Guide in Berlin

My husband, Leroy, and I took a wonderful trip in early June ’08 to Finland and its Åland Islands plus the Baltic States and environs as well as Belarus and Poland, all with Protravel (Beverly Hills, CA; 800/301-3993, www.protravelinc.com). When that trip was completed, we flew from Kraków to Berlin to spend three days before returning home.

I had noted a reader’s report (June ’06, pg. 89) of a Berlin guide, Markus Muller-Tenckhoff (Markgrafenstr. 39, 10117 Berlin, Germany; phone 0049 [0] 160 80 88 011, www.markus muellertenckhoff.de or www.guidesinberlin.de/markus). We called Mr. Muller-Tenckhoff while en route and engaged him for Sunday, June 1, in order to maximize our sightseeing and learn as we went.

It was a long day but enjoyable and very informative, thanks to Markus. He has been guiding for 20 years and is a member of the guides’ association.

We used our Berlin Card and made our first visit to Potsdam Schloss parkland, which surrounds the Cecilienhoff Palace, where the Potsdam Conference was held June-August 1945. We went back into Berlin for the afternoon and finally said good-bye to Markus at 5 p.m.

His rate was €40 (near $50) per hour without vehicle. As I mentioned, we used our Berlin Card and traveled by train, bus and on foot.

Markus is to be very highly recommended and we would use him again!

MARTHA LANCE

Fullerton, CA