07.39 Soon, all four in the travel company can say that they have had a shower. Today we'll also leave our hotel Xantener Eck (http://www.hotel-xantenereck.de), Berlin and even Germany. It is today that the friends and I are going to continue to the Czech Republic and Prague. This is something that happens in the afternoon so we have time for a bit more of Berlin before then.

09.13 Now, we add the finishing touches to our stay in the room. Christer's mobile plays "Evil Scotsman" with Billy Connolly. He sings, among other things, that if he meets a German he can kiss his arse goodbye.

09.30 The time has come to head out on one last adventure here in Berlin.

09.46 Opposite me sits a boy with a shield and sword. OK, it's time to change carriage and platform. We are again on a trip with the U-bahn.

09.55 The switch went smoothly. Now we are on the way to sport historical ground.

10.08 We have been going to yet another station and it is actually the last station on this U2 line because the remaining part is under reconstruction. The station has been reached and we have walked a short distance to Berlin's Olympic Stadium, famous from the Olympics of 1936.

10.22 After having photographed the stadium from the outside, we have now moved into the classical arena. It is not free because the whole area is a museum. It is in the present day a football and athletics stadium which is the home ground of football team Hertha Berlin and the American football team Berlin Thunder. It was also here that the American Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics. This is the third Olympic stadium that we visit on our travels. In the past we have been at the equivalents in Athens and Barcelona. I wonder what the next one will be?

10.34 It really is a majestic arena. It has been modernized since things took place 80 years ago but it is still special. The German and English flags are still here after the football match on Saturday.

We left the U-bahn and started walking towards historic territory.

Berlin Olympic Stadium

Waiting from the inside.

The Olympic Stadium from the inside.

The Olympic Stadium in Berlin has a capacity of 76176 spectators.

Björn, a future Hertha Berlin supporter?

11.05 Roberth got something before we left the stadium. He asked for some band aid for the blister on his foot.

11.15 We have made it back to the more central parts of the city. It's time to get off the U-bahn carriage. We are at Sophie-Charlotte Platz.

11.34 After about 1 km of walking in the warm spring sun, we are at the Schloss Charlottenburg, a beautiful building where it unfortunately is scaffolding in the way of any kind of good photo opportunities. Charlottenburg Palace (German: Schloss Charlottenburg) is the largest palace in Berlin, Germany. It is located in the Charlottenburg district of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough. The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo styles. A large formal garden surrounded by woodland was added behind the palace, including a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion. During the Second World War, the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed. The palace with its gardens are a major tourist attraction. The original palace was commissioned by Sophie Charlotte, the wife of Friedrich III, Elector of Brandenburg in what was then the village of Lietzow. From 2004 till early 2006, Charlottenburg Palace was the seat of the President of Germany, whilst Schloss Bellevue was being renovated Source: Wikipedia

11.44 We sit on a bench and are philosophizing. What do we do next? How do we use the remaining time?

12.00 We are now taking a break at Lemke Berlin. It might be brewery/pub.

12.44 Björn and I had some really good beers. Roberth drank chocolate and Christer chose Glühwein. Now, we have walked to the Mierendorffplatz U-bahn station. On the way here, we saw a teenage girl sitting with a half-eaten kebab and she cried hysterically. Did it taste that bad? From here, we'll now take us back to the starting point, our hotel.

13.01 We are back in the restaurant Xantener Eck. It's going to be a final Berlin lunch here.

13.29 We were once again served an incredible meal. Roberth tested Flammkuchen, Germany's answer to pizza. Björn and I top it all with a cup of coffee. Roberth has decided to have a white day. He apologized to the girl who served with the phrase, You see I am driving! It was so much fun that we heard her talk about the whole thing behind the counter to a colleague. Then the waitress asked Roberth if he was ready, finished, the answer came, Not Finnish, Swedish!

14.02 We have returned to the hotel to pick up the luggage. Now that Roberth has used my aftershave cream on his foot we'll continue towards the bus station.

Enough with sport! Let´s go back into town.

