Yes, both of us are Jewish.
Many of our clients think it is easier to be guided by a Jewish guide
in Germany. And we agree. Feel free to ask us all the questions you
have.
I am NOT touring for a
hobby. I am a professional tour-guide since 1985 and it is a full-time job for
me. I am a member of the Berlin Guide Association
and the German Guide Association with licences for many museums and palaces. My husband Aaron joined me touring
in 2006.
Using an audio-system gives you much more freedom. You don't have to stick on the lips of the guide and can just turn around and fotograph something while still listening to Sue's explanations. It is a great system and all of our clients rave about the freedom they got from it's usage. Also people with hearing aids have no problems with it.
Sorry, I don't arrange strangers
into one group. Our tours are exclusive for the people who book us. If you want to lower the price per person, you have
to ask someone on your own to join your tour.
With Aaron's Mercedes van I can provide six passengers, we use a professional audio-system, so anyone can hear me. It also
has aircondition, sun-roofs and, of course, a driver.
I can work more professional
with a driver: I don't have to concentrate to the traffic and it
possible to get off the car whenever I want: There are a lot of sightseeing
points, where I want to show the genuine location, and without
a driver we have to park there, which is often not possible. With
a driver it is no problem, he picks us up where we need it. The tour
is much better this way. I concentrate on your needs and your questions, not to the traffic.
More safety, more informative and more comfortable.
Of course I use
only licenced and fully insured cars and the driver has the required additional permission
to transport people beside the general driver license. Germany's laws don't allow to transport people on a business-basis without following these rules. Any guide who doesn't follow this rules will get problems with his insurance in case of an accident!
Our tours usually are with a van - Berlin is a very large city and the sites of interest are spread out over the city. On a walking tour we can only cover the historical part of town, and also this means only seeing about 30% of Berlin, the rest is not in a walkable distance.
Please keep in mind that our weather is never predictable, so one day of storm and rain is followed by a sunny day.
Bike tours are very dangerous, colleagues have been seen with accidently broken arms recently after doing a bike-tour. It's a way to rush through the city with not much of information about what you see. Everyone has his own preferred kind of sightseeing. Sorry, we don't offer bike-tours, because that's neither the quality we keep nor is it a safe way to tour.
No, in my rates only included is the 19% VAT,
which I have to deduct to the tax-office immediately. Any entrance
fees for museums, palaces etc. you have to pay on your own. Any TIPs
for service, drivers etc. are also not included. You don't have to
TIP anyone, but if you are satisfied with the service it is common
to TIP about 10%.
I speak and guide fluently
in German, English. My husband speaks very well English
and of course German.