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Governmentoffices
EscapethestickyheatofSeoulthissummerandheadfor Europe'scoolestcapital,Berlin,AlsooneofEurope'syoungest capitals,Berlinhasauniquematuritythatenablesittoembrace bothitshistoryanditsfuture,Incontrasttoitsheavypast,Berlin todayisstylishandtrendywihsomethingtooffereveryvisitor museumsandartgalleries;opera,theateranddance;shopping, restaurantsandnightclubs;historicsightsandmonuments, SummerisagoodtimetovisitBerlinnotonlybecauseofthe beautifulweatherbutalsobecauseitislesscrowdeddueto Berlinersleavingtownfortheirownholiday. ThereareavarietyofwaystoseeBerlin:byfoot,riverorcanal, cruise,bybicycle,orbybusandtrain,ButbecauseBerlinislaid outonsuchanepicscaleyounnaywanttodivideyoursightseeing intogeographicclusterstosavetimeandyourlegsAgoodway togetafeelofthecityistotakethelocalBus100thatruns betweentheZoologicalGardensandAlexanderplatz.This providesanoverviewofthecityincludingseveralmajor monuments.AttheendoftheroutecontinueonlocalBus200to completeyourself-guidedtour.Nowyoucandecidewhereyou wanttoexploremorecompletely.Ichoseastrollinthe TiergartenwhichwasonceaPrussianroyalhuntingground.
54ARIRANGMAGAZINESPRING/SUMMER2009
Crisscrossedwithfootpathsleadingtotranquillakes,mature woodlandsandEnglish-stylegardens,thepark'scalmcomposed meforthelandmarksofGermany'sdarkerhistory.Themost prominentwerejustminutesfromtheTiergartenandyes,Irefer totheReichstag,theBrandenburgGateandtheSiegessaule
victory
column;allillustrationsofthetriumphsandtragediesof Germanhubris. Berlifi1wascreatedinitspresentformonlyin1920whenthe WeimerRepublicwasproclaimedandtheGreaterBerlinActwas implemented,ThisActuniteddozensofsuburbancities,villages, andestatesaroundBerlinintoanexpandedmetropolisofabout4 millionpeople.Sadly,thecitydidnothavetimetobloombefore beingdevastatedbywar.WorldWar
II
wasfollowedbytheCold WarandthebuildingoftheBerlinWall,thatvastconcreteand barbedwiretoppedbarrierthatcutBerlininhalf.Remindersof thosedarkdaysarestillseenthroughoutthecity.Touristsqueue dailyforphotographsbesidetheCheckpointCharliereplicawith itsfamoussign"YouarenowleavingtheAmericansector."And whocamforgetNovember1989whentheworldwatchedon televisionasthewallfell? ClosebyCheckpointCharlieisthemostfamiliarsiteinBerlin,
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