Snapshots from Berlin

Excitement fills me when I arrive at a new destination, and I hit the ground running. Here are some images from my first 24 hours in Berlin.

Berlin’s personality alternates between a squeaky-clean model of efficiency and a gritty poster for personal expression. This dichotomy makes for fascinating urban exploration. If you’re willing to wear out your shoes a little bit, you’ll be rewarded with a closeness to Europe’s artistic capital that you just can ‘t get on a package tour.

Climb the stairs of the Berliner Dom, the city’s rebuilt cathedral, and you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the entire cityscape. Skyscrapers are rare, so the only thing that impedes your view is the curvature of the Earth.

A city once divided now only has vestiges of the old wall. Berlin has been unified for over 20 years, and denizens happily move about freely. The above picture is from Mauerpark, which is dedicated to the wall.

Berlin is also a young city. Aspiring musicians, artists, writers and hangers-on flock to the city, infusing day and night with a vibrancy few cities can match.