"Checkpoint Charlie"

We happened to visit Checkpoint Charlie on 9/11 and ran across a memorial ceremony of some sort.

It included speeches by military personnel, the singing of the US National Anthem and the presentation of a US flag to a little girl.

Two men representing the NYPD and the Des Plaines, IL police department were also present.

Posing for photos.

At the conclusion of the event, we were puzzled by the fact that some of the military personnel turned out to be locals who will pose for pictures with you for 1 Euro.  In addition, the NYPD and Des Plaines police cars were local tourist vehicles that can be hired out.  We suspect that the ceremony was sincere, but we're confused as to the connections.  We've searched for news using Google with no luck...any input to help clarify is welcome.

Brandenburger Tor (gate)

Siegessäule (Victory Column) - Commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian war, over Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and France in the Franco-Prussian War (1870/1871).

The Holocaust Monument

The chaser....

...becomes the chased :-)

Anika's preferred method of tandem riding.

Daddy's revenge

One of the larger climbing nets we found

Knut the Polar Bear

This is the baby bear, rejected by his mother and raised by a keeper in the zoo.  He's becoming a big fella.

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (Emperor William Memorial Church) on the Kurfürstendamm in the center of the Breitscheidplatz

During World War II, the church was destroyed during a British RAF bombing raid. The only remainder of the old building is the ruin of the belfry, which is also referred to as "der Hohle Zahn" ("the hollow tooth").

Inside the ruins - on this day, a choir from Serbia was visiting and performed a few songs with a sound and video crew (presumably filming for a documentary).  It was really quite beautiful according to Yannis and Anika who had the opportunity to hear them perform.