Just back from Paris/Berlin

Used Citibank ATMs which gave me an exchange of 1.23 per euro, as
opposed to Dollars for Euro which was 1.25

Found the restaurants somewhat less expensive in Berlin than here in New
Jersey, and IMO the food and service and ambiance was much
better...including Lakeside restaurants with excellent meals for around
12.00 to 20.00 euros

Budget car rental worked well in Berlin, best price for us,

Stayed a block from Kudamm, 70.00euros (plus 6 euros a day for parking)
a night with mediocre breakfast, but okay...nice large room with shower,
Seemd fewer tourist in Berlin than we expected, but thats just a thought
based on what we saw.
Found driving in Berlin easy,



Didnt drive in Paris, our room there was more expensive and unbelievably
small, food prices a bit higher, people very very friendy..

The 2 of us took a cab from CDG to St Germain area 39.40 euros, (we gave
tip 10euros.) no problem with luggage, he spoke no english but was
friendly and helpful
Hotel arranged our taxi back for set price 36 euros.
Everyone there for us was quite friendly.

if you wish write direct.

Stayed a block from Kudamm, 70.00euros (plus 6 euros a day for parking)
a night with mediocre breakfast, but okay...nice large room with shower,
Seemd fewer tourist in Berlin than we expected, but thats just a thought
based on what we saw.
Found driving in Berlin easy,

please tell us more about Berlin! i will be going in a few weeks.

-was there any sign of the oncoming elections?
-what is there to do in the evenings? (i remember musuems opened late
in Paris and I could shop late in London).
-how much time did u have in berlin? what did u see ?

"Anonymous User" wrote:
Stayed a block from Kudamm, 70.00euros (plus 6 euros a day for
parking)
a night with mediocre breakfast, but okay...nice large room with
shower,
Seemd fewer tourist in Berlin than we expected, but thats just a
thought
based on what we saw.
Found driving in Berlin easy,

please tell us more about Berlin! i will be going in a few weeks.

-was there any sign of the oncoming elections?
-what is there to do in the evenings? (i remember musuems opened late
in Paris and I could shop late in London).
-how much time did u have in berlin? what did u see ?


We were only in Berlin for 15 days,
We didnt see much re elections but didnt look either. Not sure what you
enjoy as far as evenings go, We found our evenings quite busy, outdoor
cafes, sitting on Kudamm nights with cold beer and bockwurst, karaoke
bars, etc...late night restaurants.
For us we feel a rental car is really important for Berlin, and we put
on a lot of kilometers. We enjoy Wannsee beach, the Havel and nice
restaurants there, Grunewald see and the Paulsborn restaurant, Fischer
Hutten weg Restaurant, we didnt do the museums this time as we have
been to them many times in the past.
My wife loves the food there. I was stationed there in the late fifties
and always find the city a great place to visit.


Elliot

--
Sent via Travel Newsgroups
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Hi!

Elliot wrote:

For us we feel a rental car is really important for Berlin, and we put
on a lot of kilometers.

When I lived and worked in Berlin I did not have a car. You don't
need one as Berlin has a pretty good round the cloch public
transportation system.
Where I currently live you are lost without a car.

brgds

--
Gunter Herrmann
Naples, Florida, USA

Well Gunther, I really disagree with you when you say "You dont need a
car" maybe you dont, but speak for yourself my man...I need a car in
Berlin..Without doubt it depends on the individual, and public
transporation is good, but to get around town in a reasonable amount of
time you cant beat a car...I get from Kudamm to the outskirts of
Reinickendorf in 20 minutes. Make that almost an hour and half if
walking to the bus and then tansfers..and then walking a bit more...We
spend time going to places in Kruezberg, Neukoln, Treptow, Wedding
Spandau, and if Im looking to public transportation Im spending a lot of
my vacation time waiting at bus stops and walking...Friday before we
left, My wife went shopping at Karlstadt on Hermann platz from Olivear
Platz, guess what Gunther 1 hour and 20 minutes using public
transportation, 20 minutes for me by car to meet her there.
Yes you can get along without a car, you can also use a bicycle if you
want, but its not for me.

