Berlin

I wasn't expecting to go to Berlin but since I have a few days in Hamburg before I return to the US, I decided to take a bus there. The bus trip takes about 3 hours and it costs 45 euros round-trip. They have buses almost every hour so it's very convenient.
I was in Berlin about 12 years ago and I don't remember much from that trip. What I remember was seeing some buildings that were gray and boring on the East Berlin side. That was only a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today you can hardly tell where it used to be east or west Berlin. The city has many modern buildings and there are a lot of small retail shops. There are also a lot of restaurants and coffee shops. What you don't see are strip malls like you have in a lot of American cities.. This is a very pedestrian-friendly city and public transportation is widely used.  Therefore, Berliners tend to stroll the streets and shop that way rather than drive to a strip mall to shop.  Like many European cities that we've been to, you have the option of a tram (usually for the older part of town or city center), buses, metro or subway, and suburban trains. Bicycles are also popular.
When you think Berlin, a few things come to mind: Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, etc. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, followed by the reunification of East and West Germany, the city has been transforming itself into a modern and vibrant city. It is now the capital of Germany and also the headquarters of many big German companies. Like other European cities, you also find a diversified population: Turks, Asians, Indians, Blacks, etc. There are many Turks in Germany because they were brought to Germany as low-wage workers in the 60s' and 70s'.
 One admiring thing that the Germans have done is admit to the mistakes of World War II. I went to two museums that is almost solely dedicated to the holocaust. It has a lot of photographs and first-hand stories of the Jews that were persecuted and killed in concentration camps.

What is Darth Vader doing at Brandeburg Gate?

Artists were invited to paint on the remaining 1.5 km of the Berlin Wall

Checkpoint Charlie with 2 fake soldiers.  2 euros to take a picture with them.

What Checkpoint Charlie used to look like

One of the museums

Bundestag or German Parliament

Memorial to the Murdered Jews.  Also a museum

Favorite Berlin food:  Curry Wurst with frieds

Hustlers trying to scam tourists