Anyone been to the Heinz Nixdort Museum ?

Has anyone been to this museum, I have done a search on this site but nothing has shown up.

Is this a good museum for a child, or a boring one. ?

thank you

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No one?? Wow I didn%26#39;t realize this would be such an unheard of place.

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Paderborn isn%26#39;t exactly overrun by foreign tourists.

There are different %26quot;play islands%26quot; for children below and over 12 years old.

http://www.hnf.de/spiele/index.html

The museum offers also guided tours in English and guided tours for kids. Latter will be certainly interesting for kids.

BUT - the guided tours in English seem to be just the %26quot;normal%26quot; tours. Not the one for kids. And also with the play islands it%26#39;s a question how far one will get without German.

More interesting than the more or less modern computers is for kids the %26quot;history of counting/computing%26quot; wich is also covered by the museum.

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To further add to abalada%26#39;s comments, the signs in most German museums will be only in German. Therefore, if you don%26#39;t know how to read German visit only ones that you really don%26#39;t have to read the text to enjoy. (There are several enjoyable fossil museums I%26#39;ve visited which are in this category, musical instrument museums, car museums, as probably are all art museums.) Some museums will also have headphones and tapes in English that you can listen to, but signs only in German.

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thank you for your helpful replies. I am not sure if this is a museum that my son would like, he has lots of trouble with learning( a disability) and this may just not entertain him at all. In fact ,, the math and counting machines will seem like torture items to him! LOL I appreciate your help though.

My hubby and son will be visiting relatives, which explains why they are going to Hanover.

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Removed on: 6:24 am, September 03, 2009

Best place to visit between Freiburg and Schweinfurt

My husband and I are staying again in Germany this year for our holidays. We are flying to Stuttgart, dropping my daughter off at Schweinfurt and then proceeding to Karlsruhe for a bird show. We are then travelling down to Freiburg for a few days. Our problem is we have to collect our daughter from Schweinfurt before heading back to Stuttgart airport. In order to make it easier I want to spend the last day of our holiday somewhere different between Freiburg and Schweinfurt, without straying too far from the main route. (Yes we could have initially organised this a bit better but then at the time of booking the flights we didn%26#39;t know my daughter was going to find herself a german %26#39;boyfriend%26#39;. ) Any ideas?

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I suggest Wuerzburg and Bamberg, which are rather near Schweinfurt. Both cities have a great deal to see in terms of historic town center, with Bamberg %26#39;s being very attractive and contained in a small area.

Or, you could cross into France at Freiburg and drive north in the Alsace as far as Strasbourg, then return to Germany through Stuttgart, and on to Schweinfurt via Wuerzburg.

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i suggest spending time in Freiburg, one of my favorite towns, try to be there for the saturday market around the cathedral, and then do the alsacian wine route, going to eguisheim, colmar, koenigsberg, ribeauville,riquewihr etc... it is really beautiful!

have fun

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Removed on: 2:18 am, September 03, 2009

Going to Berlin

Myself and 3 friends are going to Berlin in a few weeks and are staying in an apartment on Isländische Straße. It seems to be close to Bonhomler Straße and Schonhauser Allee.

Can anyone recommend some good bars / restuarants / clubs that are in the area? Is it within walking distance of the main areas of Prenzlauer Berg?

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The entire Kasanariestrasse area is very live. I like Winerie, where you pay a euro for a glass, then sample as many house wines as you like, and pay what you wish in a bucket while leaving. There are also bars where people pay ping pong. Also, there are some bars with excellent live guitar, which were once centers of underground activity during the GDR days. I have heard that you can still see bullet marks.

Unfortunately, i didnt end up visiting these places, so maybe some locals could please provide more specifics.

Also, be aware that the metro 2 doesnt run all the way there. Because of construction, a shuttle bus from Rosa Luxemburg connects... Not a big deal, but somewhat confusing if you dont understand German (like me) and are tipsy at night.

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Hi,

Isländische Str. is not bad. It%26#39;s not too far from Helmholtzplatz area where you find many nice bars and restaurants (maybe 750-1000m).

I agree with sidgdastidar that the Kastanienallee (the name is not Kasanariestrasse) is great for going out.

:-)

The construction works on subway U2 should be finished in 1 or 2 weeks so you won%26#39;t have problems to get around. There also is a S-Bahn station and a tram stop close to your street.

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cool, bars with ping pong. Are these more like restaurants with a bar room where the ping pong is played, or just bars? Asking because our teen sons will be with us, and not sure they%26#39;ll be comfortable, or maybe the atmosphere there is different than it would be in the US. Do you bring your own paddle? (My family members are actually reasonably serious players and are very fussy about their paddles. not sure we would really shlep the paddles, though, for one night of play out of a two wee trip....)

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Thanks for the replies. I like the sound of Winerie and that ping pong bar alright : )

I%26#39;ve tried looking for Helmholtzplatz on google maps but can%26#39;t seem to find it, how would I get there from Isländische Str.?

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Hi,

Helmholtzplatz is on the other side of Schönhauser Allee. I checked it on a map and it seems as if it%26#39;s rather a walk of 1,5km to Helmholtzplatz..

You can also take the S-Bahn (S8, S85) from nearby station Bornholmer Str. to Schönhauser Allee (1 stop). From there it%26#39;s only a short walk.

To find Helmholtzplatz on a google map you could try the nearby streets:

Lettestrasse, Lychener Strasse, Pappelallee, Raumerstrasse

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Removed on: 1:19 am, September 03, 2009

Trip report - sunny Berlin!

Back from my 5th trip to Berlin, the first in summer and I%26#39;m still just as in love with the place as on my first visit!

Decided to try to take it easy this time, as this visit was intended as recovery following 5 days of festival going in Leipzig, plus an opportunity make the most of being there in the summer!

Arrived at our hotel Mercure Berlin City Ost on the Tuesday but were too wiped out to do anything, other than pop into the ludicrously cheap Italian restaurant across the road - La Palma - huge platefuls of yummy pasta from 4-6 euros! Then wandered down to Simon-Dach Strasse to introduce my travel companions to Pauls Metal Eck (heavy metal music is not really my thing but the decor here is something to be seen and the bar has such a great atmosphere)

Wednesday - Went to Jannowitz Brücke to check out the boat trips and got there just in time for the 3.5 hour Spree and Landwehrcanal tour. Bargain price of 8 Euros with the Welcome Card and the trip was well worth it - got to see so many sights that I hadn%26#39;t seen before, particularly the Landwehrcanal stretch. I was very excited to pass by a block of flats that I remembered visiting on my first trip with college, 13 years ago, so when the tour ended I dragged my partner to Kreutzberg to revisit them, have a walk along the canal and sit outside a bar absorbing the atmosphere and remembering what made me fall for Berlin in the first place!

In the evening, met up with the rest of our party (they were visiting for the first time, so were doing the usual attractions and meeting up for the evenings) and headed to Schönhauser Allee for a meal at Cafe Courage then cocktails at the gothic bar Last Cathedral. The bar was empty, we were the only customers but my friends were very impressed with the place and the friendliness of the bar staff.

Thursday, lucky with the weather again, we caught the S-bahn to Potsdam where we hired bicycles to explore the city and gardens. Other than the slight frustration of having to wheel bikes around Sansoucci, cycling is an excellent way to see the area as there was so much ground to cover. Admittedly, we probably tried to see too much in the one day and will have to leave going into the palaces for another visit, it was very much a whistlestop tour but I particularly loved the Chinese house in Sansoucci grounds and loved the Neuer Garden, especially around the lakeside. I was especially excited to see my first red squirrel and took far too many photos of the poor little thing!!

Evening - decided not to have a meal in Potsdam as it all looked quite expensive and very much a tourist trap, so we headed back to our hotel and La Palma restaurant. An interesting experience - the owner was there and took a liking to us; very attentive service, complimentary garlic bread and at the end of the evening he pulled up a chair and five glasses and bottle of Ramazzotti and spent the next hour plying us with alcohol!! As a result, we were there until late at night and didn%26#39;t make it anywhere else!

Friday, went to the Zoo. Got there just in time for a Knut viewing but was shocked by the crowds and queuing, so we decided against that and explored the rest of the zoo. I was so impressed - have to admit that I was a bit dubious about all the large animals kept there, how they were housed etc but the zoo, enclosures and surroundings are so spacious and beautiful, everything clean and the animals looking so well cared for. Still a bit dubious about the freak-show surrounding Knut but this is not the place to go into that.

