Hi from Berlin, Germany!

Hi everyone, Well we are in Berlin. We had a long ride on our ICE train. It took several zigs and zags between Frankfurt and Berlin. But when we were on straigaways it was rolling smoothly along at 150 mph. We could have a drink on our little table in front of us, play cards and write journals while moving along at 150 mph. It is something to see the countryside zip on by very, and I mean very quickly. We noticed that the southern part of Germany was very mountainous and beautiful but the farther north you come, especially around Berlin it is flat as a pancake and a lot of farming country. I am going to find out how cold it gets here in the winter and how much snow. When we got to the Berlin main train station and found the i information station,we found that we were quite a ways from our hotel. Couldn't walk it and the local train and bus connections were complicated. So it cost us 20 euros to get a cab, 10 euros per couple. But it was worth it. We found out there was a Hard Rock Cafe in Berlin just down the street, so off we hiked to find it. We had good food and Craig and I split a piece of one of the most decadent and ooy gooy of chocolate cake we've had in a long time. OOOOOOhhhhh the withdrawals when we get home and go back on the calorie wagon!
We can tell that we have distinctly gone north in Germany. It is very cold here. Also the main street we walked along was loaded with every possible upscale shopping store you could imagine. Cartier, Gucchi, Channel, etc. But fun to window shop.
Berlin is huge, and by the map even the tour bus tomorrow covers a lot of territory. With one day the hop on hop off bus is the only way to go.
Saturday, Karen and Stan are leaving and looks like it will be early and an expensive cab ride to the airport. There are two and quite a ways out of town. I am not sure what Craig and I will do as we will be coming in from Dave and Nancys, our friends here we are staying with the last two nights before coming home on Monday. We have to figure out how to get to the airport from 45 minutes outside Berlin and be at the airport at 7.30 a.m. Monday morning.
We found out that just last week, Germany passed a country law that there is no more smoking in restaurants. But there must be people that haven't gotten the message as we still see smoking everywhere inside and out. The culture here is based on smoking, I swear, and it will be very difficult for them to have any restrictions on them.
Miss you all and hope you are well. Love from all of us to all of you.