Berlin in review
Long before it was divided and sealed off, Berlin was considered a cultural capital of Europe. It has certainly regained that status since, emerging from its isolation a youthful city with a wonderful sense of oddness and a cutting edge arts and nightclub scene. The ever-present street art and public sculptures are obvious indicators but here even seemingly private residential courtyards can, on closer inspection, reveal craft studios, galleries, shops or even clubs and live music venues. The cyclist is the undisputed king of the road and great importance is placed on the city's open green spaces, such as the massive Tiergarten. It's also a joy to simply wander Berlin and admire the clash of ultramodern architecture, restored war-ravaged buildings and relics of communism.
Unflinchingly, the scars of World War II and its consequences are preserved for all to see. Sections of the Berlin Wall still stand in various places. Near the Zoological Gardens is the bomb-battered exterior of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and, just south of the grand Brandenburg Gate, sit the cold grey stones of the Holocaust Memorial. The museum at Checkpoint Charlie chronicles the sometimes whacky but very often tragic attempts to cross from East to West.
Berlin's hotels welcome the curious visitor.
- From our editor T. Ireland – Sydney