Zoo visit took up more of the day than planned, so from there we headed to Tiergarten and Cafe am Neuen See for a well deserved beer and rest. Was surprised to see how many stag do%26#39;s were at this place, the only part of Berlin where I%26#39;ve heard so many English voices! But the surroundings were beautiful and the atmosphere jovial, so I was happy to rest there - saw yet more red squirrels too!

Despite being weary of foot, we decided to visit Berlin Dom - we had never made it inside and our friends had been the day before and recommended we do so. We got there as Evensong was starting, so it was lovely to be up in the dome with the sound of organ music resounding. My breath was taken away by visiting the crypt however - I had never seen such the like, the history was fascinating and the design and detail on some of the tombs so beautiful - as you may guess from my name, I do have an interest in this sort of thing! :-)

For our final evening, we spent the night clubbing in my favourite nightspot (not just in Berlin but my favourite ever) K17 in Friedrichshain. It was hotter than hell on the dancefloor but the music excellent and the bar sold mead, so we didn%26#39;t leave until daylight - it has been many years since I%26#39;ve last done that! Took a detour on the walk back to the hotel and discovered some of the back streets and beautiful architecture near our hotel, I can%26#39;t believe I%26#39;ve stayed there so often and not seen what is practically on our doorstep.

Saturday, we had an evening flight but checked out of our hotel by 11am and recovered from the night before with a massive brunch breakfast on Simon Dach Str. Can%26#39;t remember the bar%26#39;s name (possibly Havana?) but it was the best brunch I have had yet. Lovely to be able to sit out side and watch the world go by after breakfast. Not sure what happened to the rest of the day but it consisted mostly of bars and ice cream!

Very sad to leave once again, I hope to talk the other half into another visit soon!

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vampyresheep,

thanks for your great report! Sounds like a lot of fun...

:-)

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Thanks for the report ... good to hear that you had a good time.

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Thanks both - very envious that you are living out there and I%26#39;m stuck in London! :-)

Can%26#39;t wait to come back again, Berlin is wonderful all times of year but I must do another summer visit.

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I totally agree... Berlin is always a wonderful place to be but the summer is definitely the best time. Fortunately the summer is pretty nice so far.

:-)

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Berlin is a really nice place to live and I don%26#39;t want to move at all anymore.

Anyway, I only could appreciate Berlin after I had lived in the UK (Oxfordshire and London) for a few years. I absolutely love London but it is just to expensive to live there. I earn less in Berlin now but I can afford so much more.

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I so nearly moved to Berlin after first visiting back in 1994. Went to London first to save up, met my current partner and ended up staying here! Much as he loves Berlin too, he loves being in London and I%26#39;ve not yet managed to talk him round into making the move! I will just have to make the most of visiting as often as possible, whilst it is still so affordable to do so. My favourite city in the world! :-)

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If you%26#39;ve got a bit of cash you could do what we%26#39;%26#39;ve done and buy an apartment there, then you%26#39;ve got a reason to keep going back! Property is another of the things that is a lot cheaper in Bertlin (Germany is cheaper than UK or Spain and Berlin is cheap in Germany).Infinitely cheaper than a place on the costas! Modernised 2-bed flat in Mitte for 100,000GBP and you can get cheaper than that even in other areas (or smaller flat).

And there is so much to do in Berlin always.This summer we%26#39;ll fly there and then head out to explore Brandenburg and Saxony.

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Removed on: 7:21 am, September 02, 2009

Pub crawl - great or just soso...

who can tell me more? Fun or just lots of drinks??

Greetings, Q.

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Hi,

I%26#39;ve found an interesting article:

spiegel.de/politik/…00.html

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Thanks a lot. Well, that does not seem to fit....

But to what kind of places do we have to go when we just want to have a nice glass of beer??

Greetings,Q.

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Not to Oranienburger Strasse for a start; it seems to be getting rowdier than it was. We were waiting for a tram there once when the pub-crawl group walked past. We also overheard drugs being offered for sale (buyers were Spaniards and we weren%26#39;t sure whether they had been part of pub-crawl group or just walking behind them).

Pub crawls and stag groups landing on cities are quite a problem . Check out Riga forums for really amazing stuff; what Spiegel describes here is very mild in comparison. It%26#39;s really sad that this is increasingly the image of young (and not so young) Britons abroad. Taking over from %26quot;los hooligans%26quot;, as they say in Spain (well %26quot;Rowdy%26quot; comes from English too of course!)

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(1) Where to go for pubs - I can recommend the area around the Boxghagener Platz in Friedrichshain (U-Frankfurter Tor); bus 241 from Ostbahnhof; also the area around Zionkirchplatz and Kastannienallee (U-Rosenthaler Platz onwards).

(2) I don%26#39;t think so negatively about those pub crawls. It seems to be now fashionable to trash them but the people I know who went there had fun and did not only binge drink.

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Removed on: 9:20 pm, September 02, 2009

NIght Train to Oktoberfest. Too Tired to Party?

Hi,

My wife and I are planning a european vacation and have decided to work in oktoberfest.

As it stands right know, our plan is to take the night train from rome to munich. The train leaves rome at 9:45 and gets into munich at 8:30.

My question is can you get a good nights rest in a first class sleeper car. I don%26#39;t want to wiped out and ruin a whole day.

I could take condor which leaves room at 21:30 and gets in Munich at 23:00. Get to the hotel by mid-night, get a good night rest and be bright eyed and ready to party the next day.

Thoughts would be very much appreciated.

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Are these just ideas or have you already checked availability.

The mid weekend of the Oktoberfest is known as %26quot;Italian Weekend%26quot;. This is the weekend the Italians come to visit the Oktoberfest.

%26gt; My question is can you get a good nights rest in a first class sleeper car.

No idea. But a sleeper departing at midnight from Munich (after the people have been on the Oktoberfest ) would be definitly worth. As the people would have to stop partying, which is not that easy.

In your direction the people would have to start partying. If it would be on a bus, I%26#39;m pretty sure some would. But a night train is not that partying friendly.

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I am not so much looking to %26quot;party%26quot; on my way from rome to paris but instead trying to figure out if I am setting my self up for failure by being to travel worn after a whole night on a train.

My hotel reservation are already set but trenitalia has not yet released prices for that leg. So I have not booked anything.

So far I can fly on Condor (one Way) for about 80 USD. The Train Ist class w/ sleeper car I am estimating at 550 USD Total for both my wife and I.

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Ab is correct.. It might not be an easy thing to get (sleeper car) - during the fest. However, you would likely get a decent evening%26#39;s rest in 1st class. I would highly suggest going Mon. thru Weds. nite.

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Your bigger problem will be finding a place to stay in or around Munich.

You can book and print out tickets for the night train at:

nachtzugreise.de/site/…start.html

Note that the night train departs from Rome Tiburtina station. I checked for Tuesday, September 25th, and the website quoted 138 € for ‘Sparpreis’ [no refund/no exchange] tickets for 2 adults in a double compartment.

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Thanks that seems like a very good price. The rail Europe site was closer to 550. And had not posted for that day yet.

FYI we are leving Rome on the 23sep which is a sunday night.

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Hi

I have slept well on a train just in the 1st class private compartments. not the sleeper car, so I think you will do very well. I would check with your hotel about an early check-in, as I am sure you will be longing for a shower after a night on the train.The Oktoberfest is well worth the trip, and you will likely be so caught up in the excitement of it you won%26#39;t even feel tired. I don%26#39;t drink beer but I still had a wonderful time there. IF you have the time, do go to the Andechs Monastery...outside of Munich, atop a mountain overlooking a lake, they have great food and beer there brewed by the Monks and a beautiful respite from the craziness of Oktoberfest.

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Thanks to everyone who has responded.

I have run into another not-so-unexpected problem.

My family in Krakow wants me to come see them. (and I would like to be able to see my parents home) We were planning on leaving Munich back to the states on Thursday Sep 27; but, I could extend my trip to return home on September 30th.

I need some advice on the cheapest and quickest (in that order)way to get to krakow and back to Munich in time to make a 12:30 flight home on the 30th..

Any suggestions would be great.

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Basically the only option would be a flight, since trains take between 12 and 24 hours. You can get a flight at about 200€ per person.

For example www.billigflieger.de (MUC to KRK) will list you quite a few flights. But for some flights you have to be really early at the airport (flight starts at 6:45).

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The flights on Germanwings Stuttgart to Krakow are advertised for 19 euros plus fees. Even if you don%26#39;t get one of the cheaper tickets, this is much cheaper than the other mentioned flight. www.germanwings.com

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Yes I forgot to check germanwings. Although they are not that cheaper. I checked their fares and the cheapest flight would be 238€ for 2 persons (Both ways). Additional costs would be the train to and from Stuttgart (4 * 19€) and a hotel room for one night. And (I haven%26#39;t checked) you are even more limited with the luggage. But even with the more expensive flight from Munich most likely some of the luggage has to be stored somewhere.

