Night train to Berlin

The stranzblog arrived in Berlin just after eight this morning. We set off on the night train from Basel and were served breakfast in our sleeping compartment which we ate watching very familiar territory go by - Bitterfeld, Wittenberg, Jüterborg ... place where I was living and preaching just 20 years ago. It was wonderful to be in the city so early on Saturday morning, really crisp and cold but also very sunny and very lovely.
So we have already walked along the Spree, been to the Hakescher Markt, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and more importantly had a deliecious brunch on Kollwitzplatz as well as visiting the nearby bookshop - (ok it's true I did not come away empty handed, more about that later.)
Tomorrow Stephen's sister Myra, her husband Tom and the three children will join us. These few days in Berlin are our rather belated 50th birthday present to her. We also hope that they are the beginning of the final phase in Dr B's recovery. Berlin manages to energise him so let's hope he doesn't get too exhausted.
Meanwhile on Wednesday a real gathering of the clans is planned as my mother, her sister Doreen and her partner Martin also arrive in Berlin for the afternoon. They are on a church twinning weekend near Magdburg. We are going to have to find quite a noisy cafe to be able to cope with all 10 of us for Kaffee und Kuchen that afternoon. Should be fun if we mange to meet up though.