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Day 8 - Rome to Berlin
Today we were up early as we were leaving Rome (Italy) for Berlin (German). We packed and ate breakfast. We went to the front desk to verify the connecting train we would take to the airport and approximately how long it would take. We were greeted by Paola who told us that the buses and trains were on strike. The only way to get around the city would be by cab. She called a cab for us. We waited for almost 1.5 hours before it arrived. The traffic was a nightmare. We reached the airport 10 minutes before check-in closed.
We arrived in Berlin on time. We went outside the airport for a cab. We were forces to get a van that could hold 5 people. The driver was smoking as he started to load our bags. I asked him if he could refrain and I think that ticked him off. He did not help with luggage when we got to our destination. I did not tip him.
Our first destination was my cousin’s restaurant, Rosa Caleta. It is a Jamaican fusion restaurant in Berlin. The food was good. From the restaurant we went to my cousin’s studio apartment. It was hot. He had no A/C as they only have 2 warm months. This was the hottest month in 20 years in Germany. It was worst than South Florida.
Day 9 - Berlin Tour
We woke up late that morning. We walked to a nearby mall and got on a bus tour. While on the tour we stopped at Starbucks. We got off the tour bus at many of the stops to get “air conditioning” in the stores. Pictures of Usain Bolt were in every sports and apparel store in Berlin. There were World cup revelers everywhere. German would be playing in the World Cup 3rd place match that night. They were dressed in German color with their faces painted. People had vuvuzelas in the German colors.
We got back to my cousin’s apartment late that evening. We bought some food at a nearby supermarket and cooked dinner that night. I watched the game via the Internet as my cousin has no TV. He is too busy at the restaurant to watch TV. The Internet broadcast was delayed so each time Germany scored I heard the screaming and celebrations outside before seeing the goal. When the match was over the celebration began on the streets. I wished Germany was in the finals so I could experience the celebration of a country being in the World Cup.
Day 10 - East Berlin Castle visit
My cousin was up early today. He mentioned that a band member from REM was at the restaurant last night. He could not leave the restaurant because of this. He did not leave until 4:00 am.
Today, a friend was taking us to East Berlin to see a castle. She is Jamaican and lived all over the world being her mom worked for the UN. She was married to a French man who was a soldier. With the help of my cousin we took a cab to her place. From there we drove an hour outside Berlin to castle. We tour the grounds. It was hot. We toured the castle. On the way back we stopped at a restaurant and to eat. We had to get back early as I was going to meet an ex-co worker and his wife for dinner. I used to work for a company that had a Berlin office. He and his wife took me around the last time I was in Berlin working for 2 weeks. We would watch the World Cup at their house.
Day 11 - On the way home
We were up early and started packing. My cousin called a cab for us and it was off to the airport. We encountered traffic as there was road construction on the way to the airport. We got there early but the check-in line was long. The security line was even worse. When we finally got on the plane it felt like we went through a war zone. The Delta plane was a let down after flying Air France. The children missed the individual DVD players. The flight was on time to New York but our connecting flight to Miami was delayed for 3 hours. It was not the way I wanted to end a great vacation.
Today we were up early as we were leaving Rome (Italy) for Berlin (German). We packed and ate breakfast. We went to the front desk to verify the connecting train we would take to the airport and approximately how long it would take. We were greeted by Paola who told us that the buses and trains were on strike. The only way to get around the city would be by cab. She called a cab for us. We waited for almost 1.5 hours before it arrived. The traffic was a nightmare. We reached the airport 10 minutes before check-in closed.
We arrived in Berlin on time. We went outside the airport for a cab. We were forces to get a van that could hold 5 people. The driver was smoking as he started to load our bags. I asked him if he could refrain and I think that ticked him off. He did not help with luggage when we got to our destination. I did not tip him.
Our first destination was my cousin’s restaurant, Rosa Caleta. It is a Jamaican fusion restaurant in Berlin. The food was good. From the restaurant we went to my cousin’s studio apartment. It was hot. He had no A/C as they only have 2 warm months. This was the hottest month in 20 years in Germany. It was worst than South Florida.
Day 9 - Berlin Tour
We woke up late that morning. We walked to a nearby mall and got on a bus tour. While on the tour we stopped at Starbucks. We got off the tour bus at many of the stops to get “air conditioning” in the stores. Pictures of Usain Bolt were in every sports and apparel store in Berlin. There were World cup revelers everywhere. German would be playing in the World Cup 3rd place match that night. They were dressed in German color with their faces painted. People had vuvuzelas in the German colors.
We got back to my cousin’s apartment late that evening. We bought some food at a nearby supermarket and cooked dinner that night. I watched the game via the Internet as my cousin has no TV. He is too busy at the restaurant to watch TV. The Internet broadcast was delayed so each time Germany scored I heard the screaming and celebrations outside before seeing the goal. When the match was over the celebration began on the streets. I wished Germany was in the finals so I could experience the celebration of a country being in the World Cup.
Day 10 - East Berlin Castle visit
My cousin was up early today. He mentioned that a band member from REM was at the restaurant last night. He could not leave the restaurant because of this. He did not leave until 4:00 am.
Today, a friend was taking us to East Berlin to see a castle. She is Jamaican and lived all over the world being her mom worked for the UN. She was married to a French man who was a soldier. With the help of my cousin we took a cab to her place. From there we drove an hour outside Berlin to castle. We tour the grounds. It was hot. We toured the castle. On the way back we stopped at a restaurant and to eat. We had to get back early as I was going to meet an ex-co worker and his wife for dinner. I used to work for a company that had a Berlin office. He and his wife took me around the last time I was in Berlin working for 2 weeks. We would watch the World Cup at their house.
Day 11 - On the way home
We were up early and started packing. My cousin called a cab for us and it was off to the airport. We encountered traffic as there was road construction on the way to the airport. We got there early but the check-in line was long. The security line was even worse. When we finally got on the plane it felt like we went through a war zone. The Delta plane was a let down after flying Air France. The children missed the individual DVD players. The flight was on time to New York but our connecting flight to Miami was delayed for 3 hours. It was not the way I wanted to end a great vacation.
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