I hate night flights because I’ve never been able to sleep on a plane. We’ve taken several red-eye flights to and from Los Angeles, and one to London, but they’ve all been direct flights. This time our flight was in two segments and that’s even worse. On the upside, I think sleep deprivation helps you adjust to time zone changes more quickly.

Our journey started with a bus ride from Portland to Logan. Traffic wasn’t too bad, so we got there in plenty of time for an airport dinner before our flight. Icelandair is a quirky little airline. As we boarded the plane, we were greeted with Icelandic music playing throughout the cabin. If you’re participating in the Little Drummer Boy challenge, does it count if you hear it on a plane in Icelandic? The flight to Reykjavík was okay, but the airport there was chaotic. Apparently they have more planes than gates, so we deplaned onto a bus that took us to the gate. We then had to find Passport Check before we could find the gate for our flight to Berlin. At that gate, we were herded onto another bus. These buses are the kind that have more standing than seating space, and we were packed in like sardines. Twenty minutes later, we were still on that bus, waiting on the tarmac to board the plane. Boarding was chaotic because there was no system, all rows boarded at the same time so there was a lot of waiting while passengers stowed their luggage and coats. I don’t know if it’s always like this, but our experience won’t deter us from coming back to Iceland one day. The flight to Berlin was better because no one was seated in the third seat in our row, so we could spread out. I sat by the window and watched a lovely sunrise above the clouds as we approached Germany.

When we arrived at the airport in Berlin, we exchanged a few dollars for Euros and bought Berlin Welcome Cards and Museum Pass. Then we had to figure out trains that would get us close to our hotel. I like the fact that, in Berlin (and other European cities) you buy a pass and just jump on and off trains and buses without the bother of turnstiles or ticket takers. You just show your pass if asked (and we’ve never been asked).

After checking in at our hotel, we set off to see the Brandenburg Gate and then stopped for an early dinner at EINSTEIN Unter den Linden (We had Wiener Schnitzel mit Preiselbeeren, Petersilienerdäpfeln und Gurkensalat!) Then it was off to Staatsoper to see Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s opera Médée (Medea). We had seen the Met production (live in HD at the movie theater) and this was nothing like that. The orchestra was a small baroque orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and this production didn’t have the dramatic, gothic feel of the recent Met one. Nonetheless, it was interesting (if a bit long) and the singing was beautiful.

As we left the opera, we passed a huge Christmas Market, but decided to save it for another day. After more than 36 hours without sleep, we were happy to return to our hotel for some much needed rest.

Tomorrow – Wagner!