Ferry booked N+B Polch here we come (1 Viewer)

[nicholsong]

Martin

Had I known you were coming as far East as Leipzig and Berlin we might have made a trip to meet you, particularly as I have promised Basia a trip to Berlin sometime. A city I really like and one I think people should see. I was there before the Wall came down flying in and out of Templehof for BA, but have also been back twice since and been into the eastern sector - but very different now.

Geoff

 

[gus-lopez]

€1.40 for two us us to go for a pee, glad it’s all onboard

But 50c on each can be reclaimed using shop or restaurant.

 

[funflair]

Martin

Had I known you were coming as far East as Leipzig and Berlin we might have made a trip to meet you, particularly as I have promised Basia a trip to Berlin sometime. A city I really like and one I think people should see. I was there before the Wall came down flying in and out of Templehof for BA, but have also been back twice since and been into the eastern sector - but very different now.

Geoff

Hi Geoff

Trouble with us is we don’t make plans far very far ahead, you will remember a few weeks ago we were not coming at all but would be great to meet up sometime (must try harder) it was only after we set off for Polch that Jen said “I though we might go to Berlin and then Hamburg”.

We are stopping very handy for the city at Wohnmobil Oase and just walked to the wall memorial on Bernauer strasse, all in our lifetime but we know so little about it.

Martin

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[haganap]

can you stop this now and come home like the rest of us!!!

 

[nicholsong]

can you stop this now and come home like the rest of us!!!

Martin

Ignore that; MHs are not for sitting on drives, like ours is forcibly at the moment.

Get on and enjoy Berlin.

Where next?

We will make a meeting and soon I hope.

Geoff

 

[funflair]

So we took the Underground into Berlin centre, straight up to ground level and what a disappointment,

PRIMARK

It can only get better

Checkpoint Charlie,

Brandenberg gate,

And the Orchestra were practicing in the Cathedral,

Then 267 steps to the viewing balcony and city by night.

Martin

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[funflair]

Berlin seems to be a cross between a building site and a walking history tour, some of it makes pretty grim reading,

Martin

 

[nicholsong]

Martin

I should have given you some pointers, if you have not been already.

The old Jewish Quarter in E. Berlin - interesting converted warehouses.

Walk up the spiral staircase to the roof of the Reichstag - British architect, Norman Foster?

Charlottenberg for restaurants in its small streets and alleys.

Templehof Airport - just for the scale of its construction in Nazi Bauhaus style - terminal building about 1km long. We used to park the aircraft under the canopy to avoid passengers getting wet.

Potsdam maybe on your way west for a visit to the schloss where the Potsdam Treaty was signed.


Do not rush away from Berlin - there is probably lots more than I have described.

I not only visited in my time with BA but also I had a friends and a girlfiend there, so was ntroduced to lots of out-of-the-way places, including a bar in S. Berlin with a deaf/dumb barman, great character.

Geoff

 

[funflair]

Martin

I should have given you some pointers, if you have not been already.

The old Jewish Quarter in E. Berlin - interesting converted warehouses.

Walk up the spiral staircase to the roof of the Reichstag - British architect, Norman Foster?

Charlottenberg for restaurants in its small streets and alleys.

Templehof Airport - just for the scale of its construction in Nazi Bauhaus style - terminal building about 1km long. We used to park the aircraft under the canopy to avoid passengers getting wet.

Potsdam maybe on your way west for a visit to the schloss where the Potsdam Treaty was signed.


Do not rush away from Berlin - there is probably lots more than I have described.

I not only visited in my time with BA but also I had a friends and a girlfiend there, so was ntroduced to lots of out-of-the-way places, including a bar in S. Berlin with a deaf/dumb barman, great character.

Geoff

Hi Geoff

Thanks for that, I guess we have done the tourist trail bit really today but will go back for seconds tomorrow, we did the Bernauer Strasse wall memorial and history but it was dark. Today we did check point Charlie and Brandeberg gate and the Jewish memorial along the way, we could not get in the Reichstag as we needed photo ID for a pass so might do that tomorrow. We will leave with lots a bit unseen but hopefully return one day as Hamburg calls and we must leave on Tuesday.

Martin

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[funflair]

This is something you don’t see everyday,

A stretched Trabant Limmo.

I might have a look in the Trabby Museum tomorrow.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Might as well update this thread while I have free WiFi,

Modern graffiti on the West side of the wall which would have been inaccessible when it was complete as it would be in the no man land or “killing zone”

East side art,

And over the road a Mercedes showroom but it was closed to move the cars around.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Great stuff Martin, cheers.

I have to say I much prefer the quality and practicality over the glitz, building the shell first seems to me a much more quality way of doing it, then putting everything in.

Do the door seals look good or could water flood in? I am interested in the finer details.
Does the 3M foil just go on afterwards then as a DIY fit.
How would the water tanks come out though without taking part of the floor up?
How are the walls attached to the roof?

