Berlin's high-tech television tower and stately town
hall epitomize the city's blend of old and new.
Near the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of Germany's former martial spirit, I could not help reflecting that had I stood in the same spot on my last trip to Berlin I might have been shot.
In spite of the immense changes, and the loss of its dubious status as the city where the then communist east met the prosperous west, Berlin has lost none of its interest.
In part the city is now a tourist attraction for those curious to know more of the tragic days of the Berlin Wall, the former site of which is still visited by thousands of people, just as the Wall itself was.
If tourists now have to imagine a city divided, Berliners still live with its legacy, an imbalance in the standard of living between the eastern and western parts of the city.
If you happen to have been in East Berlin six or more years ago don't rely on your memory to get around -- get a map. Many of those landmarks you remember may have disappeared since the Wall came down.
The pace of construction and renovation is hectic. New buildings bearing the hallmarks of modern western architecture sit next to others still under construction, while nearby others still look on abandoned, awaiting their turn.
One of the casualties of all this renewal is that at least 30 historical and cultural sites are now closed to tourists, on both sides of the city. Some have disappeared entirely, others have been closed temporarily for renovation.
They include the Reichstag Platz der Republik, Reichstag building, which housed the national government of the unified German state from 1894. It is now having its interior redecorated prior to the government relocating there from Bonn. Nonetheless the attractive exterior is fascinating enough.
Just north of it are a few remnants of the Berlin Wall. A construction site (soon to be the American Business Center) now stands in place of the famous Cold War border crossing Checkpoint Charlie. But a few artifacts remain, and nearby is a museum dedicated to the Wall.
Another temporarily off-limits attraction is the distinctive Fernsehturm television tower on Alexander Platz. While still dominating the skyline, it is undergoing renovations and its viewing platform is closed to the public until April.
The Friseur Museum is simply not there any more, while time has passed by the Museum Berliner Arbeiterleben (the History of the Working Class Museum) which has closed. In the past the best way to delve into the history of the city was Berlin Museum, which is also being renovated and will not open earlier than 1998.
However, in fairness it should be said that if you get hold of a guide book from any tourist information center (they give them out free) you will soon realize that the closed monuments are a drop on the bucket in this city of 4 million people.
If Berlin is worth visiting to see what has disappeared, to taste the bitter history that saw it spend half a century as the front line between two hostile blocs, it is also well worth visiting for what it has always had, and for what is new.
Sites of interest include places like Siegessaule (Victory Column), a 91 meter (300 foot) high column built to commemorate Prussian military victories, and Zoologischer Garten, Germany's oldest zoo with over 16,000 animals, which are not be missed while in Berlin.
Other notable venues are Berlin's old City Hall, the Olympic Stadium, site of the Nazi's 1936 Olympic Games, and the Botanical Gardens, one of the world's most significant gardens, with more than 18,000 species of plants.
There is also a large arts and historical objects collection at the Charlottenburg Palace near the city center. For something different, take a tour behind the scenes at the Babelsberg Studio, one of the world's largest and oldest film studios, at one time second only to Hollywood.
For relaxation there is the Tiergarten covering about 500 acres (200 hectares) in the city center, said to be Europe's largest inner city park. In summer it's a nice place to picnic. Its history is no less important -- from a royal hunting reserve to a World War II battle zone.
To see the flip side of Berlin, head to the Kreuzberg district southeast of the city center, a paradise for punks, Turkish street vendors, young artists and all manner of other urban sub-cultures in general.
Berlin is a fertile breeding ground for a varity of urban sub-cultures, many of them based in the vibrant Kreuzberg district.
Berlin is a cosmopolitan and cultural city. Theater-goers can even find performances in English. The Freunde der Italienischen Oper is considered Berlin's best venue for Anglophile theater groups and solo performers. Programs in English are also offered by the Hebbel Theater, a venue for German and overseas troupes, and the Podewil theater which features music and comedy.
Even mainstream German-speaking theaters can offer accessible entertainment, such as the Berlin Musical Theater with its "Shakespeare and Rock `n' Roll" series, partly in English. In its musical "Return to the Forbidden Planet," (showing until February) bilingual actors invite the audience aboard a spaceship which transports them to the year 2024.
Berlin is also a city that can offer something for any sized wallet.
The central Charlottenburg features a variety of stores, dominated by Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe, or "Department Store of the West") the largest department store in Europe. But head down to the Kreuzberg, Schoneberg or Prenzlauer Berg districts and you can find various flea markets, open-air weekly markets and second-hand shops or boutiques with fashions by emerging unknown designers.
Berlin is a great destination whether you are into the past or the near future. Culturally it happens, as they say. And for those interested in the corridors of power, it is a city where the world's fate has frequently been decided, whether the issues concerned the great powers dividing colonies among them, military powers setting off to war, or super-powers squabbling in Europe. Now once again it is poised to be the political engine and focal point of middle Europe.
TRAVEL DETAILS
VISAS
Visas are available from the German consulate in St Petersburg. All Russians need visas for Germany. They, and some other nationalities will need an invitation or strong evidence of financial self-sufficiency. Visas cost DM 20.RETURN AIRFARES TO BERLIN
Aeroflot -- $493. Lot -- (with a one night stopover in Warsaw) $296. Malev -- with a one night stop-over in Budapest) $540. Lufthansa -- $554. SAS -- $455. Deutsche BA -- $404.Note: Some airlines offer discount fares for Russian citizens.
ACCOMMODATION
Possibilities range from the standard luxury hotels you would expect in a major European city, down to youth hostels and apartment sharing centers at about DM 30 a night.TRANSPORT WITHIN BERLIN
Moving around Berlin is relatively easy thanks to an efficient metro system. Underground and above ground transport fares range from DM 2 to DM 30 depending on duration, distance and the type of transport. The starting fee for taxis is DM 3.80. (Tariffs are higher at night and during holidays).INFORMATION
Detailed information on the city is available from tourist centers at the airports and train stations. At those offices you can also find "BerlinBerlin" magazine, which publishes entertainment information in both German and English.LANGUAGE
A knowledge of Russian could come in handy in east Berlin. The Soviet legacy includes the Soviet language. In the west speak English if you don't know German, many people will understand.