Planning a 2 week trip to Germany with 2 teenage boys

Need help with our itinerary. Starting out in Frankfurt July 28th, 2007. Plan to travel southern Germany down to alittle bit of Austria, to Munich and maybe up to Berlin if thats not to far. Then back to Frankfurt and leave Aug. 9, 2007. Any ideas how to divide days? We will be renting a car. Would we need to have our hotel reservations before we come or could we get hotels as we go. Looking for 4 or 5 star hotels. Need suggestions. Also, activities that 2 teenage boys would like. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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A few things that should be enjoyable:

Excellent Mercedes Benz and smaller Porsche museums in Stuttgart www.stuttgart-tourist.de

Old college town of Tuebingen with punting on the Neckar River www.tuebingen.de

Taking a canoe down the idyllic Grosse Lauter River with one of Germany%26#39;s highest concentrations of castle ruins www.muensingen.de

Europa Park, one of the world%26#39;s best amusement parks www.europapark.de

The fairytale like castles Hohenzollern (Hechingen) and Lichtenstein just south of Stuttgart

Visiting major cities like Frankfurt, Stuttgart or Munich

If you can find a place to do tandem paragliding in the Black Forest or the Alps, I%26#39;m sure the boys would love that, I certainly do. Also, summer bob sled runs are located in the Black Forest, Schwaebische Alb, and Alps and ballooning is another possibility.

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Do Europapark, one the largest theme parks in Europe, when you%26#39;re in the black forrest area. Your sons and you will love that day!

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Keep Berlin as a %26quot;maybe%26quot;..it%26#39;s really quite far north from the rest of your proposed itinerary for two weeks. There is so much to see and do in southern Germany.

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I agree with Linnmac. Focus on Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and Salzburg as your big cities to visit.

With teenage boys I%26#39;d do Lake of Constance for at least 2 days. When my brother and I were that age our parents took us there every April and we just loved it.

Hotels:

Frankfurt: The Hilton is probably the best hotel as far as location is concerned. The nicest parts of downtown are within walking distance and non of the %26quot;shops%26quot; you wouldn%26#39;t want teenage boys to visit are anywhere near.

Stuttgart: With teenage boys I%26#39;d stay at the SI Suites hotel (like and Embassy Suites) which is outside of downtown but very close to the US bases and attached to some kind of Las Vegas style shopping and amusement center. English is a common language there. It%26#39;s also a great base for day trips outside of the city.

Munich: I just posted it in another thread: The Four Points Hotel Munich Center is great for its large rooms, spacious balconies and view of the mountains. Request mountain view room on high floor. The Hacker Pschorr brewery%26#39;s restaurant is just around the corner. Hacker-Bridge S-Bahn station is also very close.

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Removed on: 11:17 pm, September 02, 2009

TV Tower vs. Reichstag for dinner- which one?

I have read the previous posts about these restaurants..but still do not know which one to pick!

We are staying only one night in Berlin and we want the dinner to be memorable, but don%26#39;t want the food to be horrible. We are leaning towards the TV tower because the views and food seem to be a little better---is this true?

Can you skip the queue at the TV tower with reservations like at the Reichstag?

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I can%26#39;t really give a balanced view as I haven%26#39;t eaten at the Reichstag, but I have eaten at the TV Tower (twice) and can recommend it.

The first time was in December and we arrived at about 7pm with no queue. The food was great and I felt it was very good value.

We ate there again two weeks ago with our two children (11 and 7) and again, had a fantastic evening.

The second time we had to wait about 15 mins so it might be worth booking - 030 242 3333.

Each table is arranged in a circle around the central bar and it moves very slowly to give an impressive view of Berlin. The food was great - we missed the starters as they are large and went for a main course and dessert. I ate stuffed pork roulade and it came accompanied by generous portions of vegetables.

Dessert was ice-cream or delicious cakes. For the four of us (children ate adult meals) it was close to 100 euros with a bottle of delicious Riesling.

The service was efficient and friendly and we make a point of eating there as I don%26#39;t think you can beat the views and the ambience.

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

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Dinner at the Reichstag is a lot pricier, which is why we opted for lunch when we went (group celebration). Even lunch is dearer than TV Tower although I think you have to pay entrance to TV tower even if eating there. Perhaps Jane can confirm this?. I also think you have to queue with everyone else to get in (only one lift).

I%26#39;ve only had a drink at the bar (a decision we made once we were up there). From what I%26#39;ve seen more variety on TV Tower menu than Reichstag. Food was OK in Reichstag but nothing amazing; setting was special but I think TV Tower is too because the views are wonderful.

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Yes, you have to pay the entrance fee on top of the meal price.

When we were there two weeks ago it was 8.50 euros for adults and 4.00 euros for children.

Unless you have booked a table, you may have to wait at the bottom of the stairs until one becomes free, but the staff are very good and the views while you wait are spectacular.

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Removed on: 3:21 am, September 03, 2009

What kind of drinks can I order in a restaurant ?

Hi,

Please help me here. I know that Germany is famous for its beer but I am a teetotaller - I can%26#39;t drink at all. So, what would you advise me for a drink in a Germany restaurant ? Is there any drink commonly served in a Germany restaurant which is totally alcohol-free ? Please provide me with the German name so I may write it down and show to the waiter. Also, is water usually served on a table free (we in Hong Kong have that) ? After a glass of that, can I ask for re-fill (also a frequent occurance in Hong Kong%26#39;s restaurants) ?

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You may want to ask for a Traubensaft, grape juice usually made from white grapes and alkoholfree. Also Apfelsaft, apple juice, is very popular. There are several alcohol-free beers available.

Water: That is bit tricky. Usually, German restaurants don%26#39;t serve tap water, and certainly not with ice. If you ask for it, some restaurants will acomodate you, others can be quite rude. It often depends on the waiter.

It is perfectly OK, though, to ask for bottled water --either carbonated (with or without lemon or some other extract). In southern Germany these are called %26quot;Sprudel%26quot;. Or you can get non-carbonated or slightly cabonated bottled water. You can ask for bottled water %26quot; eine Flasche Wasser ohne Kohlensaeure%26quot; (without gas), or you ask by brand. As I recall, Fachinger water has little or no carbonation.

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As to drinking tap water, I believe that it is required by law that the restaurant serve it to you if requested. Of course, the waiter doesn%26#39;t get his service charge as he would if you ordered expensive bottled water, so they probably prefer not to do it. Non-alcoholic beverages include coffee, tea, bottled water with or without carbonation, soft drinks such as CocaCola, and fruit juices and you should have a fair choice of beverages without drinking beer or wine.

Refering to your other tipping question, if your request for tap water is met in a friendly manner, certainly give a tip. If the waiter objects strongly, then I wouldn%26#39;t leave that additional tip.

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%26gt;German name so I may write it down%26lt;

Mineral water - Mineralwasser

Coke -Cola

Lemonade (orange taste) - Orangenlimonade

Lemonade (lemon taste) - Zitronenlimonade

Apple spritzer - Apfelschorle

Apple juice - Apfelsaft

Orange juice - Orangensaft (Fresh squeezed - Frisch gepresst)

Malt beer - Malzbier

|||

Thank you everybody !!!!

|||

Or for something a bit more different, try a KI-BA (Kirschsaft + Bananensaft - or cherry and banana juice). Absolutely gorgeous, tends to be served layered, with the thicker banana juice poured in the glass first and cherry juice on top, tastes like a yummy fruity milkshake! Not sure if its a regional thing but I found it served in Leipzig and Berlin and its something my teetotal German friend asks for regularly.

|||

Or try the less-sugary lemonade %26#39;Bionade%26#39;, has become really trendy and is often served in %26#39;in%26#39; cafes and bars ( like it a lot myself, much less of a sugar shock than coke etc.)

|||

Two very popular alcohol free drinks, at least where I have traveled in Southern Germany are:

%26quot;Spezi%26quot;. It is a mix of one-half coke and one-half Fanta Orange drink, usually mixed on the spot. It is popular enough to be on the menus of many restaurants. Also;

%26quot;Mezzo-Mix%26quot;. It is essentially a bottled version of the above

|||

You might want to try Erdinger Weissbier alkoholfrei, which is an

*** alkohol free ***

version of Erdinger%26#39;s wheat beer. It%26#39;s got less calories than a Coke but is very healthy and isotonic. It%26#39;s brewed in accordance with Germany%26#39;s most strict pure beer law.

