Berlin. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I've arrived via the train this evening, cycled the 6km to my hostel, and have had a very brief look around the neighborhood. Plans are to stay here for a week. The bicycle is becoming an albatross with trains, and if my car plans work out, it'll be even more impossible; I think it will be nice to have here in Berlin though. The hostel is the Heart of Gold, in Mitte, it's done up in a mild Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy motif. The staff and people staying here seem quite nice. Actually so far everyone is friendly and it's very cozy. There's a 24 hour bar here, and they actually seem to play good music (trust me, this is a first in Germany, where death metal seems to be the winner) I went for a short walk around the neighborhood, and already I've seen just about everything a city should offer -- everyone from hipsters to hippies to well dressed business men, new buildings, old buildings, buildings that appear to be taken over by artists. Thai, Indian, Greek, any kind of food you want, and the places are all busy -- filled with interesting people. And remember, this is just a few random blocks that I walked! It's very inviting, too bad I'm still very intimidated by the fact that I don't speak German. Most people here appear to speak fluent English though, so I just need to find a friendly way to engage conversation. So far the only person that's tried to make conversation with me was a friendly prostitute who thought I looked like I needed her to help me (at least, I think that's what she said) Time to read up on the various different neighborhoods here in Berlin, so that tomorrow I can have some adventures. The hostel offers the ubiquitous walking tours, but I think I will take them up on the offer -- the city is definitely interesting enough to deserve an overview by someone who knows. Well, off to bed, we'll see how my adventures in Berlin turn out. James Sanford May 11 2005