Charlottenburg castle hidden beneath ugly scaffoldings.

Glühwein and beerloving men at Lemke Berlin.

Roberth and Christer enjoy different types of beverages.

Flammkuchen and the tool to cut it with.

14.10 We are, for the last (?) time at Adenauerplatz station. Now let's go on to the bus station ZOB. It is an abbreviation for Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof.

14.22 From Bismarckstraße goes the last underground movement. We go again along the U2.

14.50 Without any problems, we went to the bus station. The last bit was covered on foot. Now we are on board the bus and ready to travel to the next Hauptstadt. According to bus policies, we should not drink alcohol, smoke, use drugs or psychotropic substances during the trip. We should probably fix this.

15.38 Streets have changed to a road. Rooftops have been switched to tree tops. We travel between the two capitals.

16.16 The only change in the flat landscape is less woodlands as well as clusters of wind turbines. Below Björn and Roberth is a sleeping area of the kind that we saw several times in Turkey in 2005. There an additional driver can rest and collect power.

16.33 Not much happens around us here on our journey along the E55. More things take place inside the bus. Fellow passenger walk around. Some need to go downstairs to lock up and relieve the pressure.

17.23 The bus with us on board is in Dresden. When Christer and I were here in the city, in 2003, I was in a bad condition. That's when we both suffered from an unpleasant condition (bad stomachs) that we brought with us from Ukraine. However, I was not in as bad shape as the city itself after the bombing at the end of World War II. Now as then the Elbe flows through the city.

17.44 We are out of Dresden and back on the E55 again. We just saw a stationary bus from a Swedish bus company and a police car with blue flashing light on. The police car stood still. On a hill by the side of the road were two policemen.

CZECH REPUBLIC

18.11 We have completely unnoticed crossed the border. Now we travel through a Czech landscape. We will, in about ten kilometres, be in a different city where Christer and I have been in the past.

18.24 We had hardly got into Ústí nad Labem as we saw a car standing still. Behind it was a police car and next to lay a crashed pole with a road sign. Through the city flows the river Elbe or as it's called in Czech Republic, Labe. Christer and I spent a night in the city in July 2003. It was not a pleasant stay due to how sick we were. We remember a visit to a Chinese restaurant where we had to leave nearly all food and a missed breakfast because of failing health.

18.48 We have taken a little slower but nicer route when the bus travelled along the Elbe between Ústí nad Labem and Lovosice.

19.07 Prague is drawing ever closer. In the city two good friends are hopefully waiting for us. Both Christer and I look forward to seeing them again. We also want to let Roberth and Björn be as good friends with them as we have been. Prague is a new acquaintance to Björn. Roberth, however, has passed here before.

19.30 We arrived right on time. Really impressive that the bus heads in exactly at the right minute after a trip of four hours through the two countries. Now let's fetch the baggage, hopefully have the opportunity to meet our friends and buy tickets to the metro.

In the bus, ready for departure.

We´ve made a short stop in Dresden.

Along the river in Ústí nad Labem.

Our bus wanted to spend time with Elbe for a while.

Getting off the bus at Florenc bus station.

19.47 Nothing becomes like what you have in mind. We haven't met our friends (tasty Czech sausage with equally excellent beer). We haven't been able to buy tickets for the metro. The ticket vending machine wants Czech coins, something we do not have yet. Now we go up to a kiosk and arrange with coins.

19.57. Candy was bought in the kiosk that also seemed to sell the card for multiple journeys on the public transport. We ignored it and returned to the machine. It didn't like any of our coins. Now we go back to the kiosk to buy cards instead. We have been helped by local people with all kinds of advice on how to treat the coins to make the appliance accept them. It does not seem to work.

20.12 They did not sell any cards, they only signposted about it. We went down the stairs again, changed track area, found a new machine. This one liked our coins and now we have a one-way ticket each. It cost us a little over 30 koruna, around a dollar each. Now we will go with the metro. The first machine gathers more and more people. It's not just we who have problems apparently.