%26quot;German beer - pure enjoyment!

Beer brewing has been regulated by law in Germany for over 800 years. The Purity Law has long become an international seal of quality for German beers.

Its origins date back to the year 1165, when the first penalty was introduced in Augsburg for the sale of %26quot;bad%26quot; beer. Over 300 years later, in 1487, Duke Albrecht IV passed a law which initially applied only to the Munich area and which imposed standard beer prices. It stated that %26quot;a tankard of winter beer was to cost one pfennig, and a tankard of summer beer two pfennigs%26quot;. In addition, each brewer had to take a so-called brewer%26#39;s oath, under which he was only allowed to use barley, hops and water for brewing beer, and no other ingredients.

In 1493 Duke George the Rich of Bayers-Landshut enacted an order which was extended to the whole of Bavaria in 1516. This is known as the BAVARIAN PURITY LAW. Like the brewer%26#39;s oath, it states that nothing may be added to beer other than barley, hops and water.

To this day, the rules of the Purity Law are contained in the German Beer Tax Law, with just a few, minor amendments. Besides various tax duties, this law also contains regulations concerning the brewing process itself. For bottom-fermenting beer, for example, only barley, malt, hops, yeast and water may be used. The law also contains rules relating to top-fermenting beers, such as wheat beer. Thus, for top-fermenting beers, the use of other cereal malts, such as wheat, is also allowed.

Aficionados of German beer can continue to depend on the purity of its ingredients. Although a judgment of the European Court of March 12, 1987 concerning the free sale of goods throughout Europe allows beers to be sold in Germany which are not produced according to the Purity Law and contain other raw ingredients (such as maize, rice or millet), these beers must be clearly marked. When purchasing beer, however, you simply have to look for the quality seal stating %26quot;brewed according to the Purity Law%26quot; and you are guaranteed pure beer-drinking enjoyment!%26quot;

|||

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Removed on: 6:22 am, September 03, 2009

Frankfurt to Eindhoven by train

I arrive at Frankfurt airport at about 7am by Qatar Airways (terminal 1). Could anyone please tell me how to go from Frankfurt to Eindhoven by train or other cheaper way? Where is the train station in Franfurt, is it near the airport, how much is the fare, is there a via station or direct to Eindhoven and at what time does it depart?

I intend to stay in Frankfurt for one day and one night for sight seeing. Pls advise me a cheap place to sleep and some nice places to visit.

Thanks.

|||

DB timetable

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

From: FRA airport

From: Frankfurt

To: Eindhoven

No direct trains. You%26#39;ll have to change at least once.

Frankfurt Airport has it%26#39;s own railway station. Actually two - a regional one in the basement of Terminal 1 (e.g. if you want a train to Frankfurt) and a far distance trains one in a building next to Terminal 1 (e.g. for trains into the direction of Eindhoven).

You could choose the scenic route through the Middle Rhine Valley. Slower but also cheaper. Give at the timetable as Via: Koblenz

http://www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de

Another idea is to see if you can get one of the Europe-Special tickets from Frankfurt to Amsterdam (from EUR 39,00)

reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en…

Use this ticket for Frankfurt to Utrecht and buy there a normal ticket from Utrecht to Eindhoven.

The 2 hostels in Frankfurt:

http://www.frankfurt-hostel.com/

http://www.jugendherberge-frankfurt.de/

If you find the Middle Rhine Valley more appealing you can stay in one of the youth hostels there.

diejugendherbergen.de/cms/front_content.php…

Bingen, Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. Goar, Koblenz

Bacharach youth hostel is in a castle, Burg Stahleck

www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de/index.php…

If you buy a normal train ticket (not the Europe-Special) to Eindhoven, such a ticket is valid 2 months and allows stopovers en route.

|||

Many thanks.

|||

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Removed on: 6:21 am, September 03, 2009

Circus & Funfairs in The Capital

Going to Berlin early July but do Circuses %26amp; Funfairs exist there ?

If Yes, then where exactly.

Regards

John

|||

They exist in every German city and larger town. I%26#39;m sure someone local will add the specifics of upcoming circuses and funfairs (messe, kirmes) up here.

When are you traveling?

|||

From time to time a circus will be in Berlin but there isn%26#39;t one who is here permanently ... the same applies to funfairs.

You could check the site of the tourist information www.btm.de or send them an e-mail if there is a circus in Berlin in July.

From 13th June to 15th July is the German-French Fun Fair at the Zentraler Festplatz near the Kurt-Schuhmacher-DAmm. You%26#39;ll get there by underground and bus. Take the underground to Jakob-Kaiser-Platz and from there the bus M21 or X21 to Zentraler Festplatz.

|||

Thank you Berlin Girl I will be in Berlin from 11th -15th July so I will DEF check this out while I am there.

I am a kid of 42 at heart lol.

x

John

|||

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Removed on: 6:24 am, September 03, 2009

Nightlife Bars and pubs?

wondering what the nightlife was like bars and pubs etc. prices for drinks etc Thanks.

|||

%26gt;prices for drinks etc%26lt;:

O%26#39;Kelleys menue is a good example:

http://www.okellys.de/pdf/okellys-menu.pdf

A small selection of establishments which cater primarily to the student crowd, most of them downtown:

Atlantik , Schwabentorring 7, live concerts and public football viewing

Schlappen , Löwenstr. 2, good and cheap food, most often packed with students

Cheers, An der Mehlwaage 8,

Cohibar , Milchstr. 9, Tapas

El Bolero , Kaiser- Joseph- Str. 264, Latin

El Paso Cantina Mexicana , Leopoldring 1

Grünhof , Belfortstr. 52, cheap and solid meal

Feierling, Gerberau 46, microbrewery with beer garden

Isle of Innisfree , Augustinerplatz, Irish

Karma , Bertoldstr. 51- 53, restaurant, bar, beer garden, pup and disco, not cheap

KGB, Friedrichring 23. Russian retro bar with Russian techno

Les Gareçons , Bismarckallee 7, Tango/Salsa

Litfass , Moltkestr. 17

My Way, Oberlinden 4, daytime music bar

O’Dwyers , Münsterplatz 11, Irish

Oscar’s , Humboldtstr. 4

Palladium, in the main station. By day a cafe, it changes at night into a Latino/Salsa dance palace.

Webers Weinstube , Hildastr. 35, Tapas till 3 a.m.

Waldsee- Restaurant , Waldseestr. 84, Tel. 07 61 / 736 88. frequent live acts, nice beer garden at a little lake. Tram No.1 direction Littenweiler, stop Stadthalle, 10 min. walk

Lago , Gerhart- Hauptmann- Str. 1, beer garden right beside a little lake. Tram no. 1 direction Landwasser, stop %26quot;Betzenhauser Torplatz%26quot;, 10 min.walk

|||

We stayed in Freiburg last new years eve.Drinks on average were slightly cheaper than the UK.Plenty of good restaurants in the city and very reasonably priced.Best beer we had was at Martins Brewery Pub in the main street,a home brewed cloudy beer.Also a good night is the Isle of Innisfree Irish bar,music on most nights.Another good pub was the Freierling Brewery Pub.

|||

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Removed on: 1:20 pm, August 23, 2009

Lockers at Potsdam Train Station?

We%26#39;d like to spend a day in Potsdam, but will need to store our luggage.

Does the train station have lockers, or is there another alternative?

Thanks!

|||

Yes, Potsdam Hbf. (Hauptbahnhof) does have lockers. Also all other larger stations in Berlin (Zoo, Hauptbahnhof, Ostbahnhof, Südkreuz, Gesundbrunnen) do have lockers.

|||

Thanks so much for that speedy reply!

|||

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Removed on: 7:17 am, September 01, 2009

What should we definitely see?

We wil be going to Bacharach mid-July for a week.

We have reservations to stay at Lettie%26#39;s pension the

entire week.

We would like suggestions for restaurants in the

different places along the Rhine.

What are some of the things we don%26#39;t want to miss

in this area? We plan to travel by train and boats.

|||

I haven%26#39;t been there yet (will arrive on May 14), but from what I%26#39;ve read from other reviewers, the Burg Eltz castle on the Mosel river and Trier and the Marksburg castle at Braubach to name a few places.

|||

I haven%26#39;t been there yet (will arrive on May 14), but from what I%26#39;ve read from other reviewers, the Burg Eltz castle on the Mosel river and Trier and the Marksburg castle at Braubach to name a few places.

|||

Thanks for the suggestions. It sounds wonderful.

Hope you have a good trip. Let me hear from you

when you return.

