This brick paving is a reminder of where the Berlin Wall used to be and streches all around west Berlin.

To the left of the woman in the red coat is where the thousand year reich came to a premature end. The fuhrer bunker or what is left of it is underneath the grass. Behind it are the houses given to East Germany`s favorites such as Katarina Witt when the pleased the regime. According to our guide the houses are cold and not well insulated from the sound.

This is the jewish monument in Berlin concerning the holocost. The monument has caused a great deal of controversy partly because there was little information on the holocost present until the German government put its foot down and partly because the large German company that provided the chemical to safeguard this prime graffiti territory also supplied Zyklon B for use in the gas chambers.

This is one of many parks in Berlin. This one has a monument recently installed to the homosexual victims of the Nazis.

This Russian monument is in West Berlin. Built before the Russians handed the area over to the western allies it is the site of enormous numbers of Russian burials. The western allies left the area intact after taking over.

Here is a photo of us taken outside the Riechstag building. The day we were there Germany wazs selecting its Chancellor. While Angela Merkel was expected to be elected all interest centred on how many of her own party would vote against her in protest.

Matt in a Trabant the symbol of the fall of Iron Curtin at the Berlin Story Museum.

One of the many little reminders of the former owners errected by the current owners outside their houses in Berlin.

Here is a building that survived the bombing with its neighbour destroyed. A number of the buildings in east Berlin are in a run down condition following neglect by the communists and are ungoing repairs as the finances of the owners permit.

A shot of some vines in Berlin near the Synagogue. We did a walking tour our only full day in Berlin. It was well worth it.

This is a picture of a previously large Synagogue built in Berlin in the late 1800s. Like many of the old buildings in Berlin it is in the former East Berlin. It survives through the efforts of a German police man who forced people to leave it alone at gunpoint.

The pictures now are from Germany here is a picture of the Brandenberg Gate.

Here is a photo in the general direction of the Metro station we caught home. If you can`t tell by the photos it has been pretty well freezing so catching the efficient Moscow metro system would assist. While we didn`t get lost or get off at the wrong station let us just say reading the Crylic alphabet would have assisted.

Another photo of the Kremlin Wall an enormous fortified structure this shot looking towards the location of the Diamond Fund and the Treasury both of which we visited (hope I got the name of the second one right it has been some time now).

Here is a photo of the Kremlin Wall.

This photo is of the entrance into Red Square beside the State History Museum.

Here is a religous service of some sort taking place near the Kremlin area (just beside the State History Museum).

Some of the enormous treasures held inside the State History museum. There was also an amazing collection inside the Kremlin but we were not able to take photos inside. I wonder why the starving peasants got a little upset?

This is inside what is generally referred to as St Basil`s cathedral in Moscow at the edge of red square.

Martine standing beside a massive statue near the Kremlin and Red Square.

Red Square in Moscow. Ironically to the right of the picture looking over at the Kremlin is a expensive shopping arcade for the new rich of Russia. Lenin must be turning in his grave which is just to the left (pun I know but true) of the picture. When did not get to see Lenin`s tomb but we did see quite a bit and had a busy day.

This is the changing of the guard outside the World War 2 monument near the Kremlin.

This is the state history museum. This is one of the things that we looked at during our only full day in Moscow.

The next stop after Instanbul was Moscow. This is what is commonly known as St Basil`s Cathedral. It is basically a monument built by Ivan the Terrible to commerate his victory over the Tatars. After having it built he is reputed to have blinded the architects so that nothing of comparable beauty could be built.

Here is Martine looking out over the vast expanse that surrounds St Simeon cathedral.

Another view within the enormous complex that is St Simeon`s cathedral.

This is a picture of what is left of St Simeon's cathedral near Aleppo in Syria again recovered recently. The stone is what is left of famous centre pillar after it has been chipped away by many centuries of souvenir hunters.

A photo taken right outside the museum in Syria.

The object leaning against the pillar is what is left of a stone door similar to the one in a previous photo.

The door (as well as the doorway) is made out of stone and appears at the same truly amazing museum in Syria.

This photo of a roman mosaic in a museum near Serjilla in Syria shows Romulus and Remus being fed by the wolf. We were not really supposed to be taking photos although we were permitted to take this one quick shot.

This little roman building at Serjilla Syria has what appears to be the original roman roof on it.

Another photo from Serjilla in Syria.

Another view from the old roman city of Serjilla in present day Syria.

This photo is from the lost Roman city of Serjilla in Syria. Sorry the photo is out of order but again it was only recovered yesterday.

This image only recovered yesterday is from Aleppo and shows the chaos of the markets.

This is a shot again taken during the cruise around part of Istanbul.

This is a spot that we stopped at during the cruise. There were big numbers of people fishing just to the left of the shot.

Riverfront accomodation in Istanbul. Don`t know the pricetag but am sure it would be expensive.

A picture of some of the many fortifications still standing in Istanbul taken during our cruise.

A picture from the harbour in Istanbul during a brief day cruise we did.

A view looking out from the grounds of the Topkapi Palace (Istanbul).

Another view inside the grounds of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

This is a view of the Topkapi Place in Istanbul. Much of it seemed a little run down compared to what we had seen before. Whether this was a result of the slow decay of the Ottaman empire or the lack of maintenance since is not immediately apparrent.

Here is another view from the tower with the Haj Sophia on the left and the Blue Mosque on the right. Our accomodation is between the two great buildings and a little behind them on this view.

This is a view from the top of the Galata tower.

Here is a picture of the Galata tower in Instanbul. From here you get a great view allover the city. Right beside here we had a fantastic strawberry tart (the inside of the shell was inlaid with a fine film of dark chocolate). The French got much of the pastry tradition originally from the Turks.

Another picture of the harbour in Istanbul taken during one of our short ferry trips. The harbour is quite busy but I guess you expect that in a city of 16 million people.

Here is a photo of the shoreline from a quick trip we took accross the harbour in Istanbul.

Here is a photo across the water towards the Galata tower.