The hotel's bar/lounge has live music & a thorough liquor & cuban cigar selection. After dinner, enjoyed an evening in the lounge with a good sidecar cocktail & a Cohiba panetela.

Unfortunately, since we had firm hotel reservations in Prague, we couldn't enjoy a leisurely stay in Berlin & had to push on after only one night & 1/2 a day. However, we were so impressed by the hotel's staff, amenities & workout facility (cardio equipment, undeground heated pool, juicebar & a steamroom), we had the concierge reserve a night's stay at a sister hotel, the Kempinski Le Mirador in Mont-P�lerin, Switzerland for the latter leg of our roadtrip.

Remains of the Kaiser Wilhelm Ged�chtnis-Kirche (memorial church) & the cute doorman who called the XC90 a "moving living room":

As part of the drive to Prague, we also zoomed thru Dresden (mental note, must return to Germany for a proper stay)

Next, Czech Republic

Munich We'd still be driving aimlessly in the Czech Republic if not for the car's nav-system. Thankfully, we arrived safely in Munich, where we stayed with friends for 3 nights.

A day at Marienplatz & the glockenspiel (large chiming clock), a pretty building on the shopping square, another clock tower & a hearty bavarian lunch of breze (pretzels), linseneintopf (sausage & lentils) & a small glass of Paulaner M�nchel Dunkel at Gaststaette Zum Sp�ckmeier (9 Rosen Strasse, M�nchen 80331):

The Residenz (the Wittelsbach Royal Palace), in baroque and rococo style, & part of the royal treasury:

That night, Dagmar took us out for more bavarian food & drink at Brauhaus Zur Dicken Sophie (146 Johanneskirchner Strasse, M�nchen 81929). The restaurant also has a biergarten, but it was too cold for outdoor drinking. From what I recall, we started drinking some great local beer on tap & then got rocked off of federweisser, a sweet grape must made from white wine grapes. Apparently, federweisser is only available a few weeks in October so we were lucky to enjoy the experience. No picture evidence of this night, but we most certainly had a great time.

A peak at the XC90 to confirm everything's in order

Brunch with friends Tobias, Stephie, baby Teresa & some of the city's best breads at Back Spiel Hus (6 Weltenburger Str, M�nchen 81677):

A day at the Pinakothek der Moderne (museum of modern art):

Years ago, a friend returned from Germany bearing a bottle of eiswein from the Rhine Valley. Eiswein is a winter-harvest wine made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine. The sweetness & acidity of the wine are elegantly balanced & can best be described as "liquid pear". Now anytime friends or family travel Germany, I request a bottle of eiswein since it's inexpensive in the Rhine Valley. In the US, a German eiswein can run $100-$300/bottle. There are less expensive N. American variants made in Oregon (Covey Run Riesling Ice Wine, $15/bottle), Canada (Inniskillin Icewine, $80/bottle) & California (Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glaciere, $18/bottle). But all of these pale in comparison to Germany's "liquid pear".

Although my last bottle of 2002 Weingut Dorwagen Scheurebe Eiswein was enjoyed while celebrating some occasion nearly a year ago, efforts to acquire another bottle of eiswein in Munich were not successful. Apparently what's made in the Rhine stays in the Rhine. Nonetheless, we enjoyed an Indian dinner with friends Dagmar & Stephon at Swagat Indisches Restaurant (13 Prinzregentenplatz, M�nchen 81675):

Next, Switzerland