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For a traditional Rheinland dinner, I suggest the Weinhaus Weiler on the Marktplatz in Oberwesel. It%26#39;s a nice town, downriver on the same side as Bacharach. It%26#39;s a very short trip by train from Oberwesel-maybe 15 minutes. The inn is family owned for generations and situated just inside the city wall. I try to stay there or at least dine there whenever I am headed that way.

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I am an American living in Idar-Oberstein, a town not too far away. the Rhine is a wonderful trip, if you have a car you can travel on route 9 along the river, or take the Rhine cruise. the Rhine is great for Castles, but if you really want a feel for the area, travel the Mosel river as well. there are many beautiful towns along the Mosel, including BernKastle-Keus and Beilstein. Both have castles and the town atmosphere is incredible. Burg Eltz on the Mosel is considered one of the top castles in Europe. Cochem is another great city. The area of the Hunsruck moutains between the Rhine and Mosel is another place just to drive and get lost. It is beautiful with many small towns, including Idar-Oberstein with two castles and a church built into the side of a cliff. I hope this helps and you get a chance to really enjoy the region. -Caleb-

|||

Thanks for all the suggestions. I can%26#39;t wait to get there

and experience some of these places.

|||

Hi JanH!

I%26#39;m back from my trip and loved it! I agree with 65ghost that you can%26#39;t miss Burg Eltz (it was my favorite thing to do in that region). I loved the villages along the Mosel as well. We actually hiked along a beautiful trail along a river, in the woods to get to Burg Eltz, which made it more dramatic. We also visited the Marksburg castle (Braubach) on the Rhine, which was great (especially when the sun finally broke through!). We had not so great weather during our days there, (cold and rainy/overcast) but hopefully when you get there, it will be better. In Bacharach, we ate at Alte Munze which was good and another place, which I%26#39;m forgetting, but don%26#39;t waste your time at the Am Markt restaurant. That was terrible food. I liked Oberwesel as well and explored the castle and church there. Be prepared- the K-D boat schedules are not that user friendly if you want to explore several places in one day, we ended up driving everywhere except when we took the car ferry to be more efficient. But, if you have a whole week, you%26#39;ll be fine. The K-D boats are expensive too. I never quite understood how it all worked, but I didn%26#39;t spend much time trying to either... It%26#39;s a beautiful area. I hope you can make it to Bavaria too, if you haven%26#39;t visited before.

|||

Thanks Junebride for your helpful hints. Berg Eltz is on our

list for sure. Thanks for the tip on restaurants, always good

to know in advance.

|||

Are there several different boat lines besides the K-D? If so,

do they have basically the same fee schedule?

We are thinking of getting a four day twin German rail pass

that would also include any of the K-D boats.

Any advise on this??? Thanks

|||

Take the K-D using your German rail pass for an excursion from Bacharach downriver, perhaps to Boppard or St. Goar. You will see the castles from that perspective, and get off at a nice destination. All the villages along the Rhine have small RR stations, so return is easy. If you wanted to spend a longer time on the River, go as far as Braubach to see the Marksburg, returning by train via Koblenz. There are some small traditional restaurants (can%26#39;t remember the names) in a little square just behind where the Marksburg express can take you up to the foot of the Marksburg. Very local and non-touristy, friendly and pleasant.

This is the second post I%26#39;ve seen about Am Markt food at Bacharach. As I mentioned before, my favorite is Weinhaus Weiler in Oberwesel, perhaps because the food is very similar to that Grandmother cooked when I was very young. Knodel!

Coming to Munich in July...

...and we%26#39;d like to go to Venice for a week.

What%26#39;s the best way to get there? We%26#39;re two single gals - we%26#39;d prefer not to rent a car, so bus, train or plane works.

Also, does anyone have any recommendations on where to stay in Munich for week in August? We%26#39;d prefer a self-catering apartment.

Thank you kindly!

GS in Calgary Canada

|||

DB timetable

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e

From: Munich

To: Venezia Santa Lucia

If you want to use the night train, go to

http://www.nachtzug.de

for specials and booking.

http://www.tuifly.com

is a budget airline serving the route Munich to Venice

Munich Tourism on accommodation

muenchen.de/Tourismus/…index.html

|||

Excellent information, thank you kindly for the quick reply.

Warm regards,

GS

|||

I might have an idea to rent a small apartment in Munich. Please send me an email to: munich1972@hotmail.com

|||

TuiFly (http://www.tuifly.com/en/index.html), the airline of Germany%26#39;s biggest tourist agency flies from Munich to Venice (and back again!). You can have a look at the prices for July here:

skyscanner.net/eur/…

|||

Thank you Panda!

What a neat site...unfortunately the times don%26#39;t jive with our landing in Munich that day, and there%26#39;s nothing for our flight back. :(

Much appreciated,

GS

|||

Thank you so much abalada. :)

I went to all your sites, and alas, there was nothing that could accomodate us. As a result, I%26#39;ve booked with Lufthansa on one of their partner airlines.

And to be honest, I didn%26#39;t think it would be a 7+ hour train ride to go 550 km, so your information was incredibly helpful.

Now I%26#39;m off to book our apartment in Venice. Yay.

Warm regards,

GS

|||

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Removed on: 5:21 am, September 03, 2009

Hotel advice

Can somebody help us. We are going to Munchen in Aug 2007 and are trying to find a cheap but decent hotel. We came across the Hotel Antares but after reading reviews on some of the other hotels we are a bit scared just to book into any hotel where there are no recent reviews. Does anybody have any reviews about this hotel or any other suggestions.

Thanks,

Johann

|||

Hi Johann,

I can recommend the small private Hotel Brecherspitze for approx. Euro 77. www.brecherspitze.com

By Tram approx. 15 minutes from the center.

Good Luck!

|||

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Removed on: 2:19 am, September 03, 2009

Hannover Nightlife

Hi,

Coming to Hannover for weekend to watch Genesis concert on 23rd July 2007. Could any one give me tips on where to experience the best of Hannover%26#39;s nightlife.

P.S I have a spare ticket for the concert if anyone is interested

Regards

|||

If you find any nightlife in Hannover let the locals know. So far they haven%26#39;t been able to find any or even come up with any themselves.

Unfortunately I had to stay in Hannover for 2 months for work a few months ago. The only place where something like a nightlife took place, was the beergarden around Lister Turm. That, however, was pretty good. There are also a few pubs around the Maschensee, the local lake, that are acceptable.

For real nightlife take the high-speed ICE train to Hamburg or Berlin, it%26#39;s only 90mins to either one of them...

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Book a table for Earnst August Brauhaus www.brauhaus.net Great food and when eating is finished live bands followed by disco. Very mixed age but great atmosphere and good home brewed beer if you are sad about that sort of thing. Nightclubs at back of railway station. Great food at Standige Veratung in the great big glass modern building that looks like it is going to fall over.

|||

hoho....funny comment from Frankfurt.........:-)....I could say I was there already twice: 1st and last time....(just joking). Frankfurt has it%26#39;s own style for sure.....don%26#39;t get me wrong.......

...So here some repostings on this %26quot;Hannover sxcks%26quot;-topic......

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Posted on: 4:08 am, July 13, 2006 Save

Don%26#39;t worry,.....I know that some say Hanover is boring, but they just don%26#39;t know where to go:-)

Actually Hanover is nice party town because the locations are not far from each other and of course the amount of students (~20.000) adds it%26#39;s own flavour/flair to the city and the day%26amp;nightlife.

You will find clubs/lounges/bars/discos/restaurants in any kind of style for both: location%26amp;people.

Further Hanover is loaded with forrests, parks, gardens, water, lakes, shops for any kind of activities (for windsurfing you have to drive a bit outside:-)).

.......

Just ask what you are specificly interested in.....

byebye

Zap

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

....

Posted on: 3:30 am, June 03, 2006 Save

yes, if you move (...) to the city center in front of the opera-house there are couple of bars (...).

Later you move to the mainstation i.e. the backside of it at minus one floor.... there are lots of discos and bars for various styles....they usually open aroun 10:00pm but then they are still somehow %26quot;empty%26quot;.

Try the small PaloPalo club for Soul/Funk or for more streamlined music the OSHO disco.

If you move further away from the backside of the main station (200-300m) you will come to some lively student pubs.

We do not close the bars at 11:00pm :-) 11:00pm is the time where people normally start their weekend partytime....(...)

PS: if you arrive around lunch you may visit the large central Lake

have fun........

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

If you are looking for some food info.........

