Erstens mussen wir Touristen sein.
The first day after jet lag is always wondrous. Finally I open my eyes and see. German written on every sign, green trees and empty spaces. The turbulent history of Germany, the constant division and revision of Berlin has created a dynamic landscape. Berlin is constantly emerging.
At first we are all tourists, caught in a giant foreign city with more museums than visitors can fill, but after a time, the line between tourist and resident blurs. I have a firm grasp on German and my American accent does not deter the locals. I see smiles and hear slight giggles. I must have made a mistake. After a walk from Alexander Platz to Potsdamer Platz, I forget what language I'm speaking in. I've seen the famous Fernsehturm (Television Tower), the Soviet Weltzeituhr (World Clock), and the Brandenburg Tor. I've walked across Museum Insel (Museum Island) and past Checkpoint Charlie. Now it's time to get serious.
A cursory glance of the city has ignited my passion for Berlin and I cannot wait to stand in long lines to the Reichstag and Berlin's numerous museums. I've caught the tourist bug but I'm not willing to succumb just yet. I decide to spread out the ogling of historic and "important" sites over my three month stay in Berlin. The real city, the aching, pulsing, growing metropolis awaits beneath the surface and I will see it.
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