Germany Travel Blog

Over 200,000 people turned out for Barack Obama's speech in Berlin, today, it was impossible to move because the crowds were so great in front of the Siegessäule (Victory Tower) located in the middle of Berlin's Tiergarten. Germans are ardent fans of Barack Obama and his reception clearly showed that. German news programs broadcast Obama's speech live and Germans are even more intrigued with Obama than previously, when he was depicted by one of the news programs here in a Superman costume.

What does this mean for American visitors in Germany? Perhaps a warmer reception when you say you are American - definitely if you say you are American you will be questioned about the upcoming elections. The first or second question I hear from every new German I meet (and I meet a lot of people) is, "Who do you think the next President will be?" .

If you are planning a trip here before the elections, read up on your politics, you are sure to be asked the same question I am always asked followed by your opinions, what is new, and what's the news on the election in the US. You may be surprised by just how much Germans know about US current events and how interested they are in the US electoral process.

The Love Parade which started in Berlin shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall was a Berlin tradition until financial difficulties hit the event and it was cancelled in 2004 and 2005. Held again in 2006 in Berlin, and then cancelled because of lack of permits. The Love Parade hit the road in Germany. In 2007, the Love Parade was held in Essen, and this year, the 2008 parade was held in Dortmund on July 19. Dortmund claims that this was the biggest Love Parade ever with a turnout of well over a million people.

If you like electronic dance musich particulary Techno and partying in the streets, the Love Parade is a great event to attend. People party through the weekend and DJs come from all over the world to participate in the parade of music. Floats parade through the streets with music blasting from them and various groups and DJs performing. Parties are held at various venues throughout the weekend.

If you missed this year's Love Parade or saw it on TV and want to experience it personally, you might want to consider a trip to Bochum in 2009, Duisburg in 2010 or Gelsenkirchen in 2011.

Germany is very open to gays and lesbians, having legalized same-sex "lifetime partnerships" in 2001. Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg, have openly gay mayors and Cologne reports that one out of every ten people living in Cologne is gay. In direct opposition to historical persecution of Jews, minorities and gays, Germany today is among the most liberal of countries when it comes to same-sex relationships.

The major cities of Germany have thriving gay communities with Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg being at the top of the list.

There is such an active gay nightlife and so many gay and lesbian events in Germany, it is hard to do justice to them all. Berlin is one of the gay capitols of the world and events across Germany include film festivals as well as Christopher Street and Gay Pride days. Check out the various gay nightlife venues in Germany's major cities and plan for gay events you might want to attend when visiting Germany.

Madame Tussauds now has a wax museum in Berlin, but with a twist. Adolph Hitler was decapitated by the second visitor to the museum on July 5. The exhibit has been controversial from the start and rules were set that people could not take photographs in the exhibit. While the exhibit displayed a rather forlorn looking Hitler sitting at a desk in a gray bunker, the exhibit itself has sparked controversy from the day of its announcement as perhaps not being in the best of taste.

Apparently at least one visitor thought it was not in good taste and jumped the rope barriers and tore off the head of the wax figure of Adolph Hitler. Germans are not fans of Hitler and there is still a great deal of sensitivity surrounding him. Even a production of "The Producers", which opened on June 30 in Vienna met with scepticism. My German friends and colleagues don't see the humor in "Springtime for Hitler", but then again, they haven't seen the play. Apparently, it is being as well received in Vienna as it was in the US.

Madame Tussauds in Berlin is located on Unter den Linden, not far from the Brandenburg Gate and has several other exhibits of famous Germans including Albert Einstein, Guenter Grass, Bertolt Brecht, Konrad Adenauer, Marlene Dietrich, Otto von Bismarck (Germany's first Chancellor) and today's Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as Heidi Klum.

Berlin is the latest of the Madame Tussauds museums, making it the 7th in the world.

I recently wrote an article about Germany, saying, tongue in cheek, that one of the reasons Germany is a great place to live is that it is still possible to smoke in the pubs. Of course, that is not a reason that Germany is a great place to live - there are many other more valid reasons. But as I got so many livid responses to that one line, I thought I would clarify.

Every German state has different laws, and yes, as of July 1, 2008, every state has banned smoking in public buildings, offices, restaurants and bars to one extent or the other. It is a topic in the news here on a regular basis, they show empty pubs and restaurants and the gastronomy business in Germany is suffering.

It is still possible to smoke in many pubs and restaurants though. Many states allow "smokers clubs", (pubs and restaurants that still allow smokers) or allow rooms to be set aside for smokers. Even Bavaria, which has the strictest non-smoking laws in Germany, has decided to allow smoking in the tents at Oktoberfest.

Over the past few years, anti-smoking groups have made great strides in Germany but the courts have several cases before them that still need to be decided. In a country where 1/3 of the adult population smokes, the smoking ban has created quite a stir and will undoubtedly continue to be an issue. Non-smokers can be pleased that most places are smoke-free and people that do smoke can still enjoy a cigarette after dinner or with their drink in smokers clubs or designated rooms.

