Back to Berlin

I'm back in Berlin, nine years after I first visited the city as a RIAS/RTDNF fellow. The program promotes understanding between German and American journalists. My previous visit in June 2001 was before 9/11 and before Europe unified its currency with the Euro. It's going to be interesting to learn about the changes and prospects for the future. But first... sightseeing!
My first visit was only a decade after the fall of the Berlin wall. The Brandenburg Gate was under renovation at the time, so this was my first chance to actually see it. This, of course, is where Berliners celebrated the fall of the wall, which passed right in front of this landmark, dividing East and West. Now, the Pariser Platz on the former East German side draws a diverse collection of odd characters on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Street performers dressed as Allied troops or the Berlin bear try to earn money by posing with tourists. A peace group held a vigil. There is still a lot of construction going on, but not the frenzy of rebuilding that I noticed the last time. Although there is still a visible difference between East and West Berlin, the Germans have done a pretty good job of cosmetically erasing the line. As I'm about to learn on this trip, however, reunification still presents many challenges.