I soon tired of deleting what seemed like hundreds of “Black Friday” offers in my email box and didn’t buy a thing.  Instead, we jumped in the car and headed east.  To Heathrow.  To Berlin!

A couple of hours later, we’d arrived at Tegel airport, hopped in a cab and by 5.30 ish, we were comfortably settled into our hotel on Marlene Dietrich Platz.

I’m not sure if they expected a pair of erudite readers this weekend or what, but my hero has a choice of classics to read – a good cure for insomnia, I think.

I have a couple of business texts and this – auf Deutsch, of course.  That might be anything but a cure for insomnia…no sleepless nights wanted here, thank you!  (A good job I brought my kindle and my current read, Let the Great World Spin)

Anyway, a quick unpack, a few thoughts of Ellis and Mary in Thousand Oaks Mall (on Black Friday!!  aaaagh!) and we were out in search of dinner.

It’s Advent weekend here and yes, Christmas has begun.

No problem in finding the perfect start to the weekend!!

The Lindenbrau bierstube was buzzing, the beer was great and the food terrific.  Our weekend was off to a fine start.

Comfortably stuffed (or, in my hero’s case, uncomfortably stuffed!) we took the longer route back to the hotel, groaning at the mere thought of more food.

We stood and admired the “windmill” coffee and gluehwein kiosk outside the shopping mall.

Resisting the temptation to go and look inside – shopping can wait until tomorrow.

Instead, we strolled along the little market stalls selling gingerbread hearts

and chocolate tools (yes, don’t they look real?!)

Taking a peek at the ice rink and the brightly coloured Christmas tree before retreating from the cold night air to the comfort of our hotel.

Goodnight from room 703.  See you in the morning for more adventures!