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Italian dinner I can highly recommend.....

http://www.ristorante-rossini-hannover.de/

(Reservation needed)

ristorante-rossini-hannover.de/html/lage_und…

ristorante-rossini-hannover.de/html/menu_der…

You must try from the daily menue...you can choose and exchange what you want from the different menues...the price level is very reasonable, also for the wines.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative for Chinese dinner:

Arc en Ciel (Chinesisch)

Königsstr. 55

30159 Hannover

Tel.: (05 11) 31 38 57

...where you might meet some famous people too..

They serve very special things and also DimSum%26#39;s at a reasonable price level.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As an exclusive italian alternative:

Gattopardo

30159 Hannover City - Hainhölzer Str. 1

Tel: +49 (0) 511 14375

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Huge TEX-MEX Tapas variety you%26#39;ll find here...

(walking from old town)

Besitos

Goseriede 4, im Tiedthof, 30159 Hannover

Telefon: 0511 - 16 98 001

www.besitos.de

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

High end Star cuisine here...

(french star cuisine, , 8€ Taxi from old town)

http://www.clichy.de/

CLICHY

Weißekreuzstrasse 31, 30161 Hannover (List)

Telefon: 0511 - 31 24 47

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Same owner as above runs Lunch-only restaurant...

Reimann%26#39;s

(german cuisine, walking from old town)

30159 Hannover City - Theaterstr. 14

Tel: +49 (0) 511 3008631

Ruhetag: So

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dining experience in all aspects you will receive here...

(X-over modern cuisine, 15€ Taxi from old town...)

Restaurant Basil

Dragonerstr. 30, 30163 Hannover

Telefon: 0511 - 62 26 36

www.basil.de

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

beside the BAZIL is a very stylish Cocktail bar...so if you are in mood for extended evening-...

=%26gt; http://www.acanto.de/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For a romantic dinner in a very small restaurant...

(italian, 12€ Taxi from old town)

Ristorante Azurro

Voßstraße 51, 30163 Hannover

Telefon: 0511 - 3 94 16 65

www.azurro.de

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

At lake side sitting on a pier...

(x-over cuisine, 10€ Taxi from old town)

Pier 51

Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer 51, 30173 Hannover

Telefon: 0511 - 807 18 00

www.pier-51.de

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the full traditional german food basics experience...

(note: smokey place...but very downtown in the old-town)

Altdeutsche Bierstube

Köbelingerstr. 4

30159 Hannover

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

some more selected german restarants in the center.....

Bavarian (german) food:

Bavarium

Hannover (D), Windmühlenstr. 3

Tel: (+49) 511 323600

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bayerische Botschaft

Hannover (D), Prinzenstr. 1 / Thielenplatz

Tel: (+49) 511 3681285

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

German food:

BRAUHAUS ERNST AUGUST

Hannover (D), Schmiedestr. 13

Tel: (+49) 511 365950

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ständige Vertretung Hannover

Hannover (D), Friedrichswall 10

Tel: (+49) 511 213869-0

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bars:

Exclusive place...starts to fill around 10pm...

(15€ Taxi from old town)

Harry`s New-York Bar Hannover

Pelikanplatz 31

30177 Hannover

bartime.de/location.harry%60s-new-york-bar-h…

|||

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Removed on: 5:17 pm, September 02, 2009

germany trips

HI,

I was hoping to get some advice on where to go. I am a solo, 25 yo female american currently staying in Holland and am thinking of taking a weekend trip to Germany in the next few weeks. I would like to see some of the traditional medieval Germany (towns/castles), as well as to experience some beautiful outdoors and to have some fun nightlife. Any tips??

thanks

|||

You%26#39;ve got too many choices. Can you narrow-down your search criteria? What exactly do you like to do outdoors, what are your hobbies, what are your special interests, how important would shopping or bargain hunting be for you on that trip etc etc.

Otherwise you%26#39;ll end up with 20 different suggestions from 20 different people...

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Thanks Andreas-

I like pretty much anything outdoors- hiking, biking, rafting, etc.- generally I like doing things that are active. Shopping is not very important to me. But I want to go to a place where people will be friendly and there are many things to do since I will most likely be by myself (unless I somehow manage to find a travel companiion). I guess that doesn%26#39;t really narrow things down much... What I%26#39;m really wondering I guess is where people would recommend going in Germany if they only had a few days. What are the %26quot;must sees%26quot; of Germany (e.g. if only had a few days in France- most would probably say go to Paris)? I%26#39;ve heard Berlin has lots of history, and possibly fun night life- but maybe its not as %26quot;pretty%26quot;- in terms of outdoors- as somewhere like Munich or Rothlesburg- and maybe doesn%26#39;t have much medievel architecture (e.g. castles). I also heard Berlin had some kind of %26quot;love feast%26quot; in May which I thought sounded really cool, but I missed that- so if anyone knows about any cool festivals happening anywhere in Germany in the next month- that would be cool as well.

thanks again

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From Holland, the area of the Rhine and Mosel valley should not be too far. Towns like Trier spring to mind, work your way up the Mosel to Cochem, visit some of the castles along the Mosel/Rhine. It%26#39;s an area of natural beauty, it has lots of hiking and biking trails, it has looots of wine festivals in summer (not so much of bars and clubs as for nightlife).

Berlin is an amazing city, nightlife opportunities galore, but nothing %26#39;traditional medieval%26#39;. Outdoor fun can be had there as well, take the bike to Potsdam or do a boat trip to one of the lakes round Berlin.

If you want to meet other tourists from Chicago go to Rothenburg (fits the medieval card, don%26#39;t think there%26#39;s much night life) or Heidelberg (bit more night life because it%26#39;s an university town)

A weekend is really short, probably settle for one smaller town as a base.

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Removed on: 3:22 am, September 03, 2009

Should we stay a night

We are flying into Dusseldorf and heading to Amsterdam, Belguim and then London where we fly out. Should we stay a night in Dusseldorf, we only have 10 nights.

thanks!

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I%26#39;d stay there for the first night. Stay at a hotel in Medienhafen (Media Harbor) where there are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance, where you can sit outside and watch the rhine river flow by, where you can climb Rhine Tower for a breathtaking view of how the river meanders thru the city.

The next morning check Königsallee, one of Germany%26#39;s best shopping streets.

On your way to the Netherlands stop at Schloss Dyck, one of the most spectacular chateau-style castles surrounded by water and a stunning garden.

Traditional Quaffings and Stories

Hi guys, wondering if you could help me. When I went to Prague a few months ago we went on a medieval tour of some castles and such, and had a traditional banquet in this taverna in the middle of no-where. Ive searched for a good few hour now on the go lists, forums and even googled different phrases, but to no avail. I%26#39;ve noticed the %26quot;Beer and Sauerkraut%26quot; tour through Insidersberlin, but that sounds like more of a snack and Im looking for a tour with a meal. I really enjoyed meeting other visitors to the country this way in Prague and I would like to do a similar thing in Berlin.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

If people have been on the B and S tour - what were your expieriences?

Many thanks

Liz

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%26quot;and then proceed to the traditional tavern restaurant from the world%26#39;s oldest brewery where 4 to 5 exceptional beers (depending on what has been brewed) and generous portions of wurst, sauerkraut, pretzl and more%26quot;

This will be this place:

http://www.weihenstephaner-berlin.de/

that means Bavarian cuisine. Actually not that different from Bohemian (Czech) cuisine.

%26gt; Im looking for a tour with a meal

There will be a (simple) meal. And you can trust that the %26quot;generous portions%26quot; won%26#39;t be just a snack.

%26gt; in the middle of no-where

On this point it will be however exactly the opposite.

%26gt; I really enjoyed meeting other visitors to the country this

You never know however what kind of people will be on such a tour. Can change from day to day.

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I think Beer and Sauerkraut is what you%26#39;re looking for, but I%26#39;ll ask around and perhaps one of my friends/colleague has sent people there.

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Removed on: 1:18 pm, September 02, 2009

Neuschanstein or Munich

Arriving into Munich at the airport around 10am with my wife and 8 year old. Need to decide if I should take them up to the castle or stay in Munch. I think they would love the castle but they will kill me if it ends up being to hard on them. We are flying out the next morning, so I would need to drop the luggage of at a hotel before heading to the castle. How long is the train and other transport from the Munich airport to the castle. Can an 8 year old go on the luge. Can we squeeze both luge and castle in. The alternative may be to go to the Deutche science museum which seems to have some focus on kids. We are going onward to Rome, Florence, Naples, Athens, Greek Islands, Istanbul and Epheus so probably do not need to see the chruches and art in Munich.

