Berlin Pass is one of the best ways to enjoy the city

The Berliner Dom, also known as the Berlin Cathedral, serves as the head of Germany's protestant churches. Photo: TNS/Steve Haggerty

When the phone rang, it was the call I’d always dreaded. A family emergency cancelled my long-planned trip to Berlin, putting my Berlin Pass (paid for in advance on the Internet) in jeopardy, along with a nonrefundable airline ticket. Ouch!

Then came the brainstorm. I decided to offer the Berlin Pass to my cousin from Norway, Steven St. John, on the condition that he’d use it to see the city, take notes and tell me what he thought. After all, we’re different kinds of travellers, with different points of view.