20.30 We are now at the station I.P. Pavlova. Here we shall head up to the city's streets to find the pre-booked accommodation.

21.05 We got to City Stay. Here we have booked an apartment that we're going to have for three nights. We made our way past the gate and through two locked doors. We went up two flights of stairs and checked in. In addition, we have paid a deposit. First we were shown to the wrong room/apartment. The correct number is 104. We have a kitchen with a toilet inside and two bedrooms. The only downside is all the steps you have to go in to get up here.

21.30 We have barely come here but we are going out again. We are hungry and thirsty.

21.47 Send me an angel with Scorpions is played at Pizzeria Einstein (URhttp://www.pizza-einstein.cz). In Berlin, we saw Einstein Kaffee and here we eat at the pizzeria Einstein. We have ordered pizzas, grilled sausage and grilled chicken breast.

22.58 It was more filling than good and the beer was not the best. Is the entire operation at the end of the day? On the way home we stopped to resupply in a small shop.

23.35 We enjoy beer and Becherovka. Life is still good. Another good news is the fact that Modo won the fifth match against Leksand and are leading 3-2 in matches in the best-of-7. Will the team from my hometown secure a new contract in the top division ice hockey?

Late dinner at Pizzeria Einstein.

Our new home is an apartment at City Stay in Prague.

Tuesday 29th of March

07.44 We have woken up in the two bedrooms and four beds. Björn and Christer has the left room and I am sharing the room to the right with Roberth. Today we'll see the next capital on the trip. We shall, when everyone is ready, set off to get us some snídané (breakfast). It is normally included here but they are rebuilding the kitchen so we'll look for breakfast elsewhere.

09.52 Now when Roberth's toe got a new band aid, we will leave our little apartment.

10.05 We first aimed to try to eat breakfast as close and as quickly as possible. But when nothing suitable was found we have been walking along Sokolská street down to the national museum. We pass the beautiful facades that so often is the case in this city.

10.30 It is now time for snídané, breakfast in the cafeteria Da Capo (http://www.da-capo.cz). It is located on Václavské náměstí, Wenceslas square, Prague's main avenue. Václav is here in the square in form of a statue here is the Czech patron saint, and was a duke from Bohemia in the 900's.

10.58 Our table was small and we had a smoking old lady behind us but we had a good breakfast here at the Da Capo.

11.10 After the stop at the café, we are now on the road again. We have investigated a possible dinner restaurant, and are now close to the Jindřišská věž (Jindřišská tower). It is the bell tower of the church of Svatý Jindřich a svatá Kunhuta (St. Henry and Kunhuta).

The door open, the sun is shining, Prague is waiting.

City Stay, Prague.

Václav, the Czech patron saint.

The breakfast conversation at Da Capo was disturbed by a smoking old lady.

Jindřišská věž

In this beautiful house you can find both meat and books.

11.30 A new stop is made at Prašná brána, the Powder tower and Obecní dům, the municipal house on Republic square. We have been inside the building and among other things admired their beautiful restaurant. We are thinking of having breakfast here tomorrow. The environment is fantastic. It is incredibly beautiful in this city.

11.58 After walking along one of the city's oldest streets Celetná, we have reached the area near Staroměstské náměstí (Old town square). Of course we want to see the square but not yet. We have decided to head east towards the Jewish district of Jozefov.

12.17 Walking makes the bodies ask for fluid. We will give them beer. All except Roberth, he maintains with chocolate drinking for a while. It warms him and a hot radiator heats Christer's back. We are at V Kolkovnĕ (http://www.vkolkovne.cz) for the first of hopefully many beer breaks in this city.

12.57 We have now covered yet a city part in Prague. We are in the heart of Jozefov, the Jewish quarter. We are surrounded by synagogues and tourists. In addition, there might be one or more regular Prague citizen. Here is also the Jewish cemetery.

Obecní dům

A toy store along Celetná.

Maybe we should find out if Bernard is a good beer?

Rules in Prague city center.

We started our beer drinking tour at V Kolkovně.

