Although most of the Berlin Wall has been dismantled, certain sections still exist including the most famous section of the wall called the East Side Gallery. In 1990 artists were invited to paint this part of the wall, which turned it into one large open-air art gallery with more than 100 paintings, including this one. Ironically, these paintings have been blocked off by a chained fence so I took this close up picture through the fence. April 27, 2016

This piece of art at the open-air East Side Gallery of what’s left of the Berlin Wall shows a man escaping by climbing on top the wall. April 27, 2016

Yes, that’s me in the left hand corner all bundled up but mesmerized by this colorful piece of art at the open-air East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. Even though it’s colorful piece of art, the flowing figures gave me the impression of beautiful dreams and hopes being cut short. April 27, 2016

Another piece of art at the open-air East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall shows a face cascade of people trying to be free. April 27, 2016

This piece of art at the open-air East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall shows the facts of the wall history. April 27, 2016

Probably the most famous piece of art at the open-air East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall is this one. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev leaning in to kiss his East German counterpart Erich Honecker. April 27, 2016

A view of a canal by the open-air art gallery known as the East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. April 27, 2016

Potsdam was a residence of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser, until 1918. This is St. Nicholas’ Church, built in 1837, in the Old Market Square and is part of Potsdam’s historical center. April 28, 2016

Potsdam, south-west of Berlin, lay just outside West Berlin after the construction of the Berlin Wall. This marble obelisk and the old city hall behind it is in the Old Market Square and part of Potsdam’s historical center. April 28, 2016

The Glienicke Bridge over the Havel River connects the Wannsee district of Berlin with the Brandenburg capital Potsdam. The current bridge, the fourth on the site, was completed in 1907, although major reconstruction was necessary after it was damaged during World War II. During the Cold War, as this portion of the Havel River formed the border between West Berlin and East Germany, the bridge was used several times for the exchange of captured spies and thus became known as the Bridge of Spies. There’s a movie, starring Tom Hanks, regarding a spy exchange and the bridge. April 28, 2016

The Cecilienhof Palace was the scene of the Potsdam Conference from July 17 to Aug. 2, 1945, at which Allied leaders (Harry S. Truman; Winston Churchill and his successor, Clement Attlee; and Joseph Stalin) met to decide the future of Germany and post-World War II Europe in general. The conference ended with the Potsdam Agreement. Along with the reconstruction of Germany, the agreement included Germany’s demilitarisation, reparations and the prosecution of war criminals. April 28, 2016

Another landmark of Potsdam is the two-street Dutch Quarter with its ensemble of about 150 houses built of red bricks in the Dutch style. It was built between 1734 and 1742 under the direction of Jan Bouman to be used by Dutch artisans and craftsmen who had been invited to settle here by King Frederick Wilhelm I. April 28, 2016

The Dutch Quarter in Potsdam with its small shops, cafés and bars housed out of red bricks in the Dutch style. April 28, 2016

A Starbucks in Potsdam’s pedestrian town center. I didn’t stop in this Starbucks but I’m oddly happy to see something so iconic from home during my travels. April 28, 2016

The pedestrian friendly, shopping and eating town center in Potsdam that leads to its own Brandenburg Gate. April 28, 2016

The Potsdam Brandenburg Gate. April 28, 2016

A beautiful tree lined street on the way to one of Potsdam’s prominent sites, the Sanssouci Palace. April 28, 2016

On top of this hill of stairs is the Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Sanssouci is the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The single-story palace was designed and built between 1745 and 1747. April 28, 2016