Today I took a guided tour on a 'hop on hop off' bus that makes the rounds of Berlin on a regular 15 minute timetable. A recorded commentary keeps you unto date with the sights. I was really surprised at how much damage is still evident on the older building from the war - particularly around museum island. Most of this has been kept on purpose ...

Like Bangkok, Berlin has really capitivated me, and I'm very much enjoying my first few days here. I'm very glad to be out of Switzerland, which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for the budget backpacker. Germany, on the other hand, continues to impress with its outstanding tourism infrastructure, ease of getting around, friendly local...