Berlin / Arrival

It was after we'd booked tickets for The Wedding Present in Edinburgh and Public Service Broadcasting in Berlin, that we realised we had set ourselves a logistical challenge: two gigs, two days apart, in two locations, neither of which was very near home (at least not yet).

It was, of course, the Minx who sorted it and thus we found ourselves on a tram, this morning, out to Edinburgh Airport. From there we flew to City Airport - where there is no transfer facility, necessitating a second jaunt through security - and then on to Berlin.

Glossing quickly over the sad traipse through the non-EU passport check, we took the train into the city as night was falling. It was only 4pm local time so there was actually a lot of the day left but suddenly it felt like evening. Mind you, it was a great time to enter Berlin. 

We are staying near Hackescher Markt station at the Monbijou Hotel, and we dropped our bags off there before strolling over to Unter den Linden, passing The National Gallery on our way (and as featured in today's photo). There is an Austrian restaurant here where we had breakfast on a previous visit and we returned there for dinner, this evening.

The menu is just different enough to be slightly disconcerting although the vinegar dumplings I had were excellent, as was the chestnut soup that the Minx enjoyed. And after that we took a slow walk home before enjoying the welcoming bar at the hotel.