at this time of year with 60 or so Christmas markets to browse, each offering gluhwein to sup, lebkuchen, roast chestnuts and other delicacies to munch .
I loved this book tree, in the area we were staying, where old reads can be passed on.
Perhaps surprisingly for a city, there are dogs, beautifully behaved dogs, everywhere. Dogs of all sizes being walked on leads, walking off the lead, running alongside bikes, dogs travelling on the U-bahn, dogs strolling round the markets, dogs waiting patiently outside shops. And dogs on walls.
Boo? He had a whale of a time with his new carers. But he's delighted we're back.
* http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3376