13.34 We walked on through the Jozefov and reached the Staroměstské náměstí (Old town square) with its beautiful churches and buildings. This may well be considered to be the heart of the city and there are amazing buildings in every direction you look. We began to pass a small square and a café named after the city's literary son, Franz Kafka. A guided tour with a tourist group occurred at the same time and we learned a little more about him. Here at the square we have now finally met Christer's and my old friends, Pivo and Klobasa, beer and sausage. Now we will finally have an authentic Czech sausage as a snack.

13.46 The sausages were eaten and the beer and mulled wine was drunk. In the meantime we watched a group of Jews in traditional clothing. Roberth, who previously infiltrated into the Asian tourist groups, now managed to be photographed in the midst of the Jewish gang. Now we are having a bench break behind the Town Hall (Staroměstské radnici) and in front of St Nicholas church (the Church of sv. Mikuláše). I drink a little bit of Medovina, a honey wine from Slovakia. It is sweet and tasty. It is sold in a small cottage here on the square.

14.00 We are far from alone and admire the carillon in the town hall astronomical clock. The oldest parts of the clock are from 1410. It is the oldest functioning astronomical clock in the world. At the hour there will be a small show with, among other things, the wandering apostles which move by the clock.

14.21 It is raining a little over Prague. We have therefore sought protection at U Tří Růží (http://www.u3r.cz). Here we will taste their own beer. There are several different varieties to try. Sometimes the rain have its advantages.

The Jewish museum in Prague.

Café Kafka

Finally time for tasty Czech sausages.

Roberth blends in.

Resting on Old Toiwn Square.

Waiting by the astronomical clock.

15.05 It was really good beer here. We will certainly return here if the opportunity arises. Now it is the time to see more of Prague. Next we take a walk along the narrow tourist street Karlova.

15.29 I don't know if we shall blame the tasty beer or if we were generally confused. The group has in all cases been split, come apart from each other along Karlova. Now Björn and I await the others at the Clementinum and the Charles Bridge. We are according to me on one of the most beautiful places in the world, in all the cases in a city.

15.37 We have really not managed to understand how we lost each other. Christer and Roberth looked temporarily into a small souvenir shop and in the brief moment Björn and I managed to zoom past and get out of sight from the other two. Lucky that there is text messaging so we can communicate and find each other again.

15.47 After the reunification, we wandered along the river Vltava/Moldau on Smetanovo nábřeží. We now have the classic Café Slavia and the National theatre (Národní divadlo) ahead of us.

16.29 I have guided my friends to one of my favorite places in Prague, the beer hall U Fleků (http://en.ufleku.cz). A man is playing his accordion in the room next door. On our table are four glasses with Flek. It is the beer brewed here since 1499. It is black as the night and tastes like caramel. We also intend to get a lunch here. For a starter it will be garlic soup. We are dining according to the traditional Czech customs. They keep serving beer until you ask them to stop. Beer consumption is posted on a piece of paper on the table.

17.56 Satisfied, happy and pleased we rest on a bench in the garden at the church, the Church of our lady of Marie Sněžné (Virgin Mary of the snow). A quiet, peaceful and beautiful oasis in the middle of Prague. Some of us like to have coffee, others want to go home and rest. It might be so that everyone gets what they want.

Escaping the rain at U Tří Růží.

Peter and Björn is having a conersation in front of Charles Bridge.

Looking at tomorrow´s attractions.

Typical Czech food on the plates.

U fleku, a beer hall with a long history.

Beer documentation.

Nová scéna, a part of the National theatre.

Franz Kafka´s moving metallic head, a new attraction in Prague.

Fritz is visiting Starbucks.

18.31 The four have become three. Roberth has left us and walked home to rest for a while. We three others have visited Starbucks for coffee refills. Another year with for me a new Starbucks-country. Christer has been here before. In 2012, he was just here with his dad and sister.

19.25 The coffee was a good ending to our little outing. Now we have been reunited with Robert at home in 104, an apartment which has an aerial socket but no TV.

