Zoo Station, my first stop in Berlin.
Left this way as a reminder, "the Jagged Tooth" is the best-known of the remaining war-damaged buildings from WWII in Berlin.
Rathaus Schöneberg, Berlin - the former city hall for West Berlin. This is where JFK gave the speech containing "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a jelly donut).
Potsdamerplatz (Potsdam Plaza) from a distance, Berlin - once demolished and left to waste during divided Berlin, it is once again a lively square with new buildings (including the Mt. Fuji-inspired Sony building).
The Reichstag (German Parliament) as seen from the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin - the glass dome on top reminds me of a hamster cage, but apparently you can look down on Parliament when it's in session from said dome.
A memorial to those who died trying to escape from East Berlin, next to the Reichstag in the Tiergarten, Berlin.
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin - a symbol of national pride, this was the site of the biggest demonstration and celebration when the Berlin Wall fell.
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin - the only monument in Central Berlin to survive Allied bombing in WWII.
The statue atop the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin - the statue was stolen and taken back to Paris by Napoleon. Upon it's return, a staff with the German national seal was placed in the charioteers hands to make clear who the real owners are.
The (newly opened) Holocaust Memorial next to the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - compare the height of the "tombs" in respect to the people to the same in the photo to the right. As you progress deeper into the memorial, the "tombs" get taller and more imposing.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - it was controversial from the get-go due to the contracting of a paint company to help with the construction (anti-graffiti protection), a company which had also profited from the Holocaust. Was it profitting from the Holocaust again?
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - it was also controversial in its placement in central Berlin, so near the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of national pride.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - the architect was inspired by the Jewish cemetary in the Jewish Quarter of Prague. The "tombs" are of varying sizes and not perfectly vertical. They represent the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - a man disappears into the tombs.
The Holocaust Memorial, Berlin - in the distance you can see the statue atop the Brandenburg Gate and, behind that, the Reichstag.
Birds take to the sky over Berlin.
A parking lot, Berlin - unmarked, this is the former site of Hitler's bunker. This is where he shot himself.
A soccer field, Berlin - children now play on the exact spot (formerly a bomb crater, to be precise) where Hitler's body was found by the Soviets.
One of the few buildings in Central Berlin still with war damage from the Allied invasion in WWII. Notice (on the right) that it is about to undergo renovation, though.
A close-up of the WWII damage (and some more recent damage - graffiti), Central Berlin.
DDR-era (German Democratic Republic aka Soviet East Germany) Building, Berlin - proof that the Soviets erected ugly buildings everywhere they were.
The only remaining Nazi-era building in Berlin - it originally housed the Ministry of the Air Force, before it became the Ministry of Ministries during the DDR and it is now the Finance Ministry.
A Soviet-era propaganda mural painted on the side of the former Ministry of Ministries, Berlin - the Ministry was the site of massive anti-DDR demonstrations during the time of divided Germany.
A closer look at the mural, Berlin - the workers in the mural are wearing blue, not red, because blue was the symbolic color of Communism in the DDR (unlike the rest of the Soviet empire).
One of the few remaining still-standing sections of the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall - it is itself protected by a fence to prevent further depletion at the hands of souvenir hunters.
The Berlin Wall - made of many panels of conrete fixed together, it was erected in the period of one night.
The Berlin Wall - this section was left standing as a reminder of the past. This area was also, in particular, one of the deadliest areas (re: escape attempts) during the DDR.
Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin - one of the most famous border-crossings between East and West Berlin, it was torn down after the wall fell. It was then rebuilt as a memorial shortly thereafter.
Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin - next to CP Charlie is a fantastic museum, the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (surprise surprise), chronicling people's escapes over, under and around the wall and/or the Iron Curtain.
A sign honoring Peter Fechter, near Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin - Peter Fechter was shot trying to escape over the wall and lay dying in sight and sound of both West and East Berliners for hours.
Deutscher Dom (German Church) on Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin - there is a twin church (The French Church) on the square, but it was under massive renovation, so no photos.
The Konzerthaus (Concert House) on Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin.
The Konzerthaus on Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin.
A memorial plaque in honor of the Nazi book burnings at Humboldt University, Berlin - the plaque stands near a fantastic memorial structure that is unphotographable as it is receded into the ground in a poorly-lit chamber.
The War Memorial, Berlin - aka the "Wreath-dumping place" by the more facetious locals.
The War Memorial, Berlin - it was originally a memorial to Soviet soldiers who had died, but was changed to a general War memorial upon reunification.
The War Memorial, Berlin - the statue was designed by a mother in the DDR who had lost her son in WWII.
Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral), Berlin - it was remodeled as a Protestant counterpart to the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica in 1908.
Berliner Dom, Berlin - it was severly damaged by a fire bomb in WWII and reopened after extensive renovation in 1993.
Berliner Dom, Berlin.
Birds circle in the sky over Berliner Dom, Berlin.
And now, my drinking friends... (Berlin)
The Brit Boys, Berlin.
The Brit Girls, Berlin.
The Brit Ukrainian, Berlin.
The Aussies (and a stuperfied Brit Boy in between), Berlin.
The Aussies (take two), Berlin.
The Other Aussie, Berlin.
The Other Other Aussie and I, Berlin.
The Other Other Aussie, Me and my stupid grin in Berlin.
The Brit Boys (again), Berlin.