There are over 100,000 Americans living in Germany - why do we live here? Because the cities are beautiful and we can smoke in the kneipes (pubs). Munich comes first with 22,290 Americans followed by Cologne and the surrounding regions (10,933) and Frankfurt where all the bankers congregate. Berlin, the capital of Germany has 10,000 or so Americans. Personally, I love Germany, the neighborhoods, the opportunity to walk out at night and have no worries. It is generally very safe here and while I live in the middle of Hamburg, I never worry about walking to local restaurants or stores no matter what time of the night it is and a large majority of businesses are locally owned so there is a high degree of personal service.

Germany is full of lovely walkable neighborhoods, where you see the same people passing each day - it's something I missed when I was living in the American suburbs where an auto is an absolute necessity. Here, I simply catch the train to go where I want to go or I walk a few blocks to the grocery store, the pharmacy or a neighborhood restaurant. Life in Germany is different than in so much of America - it's personal, it's beautiful, it's generally safe and the food is fattening as can be. I can buy a sausage and french fries for two euros or order a pizza in for five euros. I can buy a lovely bottle of French or German wine for less than three euros and go into a pub and have a beer for less than two euros. Not that I am only interested in food or drink - it is just much easier to compare. We used to use the "McDonalds" analogy when I traveled from country to country - comparing the cost of a Happy Meal in each location - it gave my children a brief intro to economics and prices that they could easily understand.

If you are thinking of moving to Germany, learn German!!! One of the most frustrating things for me about living in Germany is that although I have a basic grasp of the language things still fail me. There are some excellent resources for learning German that are on CDs or books, or you can attend a German language course in your area - the Goethe Institute comes to mind but there are several others. If you do not learn German before you come, you will be obligated to learn it once you are here. Since 2005, the German government offers and often expects immigrants to participate in a German Integration Course - a course designed to assist immigrants in integrating into German life and culture with fairly intensive language sessions.

Naturally, one of your best resources to make sure you get everything just right is talking to the German Embassy nearest you before packing your belongings. The Washington D.C. German Embassy is a great place to start if you are an American, their Web site has a lot of very valuable information and tips on what you need to do.

Photo in Treffpunkt Eppendorf, a typical neighborhood restaurant and kneipe, by Michele Hartley

Kieler Woche (Kiel Week) started off to beautiful weather on June 21 and finished up on the 28th, having had countless races and boat shows. The event attracts 3.5 million visitors a year and is held annually. Sailing afficionados can see many of the results at BYM Sailing and Sports News.

You may think castles and historic sights when you plan to visit Germany, but don't forget the zoos some of the zoos here are the best in the world. Being a fan of the San Diego Zoo and the National Zoo in DC, I never thought I could find other zoos that were so special, but Germany's zoos are rooted in history and were the model for zoos the world over. Read More.

Photo by Bob Dehaan

I have a lovely neighbor who is at least 80 years old and he has a garden full of gnomes. While gnome theft is on the rise, ( the liberation front for knomes is hard at work) I have to say that I can't believe that people steal gnomes. It is a trend that is blamed on the Garden Knome Liberation Front - it's actually very funny - being in Germany I can't understand why people would steal gnomes from gardens but I am very sorry to see the little elfs missing from the porches of my neighbors. Remember knomes are 6 inches high and easy to arrest.

The New York Times has selected Sylt, Germany, as one of the top 53 places to go in 2008. Along with some very exotic locales, Sylt was selected as number 13, just below Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Having lived in Puerto Vallarta and other towns within close proximity to Puerto Vallarta and in Germany, within an hour or two of Sylt, for me it is a bit of a toss-up. I guess if I were going to be visiting between November and March, I would choose Puerto Vallarta or one of the other towns not to far from there like Manzanillo, Melaque or Barra de Navidad. But the rest of the year (and for cleanliness and class, a few extra points) Sylt wins hands-down.

Sylt and the other German islands are not necessarily tropical paradises, but for long beaches, beautiful dunes, cycling and hiking paths, forests, and lovely beach architecture, as well as great air and generally spotless (and scorpionless) hotel rooms, the German islands are a world onto themselves. Most have great spas, lovely restaurants, casinos, and beaches with Strandkorbes (beach baskets) where you can spend the day lolling about without laying in the sand, but in your own little two person beach basket.

Sylt has gained acclaim as a destination for the rich and famous of Germany - it sports the most expensive real estate in all of Germany and prices there reflect it, but you can walk for hours along the beaches, visit the lighthouses, and feast on local seafood. Sylt is a perfect summer destination, especially for couples, and as you are only a few hours from Hamburg, you can spend a few days in a cosmopolitan city and a few days on a romantic island, among thatched roof houses and hotels - not a bad way to spend a week or two!