Check Point Charlie

At first I was going to make a joke about this, harking back to the old Cold War slogans of 'American Imperialism' and then remarking on current American 'Cultural Imperialism' by pointing out the carefully blipped image of MacDonalds behind this Cold War icon, the white painted shack known as Check Point Charlie, still in its original position and looking so innocuous to-day with its 'GIs' there ready to have their photo taken with you.
Then we walked round the truly excellent outdoor history of the Cold War, in words and pictures, on large displays nearby.
It brought back many memories of my youth and the times we have lived through...do you remember MAD, for example...Mutually Assured Destruction, the threat of all out war?...things may look non too rosy now, but at least such threats of immediate World destruction do not hang over us every single day.
I also realised that Check Point Charlie, far from merely being a place where John LeCarre's spies were exchanged, was an absolute focal point in this series of ongoing crises. A place where US and USSR forces faced each other daily, where on one occasion their tanks faced each other, a false move and WHAM, KAZAM.
I link this as Face off
If ever you go to Berlin, this site is a must to visit.