Day 8

Autobahn day

We breakfast at the Hotel Residenz in Passau, an included breakfast that is a ridiculous spread that exceeds the ridiculous spread on the ship. We eat as though we haven’t eaten for a week (we’re talented that way) then Nicki and I taxi to the Sixt rental car office to pick up our car. It’s FABULOUS!! It’s an Opel Insignia (never heard of it), very comfortable and with all the bells and whistles: nav system, blind spot monitor, back up camera, six speed stick shift and diesel engine! We go back to the hotel to pick up the luggage and Michele and Joanie and we’re off for the drive to Berlin. 

Our VERY cool car

I LOVE the autobahn! I can drive 180 km/hr in this great car on this great highway. We make a couple stops on the way for the WC and then for lunch.

We pass vast fields of yellow rape blossoming. Apparently, farmers are subsidized to grow it as it's used for biofuel. It's a beautiful addition to the landscape.

We cap off our lunch by going to McDonald’s for a vanilla cone and make our way into Berlin with only a few glitches related to one way streets around the hotel.  We leave Michele and Joanie to check in and manage the luggage and Nicki and I return the car (easy peasy) and promptly get lost walking back to the hotel approximately 5 blocks away. We finally figure it out and stop at a small grocery for wine (which we now need desperately) and some snacks to go with the wine. That ends up being dinner but we all go out for a nice walk in our new neighborhood before we call it a day.