A German interlude.

This week I traveled to Berlin for a medical conference. It was great to use my brain again to think about medicine (rather than just French lessons or cooking). I also was able to spend time with my European travel buddies Sara and Trish (veterans of my trips to Greece, the Loire Valley, and Croatia), and to catch up with old friends such as Jim who I hadn't seen since med school.

Of course, it hasn't been all work and no play. There has been weiner schnitzel with a glass of gruner veltliner...

and beer on a pond at the outdoor biergarten.

Each day on the way to the conference I passed through Checkpoint Charlie...

and was amused by the irony of it being adjacent to a McDonald's.

No more KFC for you, you're leaving the American sector!

V flew in late last night and we have lots more exploring to do this weekend. We are staying in a hotel in the former East Berlin. The hotel room is huge, but is essentially a concrete block. The hot water is finicky and showers are an adventure. I blame the Communists.

Hope my friends back in the States are enjoying 4th of July barbecues and beach picnics!