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.
"The End of the Euro?" was the rather provocative title of a conference held in an impressive atrium building near the Brandenburg Gate. The organizers of the conference could use a little consulting in terms of making the presentation a bit more interactive, and the participants seemed to enjoy hearing themselves talk. 
While stating the obvious, they made a few interesting points, noting that no one suggested the US give up the dollar when our economy hit the skids in 2008-2009. Obama has fallen somewhat out of favor here due to his feeling that the eurozone countries should spend more government money to stimulate the economy instead of trying to balance their budgets with social welfare cuts and other austerity measures. 
Lunch was served with a spectacular view of the Brandenburg gate. It was a great location for taking pictures. 
A little over two decades ago, it would have been impossible to stand here without crossing the Berlin Wall. We were standing near the spot where President Reagan urged Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" -- a quote that is displayed in a new subway station linking east and west.
For Andrew, this was a launching pad for a morning of sightseeing in the former East Berlin.