20.49 Loud rumble is heard from outside, and we see the flash of light in the sky. Is it fireworks, war or is just the devil on the loose?

21.12 The sound has not received any explanation. It has again become time to fill up the stomachs and ultimately the bowels.

21.49 We went to the nearby restaurant Kulový Blesk (http://www.restauracekulovyblesk.cz). We then went just as quickly away. Roberth and Björn had to fill up with money. When this was ready, we returned to the restaurant. We were down in the basement. Now, we have ordered meat and beer, IPA Raptor. This applies to the challenge to have a new beer every time.

23.04 The dinner was a feast for all the senses and something that gave us good memories. The restaurant had a theme, with photos from films and TV. It was decorated with a lot of other things, too. We are now home to unwind. Tomorrow we´ll see more attractions here in Prague.

23.28 The beautiful Czech national anthem is sung and is played in Björn and Christer´s room. They are not the ones who are performing it, they use a mobile phone.

The beers have been served.

The beer menu at Kulový Blesk looks very interesting.

Has he got a bike on his head?

Wednesday 30th of March

08.08 It is, indeed some lovely days we have here in the heart of Europe. Will we be able to return to our everyday life? Can I return to the meatballs when I've enjoyed quality food? No, enough with the deep thoughts, back to the morning coffee and a good book.

08.44 There has been an attempted burglary in Björn's and Christer's room during the night. One of the night creatures tried to get in through the window which stood ajar. Björn got up, chased away the intruder and closed the window. The pigeon that tried to get inside flew away.

09.52 We are done and ready. It is time to once again go outside.

10.01 In front of the National museum (Národní muzeum) at the top of Wenceslas square, is a flat cross laid over cobble stones. There is also a bouquet of flowers. The cross is a remembrance of Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc, who burned themselves to death in the same place on the 19th of January and 25th of February 1969. They protested against the armies of the Warsaw pact had struck down the so-called Prague spring in August 1968.

10.34 We have strolled through the centre of Prague. There are plenty of police officers on the streets today. We don't really know why. It looks like they are standing and awaiting something. Now we are going to eat breakfast in the stylish café/restaurant in municipal house, Obecní dům.

11.44 It was a very tasteful breakfast. The average price of around US$8 per person was well worth it, not least because of the amazing environment we sat in. We are now about to do some shopping of souvenirs and Roberth has realized that too many collect too much.

Police everywhere, what are they waiting for?

The cross in memory of Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc.

A bored sausage woman at Wenceslas Square.

A beautiful building along Na Příkopě.

Breakfast at Obecní dům.

This is what happens when eating too much vegetarian food.

12.03 We are back again on a bench placed at Staroměstské náměstí (Old town square). Christer and Björn have bought a bottle of honey wine, the same delicious kind that I tested yesterday. Björn has also bought a glass of wine as he is enjoying it now.

12.27 Languorous jazz music can be heard from the men to the left. Below us runs the river Vltava. We are right in the middle of the famous Charles bridge from 1357. To be precise, they put the first stone at 05.31 on the morning of July 9, 1357. Why so much detail? Well, Charles IV, who lay the first stone was a huge fan of numerology. 1357 9/7 5.31 gives the combination 135797531. This would further strengthen the bridge. It is still here so it might have worked.

12.44 We have reached the square Malostranské náměstí on the other side of the river. Here is the beautiful Nicholas church (the Church of sv. Mikuláše). The district we are in is called Malá Strana in Czech. It can be translated to the "small side". The weather is not the best right now (rain), but we walk on towards the castle area. We hope for a stop, perhaps for a beer or something to snack soon.

12.57 We have just passed the park, where Christer and I made a brief stop in the summer of 2000.

13.13 We have walked up the Staré zámecké schody. If I remember correctly it was this way it red if you wanted to, or from the town's castle. The views are amazing and a girl with a Kĺnken backpack is walking past.

In what direction should we go?

Björn is having a cigar, Roberth a traditional trdelník.

Björn and Christer are buying honey wine.

Kostel sv. Mikuláše.

