by Lynn Remly, Arlington, VA

Since The Wall came tumbling down, visitors to Berlin have flocked to the east side to see what was hidden or forbidden for 40 years. Unfortunately, few people travel beyond the city center and its monuments to see what Berlin is all about.

The municipal district of Treptow-Köpenick in the southeastern part of Berlin, not that far beyond the city center, recalls the days of Soviet occupation, but it also shows where today’s Berlin came from and...

by Paula Prindle, Orient, OH

We’ve all heard Churchill’s description of Russia — “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” — so my husband, David, and I were expecting culture shock on our August ’07 visit. But our biggest discovery was that modern Russia displays as many similarities to America as differences. Oh, sure, the differences are easier to pinpoint, and pinpoint them I will, but we were surprised and delighted by how comfortable we felt there.

At ease

by Henry S. Lee, Houston, TX

My wife and I took a memorable 2-week Greek vacation in August ’07, spending four to five days each in Crete, Santorini and Athens. We traveled only to Greece because we had missed it on a previous trip and we wanted to focus on one country to experience it more in depth.

My wife and I are budget-conscious, independent travelers. As such, we take public transport, eat in low-key restaurants, shop for local groceries and visit neighborhoods not...