My first memory of Berlin was crossing over to East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie in the summer of 1984.  The landscape faded from brilliant Technicolor to black and white with the ubiquitous grey buildings throughout the East. Wide boulevards were deserted as people ambled down them. Available food in the restaurants was in pretty bad shape with currywurst the mainstay on menus. After the fall of the wall in November 1989, I spent once a month in Berlin as part of my territory with a position that I had with a French company. Read more »