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I%26#39;d do Nymphenburg castle instead of Neuschwanstein. To an 8 y/o who%26#39;s never seen a European or German castle it%26#39;s impressive enough plus it%26#39;s close to downtown Munich and allows you much more time to just stroll thru the streets of Munich, shop, relax, sit down, enjoy the atmosphere etc.

Try to find a hotel not too close to the front side of the train station as that area is not exactly what a family with an 8 y/o would enjoy.

The Four Points Hotel Munich Central has got very, very large spacious rooms, a very big balcony per room and if you%26#39;re on one of the upper floors you can see all the beautiful church clock towers of the Southern part of the city in front of a breathtaking Alpine panorama.

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Travel time is ~ 3,25 hours from Munich Airport to Hohenschwangau. Without dropping the luggage at a hotel. Than you need to buy a ticket for one of the next tours. And you%26#39;ll need another 35-45 minutes to reach Neuschwanstein Castle itself. Plus the tour itself

Pretty tight, I would not recommend it in your case.

Stay in Munich. You can visit

a) if the weather is nice

Nymphenburg Palace and Park

…bayern.de/englisch/…ny_schl.htm

…bayern.de/englisch/…ny_park.htm

b) if the weather is not so nice

Munich Residenz

…bayern.de/englisch/palace/uebers/mu_res.htm

More impressive from the interior than Neuschwanstein.

Deutsches Museum is also an idea.

%26gt; churches and art in Munich.

The others on your list are not that much into South German Baroque.

…wikipedia.org/wiki/…29

Same for Flemish and Old German Masters.

pinakothek.de/alte-pinakothek/museum/museum_…

Not even speaking of more modern art (19th century and newer).

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Thank you very much, you guys are a truly wonderful. I owe you a beer.

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Abalada, like your comments about the German Baroque. I will make sure that we focus on that one. Andreas, thanks for your comments we will see Nymphenburg Palace. Appreciate your effort here quite a bit and I will give you guys feedback afterwards.

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Maybe out of the ordinary for a European Trip, but we truly enjoyed the Englisch Gardens and the outdoor beer garden at the Pagoda. It%26#39;s not at all like a beer joint in the US. It%26#39;s an open air facility with familes of all ages and their pets. The food is wonderful. Also rent a paddle boat on the lake - I think an 8 year old would love that part.

Neuschwanstein is truly wonderful - but not if you have to rush through on a whirlwind. The next time you are in the area plan on spending some time in the little village of Horn which has views to the castles. Lots of paved bike paths and lots of daytrip options including Linderhof. The summer luge is a blast and there were lots of kids and adults on the luge.

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Removed on: 12:18 pm, September 02, 2009

8.5 hour layover in Frankfurt- What to do , where to go?

My girlfriend and I will be in Frankfurt for an 8.5 hour layover- We would lovew to get out for the airport and have some lunch and enjoy an area- We will arrive at 8:30 am and depart at 4:30pm- Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Ann and Tadimdia

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I%26#39;ve picked up American friends for a similar %26quot;day trip%26quot; just a couple of weeks ago. Here%26#39;s what we did. There are lockers on the arrivals area in case you need some.

Take S-Bahn from the airport to Taunusanlage (about 20mins ride). Alight there and you%26#39;re just between the headquarters of Deutsche Bank and European Central Bank. Walk thru the park towards the Opera building (you can spot it from there) and have a coffee on Opera Square or in the pedestrian zone that starts just East of it.

Then follow that shopping street all the way until you get to the big %26quot;Kaufhof%26quot; department store. Right behind it is some kind of vertical shopping mall called Zeilgalerie. Take the elevator all the way up and enjoy the view from the roof top viewing area.

Afterwards walk down the little street just across from Kaufhof (Liebfrauen St.) until you get to an open square. When reaching that square there is an opening of that square in the 10 o%26#39;clock direction. Walk thu it if you want to stroll thru the market hall with its local and regional specialities. You can sample a lot of the food there or just enjoy the atmosphere. Leave that hall thru the same entrance you walked in and go back to Liebfrauen St. Follow it downwards. PS: You can visit the church that also comes with some kind of convent, too, if you want.

After crossing the big street you%26#39;re outside St. Paul%26#39;s church, the venue of the very first German democratic parilament in 1848. Obviously that attempt to unite and democratize Germany failed and ended in the 2nd Reich or empire. Different story.

Then continue across the tram tracks to Römer sq., Frankfurt%26#39;s main square. It%26#39;s also the venue of the annual Christmas market. The town hall is on the right hand side. But turn left for now and walk to the big cathedral just behind the square. It%26#39;s the more than 1,000 years old emperors%26#39; cathedral where most emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations were crowned. There are some geniune roman remainders just outside the church.

Walk back to Römer qu. and continue downwards to the riverfront. Cross the river using that old iron bridge in front of you and then turn right (westbound) and walk to the next bridge. Cross back to the other side and visit the Nizza, a mediterranean garden named after Nizza (Nice) in France. You could have a snack at the beer garden there.

Then leave the riverfront, walk towards that giant €-Symbol which is just outside the European Central Bank%26#39;s building. From the tram station there (Willy Brandt Platz) Take westbund tram line 11 towards Höchst Zuckschwerdstraße. Take tram all the way to the final destination. Ask driver which building Bolongaro Palace is. Walk around that palace to the riverfront (all the way down), turn right and walk for a few 100 yards until you see the big castle. You can enter it thru the 1,200 years old customs tower right after the playground. You%26#39;re now in old-town Höchst on the market square. You%26#39;re facing two restaurants with outside seating. Take the left-hand side one (I think their sunscreens are blue) and ask the waiter for a sampler of traditional Frankfurt food. Drink a glass of Cider-spritze (Apple Wine Schorle) with it.

From that square it%26#39;s about a 20mins taxi ride back to the airport. Enjoy Frankfurt!!

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Brilliant post!

Just a little remark: From Höchst you can take Bus nr. 58 to the airport.

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Hey Portland...are you on the nonstop PDX Lufthansa flight.?? The above post has great ideas...just keep in mind that around 2 or 3 pm you are going to start feeling a little woozy from jet lag...I do this route every year...so take a litte time out in the fresh air to keep your wits about you...also allow plenty of time going back thru Frankfurt airport as the security checkpoints can take quite a long time...nothing like here in Portland.

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Thank you Andreas!

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Removed on: 8:16 am, September 03, 2009

transport from Marseille to Toulon, France

My girlfriend and I fly in to Marseille 6:30 pm and need to find our way to Toulon- Is there a train or bus from the airport? It is about 45 miles and dont want to bother our friends for a ride.

Thanks,

A and T

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I wouldn%26#39;t post a French domestic question in the Frankfurt, Germany forum. Local people in Marseille or Toulon would certainly know better than us over here.

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Removed on: 7:23 am, September 03, 2009

Where can I buy crow/raven plastic decoys in Frankfurt?

I was in Frankfurt briefly last fall, and I fell in love with the plastic crow decoys used in the old town to keep the pigeons from roosting. Where in Frankfurt can I buy a couple of these sculptural mementos? With your assistance, I will carry them on the plane and mischieviously enjoy the confusion of my fellow airline passengers on the long flight to the USA.

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You can get it at the garden centers of the Home Depot like stores, which are Bauhaus, Hornbach, Toom Bau- und Garten, Praktiker.

Hornbach (there are three of them in Frankfurt) sell them for €13 and you%26#39;d find them in the pets%26#39; supply aisles of the gardening department (to scare your pets I assume)

;-)

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Removed on: 8:18 am, September 03, 2009

Why do we travel?

I am new to this board and I hopped into the %26quot;weak dollar%26quot; post thinking to find some tips since the dollar is down. What a came away with was disappointment. But that is a chance you take when you choose to read.

I would like to share my thoughts, if I may, on why I LOVE to travel and where it leads me.

One of my favorite quotes is from (yes) a Rick Steves newsletter. He says when we visit Europe we should walk the streets %26quot;as a sponge - not a judge%26quot;. This has become a motto for me. I believe this works in all parts of my life.

I LOVE to visit new places and more importantly meet new people. If one person%26#39;s habits or beliefs are not as mine I consider why they believe or act the way they do and respect them for their opinions. I have the ability to walk away from what I find offensive and to cherish what I can learn from those who wish to share with me.

We are choosing to visit countries with different cultural beliefs and attitudes. Calling down one country over another is simply sad. We all have our high moments and our low times. We (as a country) have all made miserable mistakes and accomplished wonderful deeds!

I travel to experience new cultures, visit the past and be a witness to changing times! What a gift we have in travel! I find that if someone is frowning as you pass by, smile and say hello or good day to them. They will either look at you a bit shocked and keep going, smile in return, or even better, stop and ask you how you are and if you need assistance. It is amazing what a smile can do for others.