Elliot

--
Sent via Travel Newsgroups
http://www.travelnewsgroups.com

Hi!

Elliot wrote:

My wife went shopping at Karlstadt on Hermann platz from Olivear
Platz, guess what Gunther 1 hour and 20 minutes using public
transportation, 20 minutes for me by car to meet her there.

According to www.fahrinfo-berlin.de it takes 24 to 27 minutes from
Olivaer Platz to Hermannplatz. The strange thing there is that you
start going west on a bus to U-Bahn Adenauerplatz to a target
southeast of you.
If both source and target destination are near U-Bahn or S-Bahn you
will be faster than by car (especially during rush hour). If you can
use regional trains you will be even faster.
Try Spandau to Ostbahnhof in 23 to 25 minutes.

brgds

--
Gunter Herrmann
Naples, Florida, USA

some more questions if you dont mind?

-where can i see a bit of the berlin wall?
-did it rain while you were there?did it affect your plans?
-how hot did it get during the sunny periods?
-did you feel safe everywhere in Berlin,day & night? are there creepy
parts?


thanks again,
C

wrote:
some more questions if you dont mind?

-where can i see a bit of the berlin wall?

This is easy. The East Side Gallery, near the Ostbahnhof is a great place
to see some of the wall, which has been saved. A kilometer, I think.

Julie

-did it rain while you were there?did it affect your plans?
-how hot did it get during the sunny periods?
-did you feel safe everywhere in Berlin,day & night? are there creepy
parts?


thanks again,
C


--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

On 3 Aug 2005 09:51:44 -0700, wrote:

some more questions if you dont mind?

-where can i see a bit of the berlin wall?

As Juliana has mentioned, the kilometre or so of the East Side
Gallery is still standing - in fact, the murals at the end of the
stretch near the Ostbahnhof have recently been restored. The end near
the Oberbaumbrücke is somewhat shabbier.

http://www.eastsidegallery.com/

There is also a stretch in the Bernauer Straße (between U-Bf Bernauer
Str and S-Bf Nordbahnhof) which is part of the Wall Documentation
Centre.

http://www.berliner-mauer-dokumentat...ex_gedenk.html

There is a short stretch near Potsdamerplatz in Stresemannstr with
artwork

http://www.nextop.de/gallery/mauer/005_Stresemannstr

, and along the from (former) Checkpoint Charlie the stretch along
Niederkirchnerstraße still stands.

Turning right from U-Bf Bernauer Str, you can walk along what was the
patrol track of the former wall, then turn left (and go uphill) into
Mauerpark where there's also a stretch of wall.

http://www.berlinermaueronline.de/be.../mauerpark.htm

Where else?

In the Invaliden Friedhof (cemetery) there's a stretch, near which
still stands the Kieler Eck watchtower

http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.d...eler_eck.shtml

There are also other bits I looked at on a trip to Berlin two weeks
ago. The Tourist Office sells a map which marks bits of the wall still
standing.

You can also see the patrol tracks which were part of the wall - near
S-Bf Wollankstr the floodlights are still in place, and there's an
electrical junction-box which was part of the wall's security setup.

-did it rain while you were there?did it affect your plans?
-how hot did it get during the sunny periods?
-did you feel safe everywhere in Berlin,day & night? are there creepy
parts?


thanks again,
C




Keith, Bristol, UK

DE-MUNG for email replies

On 3 Aug 2005 09:51:44 -0700, wrote:

some more questions if you dont mind?

-where can i see a bit of the berlin wall?

I think if you put mine and Wolfgang's answers together, you should
have a good idea of what's where!

There's also:

http://www.tu-cottbus.de/berlinwall/



Keith, Bristol, UK

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