Berlin on a Sunday is remarkably quiet. One reason is all the major stores are shut. It's one of the many contrasts between Germany and Britain that indicates our European neighbours place a greater concern on human rather than market values.

Take public transport for instance. Not only is it more reliable and cheaper in Berlin, compared to London, it operates without barriers. It doesn't mean the Germans don't care about revenue collection, they rely instead on ticket inspections (I have had five ticket checks in three months, with on-the-spot fines for those without a ticket). But it does mean passengers flow through stations much easier and travel more civilised than the cattle-push scenes common in most British stations.