I LOVE to travel! I am so excited that I am getting the opportunity to experience Germany and other parts of Europe. I hope to bring home some wonderful memories of a lot of wonderful people!

Just my thoughts :o)

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and safe, happy %26amp; exciting travel!!

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gaelic7--I totally agree with your post...Thanks for expressing what I thought, too...

The weak dollar post and some others in just the past two days were sabotaged by those who want to convey opinions and rant in a way not appropriate to an open travel forum. i am disgusted by some of the comments by others on those posts.

Those who make blanket statements about the USA , or any other country, should take their opinions elsewhere. From now on, when I see that kind of post, I plan to report it immediately as %26quot;inapproapriate%26quot; and hope others will. Usually, I just browse to another TA site, but no more.

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Actually the dollar is not that weak. OK it was a few years ago much stronger, but have a look in this purchasing power list.

www.destatis.de/basis/e/ausl/auslkkr1.htm

United States of America / Washington D. C. 1.01

Germany / Berlin 1.00 (the base of this statistic)

Thus the purchasing power is nearly identical. There are places which much bigger differences.

While Berlin is not the most expensive city in Germany, the others are at least not more expensive than Vienna (which is listed with 0.95).

The purchasing power is calculated using a basket with 200 goods and services. Individual impression may differ, but it%26#39;s a pretty reliable method.

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Most of us who travel (and who post on this board) do so for positive experience with other cultures. Gaelic7 is obviously right.

Funlover evidently loves to get his fun by provoking other people. He had three quick negative posts. I am disappointed that some other board members were drawn with their own negative comments. It works much better if we just let negative posts go unanswered. They will fade away in a day or so.

Regards, Gary

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My wife and i travel for the fun,adventure,discovering the unknown and the treasure chest full of memories.We like to walk off the beaten path and discover little places.It gives us that little kid on %26quot;Christmas%26quot; feeling.We practice a dawn to dusk -get out and explore.Meeting new people-I%26#39;m always amazed how helpful and nice they are. We just got back from Munich and Fussen,Germany .It was a trip to remember-castles,Marianplatz,racing on the autobahn with my tiny VW Golf.Since 1998 we%26#39;ve gone back to Europe 5 times-regardless of the dollar value.One makes adjustments and can find a way.Give Trip Advisor a chance-I love It.I get so much good advice,suggestions and ideas from it.The hotel reviews from real people are priceless.I also like Rick Steves and Samantha Brown on the travel channel.As the Irish say %26quot;every day above ground is a good one.%26quot; Enjoy life and happy travels.

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Nice post Gaelic7. I like to travel because of my natural curiosity about things, and for foreign travel there is a lot to be curious about. I think that people who have bad experiences traveling, or even at home, need to look in a mirror. Bad things may occasionally happen, but if people improved their interpersonal skills there would be very few problems. Smiles, compliments and small courtesies are usually well rewarded anywhere in the world.

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Gaelic7

Nice post, perfectly true. It%26#39;s the reason for travel and if you go with open mind you will be richly rewarded.

Weak Dollar thread?:

For those offended, I think you need to read those posts again. One individual decided it was an anti-american thread - I really don%26#39;t think so. The thread has moved on somewhat and I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s offensive, one or two got carried away that%26#39;s all but it calmed down.

There were some important points discussed. Important points about perceptions when travelling and perceptions of other nationalities. If you read the whole thread you will find most people have the same opinion. That opinion is that we are all friends together.

If you cannot challenge negatives they will breed and fester. So

I really can%26#39;t agree that you shut down any comment you disagree with.

Gaelic7, keep posting and send us a review of your favourite places in Germany %26amp; Europe:-)

If you get the chance, try to pop over to Slovenia. Many people miss it

Stoofer

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Stoofer wrote:

%26quot;If you cannot challenge negatives they will breed and fester. So

I really can%26#39;t agree that you shut down any comment you disagree with.%26quot;

And yet Stoofer you identified (I think correctly) that rakPatel was a likely %26quot;troll%26quot; and suggested not responding to him. I believe Funlover is the same type, maybe the same person. rakPatel%26#39;s comments have a familiar ring to %26quot;Tomfod%26quot; on Foder%26#39;s board. When someone enters a board and makes primarily negative comments, I think that is a pointer to the person being in your words a %26quot;troll%26quot;.

I agree with Gaelic%26#39;s positive outlook. I just hope that Gaelic will not take away that %26quot;Weak Dollar%26quot; is the norm for this board.

Regards Gary

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What a great post Gaelic 7, I have found great info on this

site for our up %26amp; coming trip to Munich, then on to Garmisch.

We have never had the priviledge of going to Germany and we

are so looking forward to it.

Trip Advisor is the greatest for much needed info.

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Hi everyone,

I do think most are here for the advice and friendships. This form has been wonderful for me. I have learned so much already. You can find good deals if you keep pecking away. I have faithfully gone through posts from as far back as last year and found very good advice!

I love Otel.com. Since we are jumping around quite a bit I have been able to book hotels (at a better rate with Otel than others) plus recieve dollars off of hotels I am getting ready to book. This is working for me so far :o)

TalleySouthCarolina...we are neighbors...I am in East TN. We are looking forward to visiting Germany as well. I was there about 9 years ago, but was rushed so much I didn%26#39;t get to really enjoy it. What I do remember the most is how friendly the people were. We went to Italy, Poland, Czech Replublic and France. I loved each city we visited, but Germany stole my heart! I am bringing my mother and daughter back with me. My mother said %26quot;The way you keep fawning over the place....I guess I need to get over there and see it%26quot;. That was all the encouragement I needed.

Slovenia.....another place to venture! I will see what we can do about that :o)

I can%26#39;t wait!!

Happy days all!

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What a great travel attitude you have gaelic7. My wife and I travel with the same attitude but I could not have said it better than you. Thanks. We just returned from a 3 week trip where we flew into Stuttgart and picked up a rental car and drove to Italy where we spent 2 weeks and the last week working our way back through Austria and Germany. We loved Italy and the people were nice and we had a very structured itinerary until the last week when we left Venice. Rome and Venice back to back was great but the pace was pretty intense. The last week we winged it through the Dolomites of Italy on to the Grossglockner pass in Austria and finally through Mittenwald and Triberg in Germany before going back to Stuttgart the final night for our flight out. No rooms reserved and not sure which towns we would stop for the night. That last week was fantastic and it was the most relaxing part of our trip and our biggest regret was not having one more week to spend in Austria and Germany. We love Germany and especially the Alpine villages there as well as those in Austria. The people there treated us with warmth and kindness. The lady in Stuttgart who helped us at the train station with our tickets from the airport to the town center. The young lady in Stuttgart who walked up to us while we were lost and studying our street map offering to help us find our way to the park. Not only did she tell us, she walked us there which was many blocks from where we were. We talked with her as if we had known her for years and she was an absolute delight. In Triberg we went to a restaurant and asked a gentleman if they had any Black Forest cake which we had never eaten. After eating our meal I spotted the man again and made it a point to tell him how much we enjoyed the meal and the wonderful cake. Turns out he was the owner of the restaurant and he asked if we wanted to see his restaurant (we had eaten outside on the terrace). We said we would love to and he took us through his restaurant and gave us a tour, all the while during the busiest time for dinner. We asked if he would be serving breakfast the next morning and he asked us what time we would be there. We said around 9. We got there that moring and he had one table set and had the waitress take our order which included our first scrambled eggs during our trip among a variety of other delicious items. After our meal (yes we did pay) the owner sat down with us and we had a nice chat and gave us a recommendation on a hotel right close to the airport for our final nights stay. The wonderful couple in Heilingenblut, Austria where we stayed at their pension. Meeting people like these mentioned here make for great memories. I have nothing but good things to say about the people of Germany and never tire of visiting their beautiful country. People who consistently have problems with others during their travels reminds me of a story I read that goes someting like this:

A couple just moved into a new town and went to the town hall and asked the Mayor how the people were in his town. The Mayor said, %26quot;Let me ask you a question, How were the people in the town from where you just moved?%26#39; The couple said the people were wonderful in every way, friendly, helpful always smiling. The Mayor told the couple they would find the people in his town the same way.

The next week another couple moved to town, went to the Mayor and asked the same question the first couple had asked. The Mayor replied with the same question asking how the people were in the town from which they had just moved. The couple said the people were not friendly, not helpful and hard to get along with. The Mayor replied that they would find the people in his town the same way.

As someone said here, it starts by looking in the mirror and with our own attitude. You have it figured out. Good luck.