Hopefully ours will be easy to get stuff out as the bodyshell was built first.

Do they do a small A class Phoenix max 7 metres?

And lastly, do they have a good reputation on the German forums I wonder?
Any known issues with delamination, water leaks etc.

Hi Paul

I have just one answer really from your list of questions, the locker doors have two seals on them, the first one has a break at the bottom so as not to flood with water if anything gets past it, the second inboard seal is full as by then you just want any water to run out via the gaps in the outside seal, looks good to me.

Martin

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[CazPaul]

Hi Paul

I have just one answer really from your list of questions, the locker doors have two seals on them, the first one has a break at the bottom so as not to flood with water if anything gets past it, the second inboard seal is full as by then you just want any water to run out via the gaps in the outside seal, looks good to me.

View attachment 268409

Martin

looks good Martin, thanks, hinges look like they are replaceable too from your photo.
did you have a test drive?

 

[CazPaul]

Berlin seems to be a cross between a building site and a walking history tour, some of it makes pretty grim reading,

View attachment 267937

View attachment 267936

Martin

Is that a the Topography of Terror, it was really interesting I thought.
Did you go into Ka De We , the biggest department store in Europe, stands for Kaufhaus Des Westens, it was amazing.

 

[funflair]

Hi Paul @CazPaul

Thats a yes and and a yes, topography of terror certainly makes you think about what man is capable of doing to fellow human beings, but I think a lot of Berlins memorials are like that. Its a shame the text in the photo isn't easier to read as it is slightly chilling.

Martin

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[jongood]

Very interesting City Berlin if quite sad in places. You ve really got to take a moment at places like checkpoint charlie and contemplate what this meant for a whole generation.

But then the vibrancy and efficiency of it. I was impressed by the u bahn that ran just under street level not down in the bowels of the earth like some of our London underground, you can actually stand on the street in places and see the platform.

Jon

 

[jongood]

Is that a the Topography of Terror, it was really interesting I thought.
Did you go into Ka De We , the biggest department store in Europe, stands for Kaufhaus Des Westens, it was amazing.

Great place to go for Kafee und Kuchen as well but just googling to remind myself I came across this

“ANOTHER, TRULY FANTASTIC DESTINATION IS THE GERMAN SAUSAGE BAR IN THE BACK WHERE A COUPLE OF GENTLEMEN OFFER A WIDE REPERTOIRE OF GERMANY’S FINEST SAUSAGES”

Not sure whether this is a good idea.....

 

[funflair]

Very interesting City Berlin if quite sad in places. You ve really got to take a moment at places like checkpoint charlie and contemplate what this meant for a whole generation.

But then the vibrancy and efficiency of it. I was impressed by the u bahn that ran just under street level not down in the bowels of the earth like some of our London underground, you can actually stand on the street in places and see the platform.

Jon

The U bahn was great Jon and very easy to use for a country bumpkin like me, the S bahn was good as well as you got to see where you were travelling through from up above, and when it was peeing down we got to walk under the tracks and stay dry

They do love their graffiti though, some of it very artistic.

Martin

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[funflair]

This is different,

Well that’s what it says anyway,

McLaren 720S

Martin

 

[funflair]

So another day another city and this time it’s Hamburg,

But it’s a Grey day, and cold as well.

We spent the last two night at Reimers the PhoeniX/Concorde dealer just above Hamburg so now we need to take stock of everything we have seen and driven.

Martin

 

[nicholsong]

So another day another city and this time it’s Hamburg,

View attachment 268484

But it’s a Grey day, and cold as well.

We spent the last two night at Reimers the PhoeniX/Concorde dealer just above Hamburg so now we need to take stock of everything we have seen and driven.

Martin

Martin

Just to put an idea in your mind.

It would be a great service to me ,and I think any others, if when you get home you could write your impressions of the companies you have visited and their production methods and standards. Not necessarily descriptions of MH models and features, because we can get that from their brochures and specs.

Writing it up might be a good excercise and memo for yourselves.

I might repeat this post to you when you get home.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Geoff

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[CazPaul]

So another day another city and this time it’s Hamburg,

View attachment 268484

But it’s a Grey day, and cold as well.

We spent the last two night at Reimers the PhoeniX/Concorde dealer just above Hamburg so now we need to take stock of everything we have seen and driven.

Martin

What was Reimers like Martin, one dealer we have never been to?
They have never answered emails although if really interested in a van we have then always rang up.

 

[funflair]

Martin

Just to put an idea in your mind.

It would be a great service to me ,and I think any others, if when you get home you could write your impressions of the companies you have visited and their production methods and standards. Not necessarily descriptions of MH models and features, because we can get that from their brochures and specs.

Writing it up might be a good excercise and memo for yourselves.

I might repeat this post to you when you get home.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Geoff

Hi Geoff

It would only be my impression but yes if you remind me I might indulge myself, at the moment we are well and truly confused.com, we thought we could get exactly what we wanted by having Phoenix build it which they will but then it does not get a certificate of conformity as it's not a standard vehicle so import to UK would not be as simple.

