It's a habit, but a good one. Every December I go to Berlin to attend Online Educa. This year, 1800 of us from four dozen countries will convene for Europe's biggest eLearning pow-wow. Business people will mix with academics and government reps for non-stop schmoozing and sessions.

Berlin, eternal Bauhaus
More than fifteen years after the fall of the Wall, Berlin is still constantly changing. If you have only two or three days, here is a selection of must-see places.

Epicurean Berlin - restaurants, cafes, bistros and markets
Trendy or traditional, German or Turkish, Thai or Italian, Berlin cuisine caters to an infinite range of tastes. It is also a city of cafes and stalls where you can grab a bite to eat at any time of the day or night.

Early December is a great time to visit Berlin. The air is crisp but not arctic. The shops are filled with tantalizing Christmas gifts. And Christmas fairs serving mulled wine, gingerbread, meter-long sausages, Christmas ornaments, knick-knacks, crepes, grog, kebabs, woodcarvings, scented candles, dolls, and more pop up at major crossing points. My German is atrocious but that doesn't matter since English is the official language of Online Educa; shopping and eating don't require fluency. Besides, many Europeans speak English better than I do.

This year ASTD's Brenda Sugrue and IBM's Tony O'Driscoll will join me to present the latest research on top management's assessment of the value of training.

If you're thinking of attending, get in touch with my frau, Uta Cross, at 510 525 9487. Email: uta (at) songcovers.com. Uta attended Educa with me last year. German by birth, she'll be happy to answer questions about Berlin and/or Educa.