'When I told a cultivated London friend that we were planning to go to Berlin in the autumn, he was delighted, told me the Gemäldegalerie was a remarkable collection with hardly anyone there and that he and his wife go as willingly to Berlin as they once went to Paris. Most artists look to Berlin as the place they need to know. Nothing and nobody beats the beauty and splendour of Paris, nor its food, but Berlin’s diversity and accessibility make it a no-frills, no-fuss pleasure. From Bitburger Lager to Augustiner, the beer lives up to its reputation. We made a logistical mistake and took the train from Amsterdam. I wanted to look at the landscape of the northern tier of Europe. You don’t see much of interest and it’s dark by four o’clock.' (Introduction)