If we have a transverse bed that we would be happy with to reduce the length of the van then it makes it difficult to sell again, if we have a standard van the length we want we can't get the huge garage and lounge that we want and ours is going great so guess what

Hamburg looks lovely and very affluent on first impressions.

Martin

 

[funflair]

What was Reimers like Martin, one dealer we have never been to?
They have never answered emails although if really interested in a van we have then always rang up.

Hi Paul

Yes I had to make a nuisance of myself before I got an answer but when we turned up with an appointment we couldn't fault the service, no big warm showroom like at Morelo of course so all is outside but they were happy for us to just take a vehicle out even without them accompanying us well it was only £1/4 million so we must have looked honest. Not a massive dealership but decent stock of PhoeniX mostly Alkoven, Concorde, Carthago and Malibu.

Proper family business and the guy knew his stuff even though he looked like a schoolkid, possibly that's me showing my age but he had been in motorhomes from his early months.

Martin

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[nicholsong]

Hi Geoff

It would only be my impression but yes if you remind me I might indulge myself, at the moment we are well and truly confused.com, we thought we could get exactly what we wanted by having Phoenix build it which they will but then it does not get a certificate of conformity as it's not a standard vehicle so import to UK would not be as simple.

If we have a transverse bed that we would be happy with to reduce the length of the van then it makes it difficult to sell again, if we have a standard van the length we want we can't get the huge garage and lounge that we want and ours is going great so guess what

Hamburg looks lovely and very affluent on first impressions.

Martin

Thanks

I will remind you, and comments about the Dealers will also be welcome. It can always be sent PM - to avoid you having to be too circumspect in comments.

I did not realise CofC included habitation construction. I had always assumed it only applied to any modifications to engine, running gear, RHD, lights, suspension, tyre, weights etc., but not to where the bed or cupboards are.

Like you we would want same forward area, plus island bed and same size garage. Ideally in 8m but I would stretch to 8.5m, but would have to lie to Basia, because if I failed a C1 Medical she would not fancy that. Maybe I have got to push her to get her C1 now while we have a 7m to get aclimatised.

I have not been to Hamburg, other than airport. I have always had the impression that it is too 'modern' for my tastes, having been bombed stupid.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[funflair]

Thanks

I will remind you, and comments about the Dealers will also be welcome. It can always be sent PM - to avoid you having to be too circumspect in comments.

I did not realise CofC included habitation construction. I had always assumed it only applied to any modifications to engine, running gear, RHD, lights, suspension, tyre, weights etc., but not to where the bed or cupboards are.

Like you we would want same forward area, plus island bed and same size garage. Ideally in 8m but I would stretch to 8.5m, but would have to lie to Basia, because if I failed a C1 Medical she would not fancy that. Maybe I have got to push her to get her C1 now while we have a 7m to get aclimatised.

I have not been to Hamburg, other than airport. I have always had the impression that it is too 'modern' for my tastes, having been bombed stupid.

Cheers

Geoff

Hamburg is fantastic Geoff, sure there are some modern buildings but still some old stuff as well, and money? I think so I got told off taking a photo in a jewellery shop window,

Breguet tourbillon yes that is €246 thousand and a shop a couple of doors down had a diamond ring for just over €600 thousand,

And

This is Roman Abramovich’s $1.5 billion dingy in for a refit, we went on a boat trip through the waterways of the city’s warehouse district and then out into the main river and dock area.

Check this out, they are containers not matchboxes


Martin

Oh and this is our view tonight,

Paddle boat cruising up and down.

 

[jongood]

Hamburg is fantastic Geoff, sure there are some modern buildings but still some old stuff as well, and money? I think so I got told off taking a photo in a jewellery shop window,

View attachment 268700

Breguet tourbillon yes that is €246 thousand and a shop a couple of doors down had a diamond ring for just over €600 thousand,

And

View attachment 268702

View attachment 268703

This is Roman Abramovich’s $1.5 billion dingy in for a refit, we went on a boat trip through the waterways of the city’s warehouse district and then out into the main river and dock area.

View attachment 268704

Check this out, they are containers not matchboxes


Martin

Oh and this is our view tonight,

View attachment 268705

Paddle boat cruising up and down.

Sort of puts the price of a decent motorhome into context!

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[CazPaul]

Those watches look crap Martin, I have just bought this one

£2.79, what a beauty, puts your Hamburg rubbish to shame, the quality shines through long after the price is forgotten, remember that.

Its only lost 10 minutes time in 2 days so far.

 

[jongood]

Those watches look crap Martin, I have just bought this one

View attachment 268706

£2.79, what a beauty, puts you Hamburg rubbish to shame, the quality shines through long after the price is forgotten, remember that.

Can you take it out when it rains?

 

[CazPaul]

Can you take it out when it rains?

Yes it says showerproof, rainproof and idiot proof, hence me buying it.

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