Björn and Peter walk along the Charles Bridge.

A monk in the air in Malá Strana.

13.28 A combination of the wet bodies and dry throats made us look head inside U Kanovníků on the castle grounds. It is a cafeteria in the shadow of Saint Vitus cathedral. When Roberth ordered Glühwein he was corrected by the waitress. The proper Czech word is Medovina. It is expensive here but on the other hand, we are in an area where almost only tourists are passing through.

14.18 The visit of the U Kanovníků ended and we went into the magnificent Saint Vitus cathedral. The cathedral is beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. Already in the 900's they started to build a church here upon the hill. There are more beautiful things to see here in the city. Now we go further in the drizzle.

14.35 We now have walked out from the court-yard here at the Prague castle. The castle area goes back to around 870 and here the bohemian kings, holy roman emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech republic had their residence. In a booth is a guard and he looks so grim that only guards tend to do. Why so grim? Is he hungry? We are all the same hungry. Now it will be great to find somewhere to eat lunch.

14.49 U Císařů (http://www.ucisaru.cz) was slated as our lunch place. When we saw the prices, we changed quickly and instead ordered a Easter beer each.

15.14 What was served was a green beer. It is tradition that on holy Thursday to serve green beer.

15.54 Green beer was perfectly OK. Now we have along the steep streets walked down to the Charles bridge again. It is time to re-cross the bridge and come back to "our" side of the river. We are on the way to a late lunch. We know where we are going but it is a long way to go.

Rainy day in Prague.

Mr Östlund in Prague.

wet conditions behind Saint Vitus Cathedral.

It is beautiful inside Katedrála Sv. Víta.

One of the guards outside Prague castle.

Green beer at U Císařů.

16.20 After a bit of walking and photographing in the centre of Prague we have come to the restaurant U Provaznice (http://www.uprovaznice.cz). Christer and I were here was during the trip in 2000. Now it's finally going to be lunch.

16.41 Our entrees came right out. There will be garlic soup to Björn and Christer and hermelín cheese to Robert and me. It is reminiscent of Brie.

17.40 It was a tasteful and satisfyingly hearty late lunch. We have decided to take a different path home than the one we already passed. This gives us the ability to see more and experience more. Right now we see the Novoměstská radnice (New Town hall). How was the experience then? After a while a woman jogged pass us. She dropped her water bottle, which I handed to her. She took it and said thank you in Swedish.

18.40 We have come home to City Stay again. On the way we have been looking for possible dinner establishments and shopped in a Chinese owned store. They offered cannabis chocolates, cannabis alcohol, cannabis biscuits and cannabis condoms. We bought Becherovka, soft drinks and sweets instead.

20.41 We have now dosed, rested, slept, read books and drank some coffee. Here we cannot be left behind. Tonight's dinner is waiting for us.

Becherovka in different sizes and flavours.

Björn enters the street after a good lunch at U Provaznice.

Roberth is back home and takes a well earned rest.

The church Kostel sv.Ludmily in the Vinohrady district.

Christer ordered the most expensive dish on the menu tonight.

Garlic soup in a different way.

21.45 We have walked around a bit in the neighborhoods around our home. We have withdrawn money before Roberth bought two small packages of baking soda. He has an upset stomach. We believe that it can work as a Alka-Seltzer substitute. After further wandering, we came to the restaurant U Pravdu, in truth, we saw it during the walk home some hours ago. Here we have ordered some different dishes. It will be carp, beef steak, farmer's special and garlic soup. We will drink beer and Pepsi Cola.

23.28 We enjoyed a delicious dinner each and every one of us. Roberth's garlic soup was served in a carved out piece of bread. Now we are back in the apartment and enjoy Slovak brandy that Björn offers. We also enjoy melodies with various Swedish artists. We are speculating and trying to remember different things but will not remember everything because, as Robert so wisely points out, the memory boxes are rattling empty.

23.59 The culture evening in our rooms continues with Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf. The music comes from Björn's tablet which is in a drawer in order to give a better sound quality.