The last time we visited Berlin it was November of 1980. The weather was cold and wet. Skies were grey. The wall was a formidable reminder of the Cold War. West Berlin blazed with lights. Restaurants, cafes, and bars were filled with boisterous people. Shops were filled with goods. East Berlin was drab. We saw bullet holes and leaky ceilings in the museum that housed the Pergamum/Pergamon antiquities. Shops had few goods. The buildings were blackened from burning soft coal. We stood out because of our brightly colored coats. We stood out because we laughed and talked while taking in the sights. The faces of soldiers checking our passports at Checkpoint Charlie were grim. Today reunification has brought resources, pride, joy, and worldwide brands to all of Berlin. Post WWII plain buildings have given way to more style and beauty. Pre-WWII buildings have been restored.
Outdoor aviaries, cranes, skyscrapers, and reflections
Birds in an outdoor aviary
The absent mauer (wall) at Checkpoint Charlie is memorialized by museums and fast-food stores
The last time we were here the Berlin Wall loomed ominously. Now KFC is prominent
This Soviet soldier seems so benign now compared to when we crossed over and back between West and East Berlin in 1980
The Titanic Hotel name has horrible associations for me. Stickers on poles are a dubious symbol of freedom.
A cafe with chandelier will beckon customers soon
Currywurst (sausages) are so popular they merited a museum
Pre- and post-WWII architecture live side by side in Berlin
The Holocaust Memorial with the adjacent American Embassy. A single head rising above shows the scale
The somber sky and grey cement contrast strongly with the bright green leaves of life after the Holocaust