The East Side Gallery in the cool eastern district of Friedrichshain is one of the few sections of the Wall that still remains. It was kept as a memorial for freedom, and all the brilliant graffiti art was painted on it in 1990 to celebrate the Wall coming down. Before then East Berliners couldn't get to it, as they would've been shot. Now that's what you call dangerous tagging.
The really irritating thing is you can't even see the art anymore because tourist culture has taken over history. Visitors haven't been able to leave without adding their own message to the Memorial for Freedom. Trouble is, they've got nothing to say except, "Stacey woz 'ere," or cod philosophy like "Live while you're alive." Trevor Cameron from Canada, you should be ashamed of yourself.
It'd be great if money could be spent on restoring the International Memorial for Freedom, and not just on those Prussian Victory statues.
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