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Germany, General Reviews

No shopping on Sunday
Sep 20, 2018 09:58 PM730 Views

I am learning German right now so I think it is good idea to write about this country. Recently, I did the road trip to Koblenz-Nuremburg-Munich-Frankfurt. Actually, I cannot count how many times I went to Germany since I live near German border. It seems like I went every month for a daytrip in Germany. However, I tend to avoid going to Germany on Sunday since most shops there are closed.


before moving on, I want to put a huge warning here about using the ATM at the gas station. DO NOT use the ATM at the service station in Germany since they will charge a lot for the fee. Actually, this is against EU law.


Compared with the Netherlands, Germany is a little bit cheaper and there are more options for cheap flight.  Many Dutch people also use Weeze Airport(NRN) is just a stone from the border.


The nearest town to where I live is Kleve. I usually shop there for groceries. I also like to shop in Essen(1hour and a half hour from my place). What I like most is the warm wine, and it seems to me that H & M here is much cheaper than holland.


ICE trains are also the other option. Sometimes, I got a deal for 39euro to Cologne.


As I did most of the time a daytrip, what I missed the most about Germany is the night life. I hope I could explore once I know German, at least for socialize.


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Sep 29, 2014 06:20 PM3304 Views

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Show Video

Today it is going to be economic war
Nov 13, 2012 05:33 PM2690 Views

Yes Germans are coming this is my studied prediction, today it is diwali , du think Germans are celebearating of our festival, actually Germans really know how to win win at any situation and if you go back to second world war at each war incidence which are in hundred at every time there was more chance to win and let me detial from france. France was twice stronger.


What is the use France was twice strong and was beaten on their own soil, this means it is so easy to beat the enemy if war is declared to fight against the enemy and penetrate the loss the france means


even today it will be same. HOW.


German products are very strong and very reliable and safe from automobiles to any type of industirial products Germans stand first and this they have fined to the finest to the ultimate finer at all level and this hard to beat achivement by GERMANS is due to waiting for 67 years since the end of second world war. WHY.


GERMANS blood and nature is never accept humility they accepted defeat but never felt humble themselves. THIS MAKES.


Now let us go back to the union of East germany rejoined with the main west Germany, they original Germany spent billions of dollars to see that East germany population will be at par at all levels, this shows Germans are same where ever they are, except Germans in usa. NOW THE STORY.


Germans are coming not only to india but to occupy entire world where lazy people just cannot afford to fight against them, Germans are fun loving they are each man industry. EVERY GERMAN IS AN INDUSTRY.


Normally an industry means thousands of persons here I give a rating of each german as capable to become so industrious they can just eclipse all others except Japanese. BASIS.


I have enough basis to prove GERMANS will defeat all otehrs without fight. HOW.


QUALITY, INTEGRITY AND the products they make will invade entire nations inside. BUT.


Yes so far nothing of this like is happening but it will, it will, just like 1939 Germans engulfed economic world war makes entire nations fall for products from Germany because they deliver goods not promise. Germans can never be stiffled.


Not many know even today in Germany one lakh fifty American soldiers are stationed to keep the germans not be equipped to strike on France or any other nations, now the clever Germans have made use of it no more for defence. DEFENCE NEED ALERTNESS AND SACRIFICE.


IT is ok if they have not much military strength but economic strength can defeat even the strongest nation on earth, one cannot live with guns alone, he or she need bread and butter and money to buy.


Germans today have food, shelter and money and product that can comepete with all the nations put together.


Take example cars, BENZ to BMW no cars of other nations can break these two cars into pieces.


This is the secret power of Germans and Japan have elegance like a lady and Germans like a manly. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.


Germans products are like monsters it brings energy at the hands of the user.Just drive the cars made by Germans you feel something different. DIF between Economic war and Arms war.


For centuries wars took place all the time because there was no economic value for the country that produced their product, so till first world war it was to attack the other country to get colonies or wage war to get reparation, so Britishers were too intelgent they made local people to take care and they themselves built companies like east india company share holders company which they still do but it is failing because no more England can produce like of Germany or japan.


Economic war is the business and industry secret line which Germans and japanese know very well.


japanese have already built infra but quaity of their product mis match with Germans.This subject of comparing Germans with japan is not easy to detect but it is possible if you watch the product in terms of strength , relliability, endurance, and heavyness also. HOW GERMANS WILL CONQUER.


This is the most important factor just like in Military, i have read enough material part of germans preparation before the second world war or even before Hitler came into power, Germans dont plan ahead it is their race or by nature coordinate so well, one may live or die the continuity takes place for Germans because Germans have inherited their country in their blood. WE DISCUSS THEY DO IT.


Except Germans in this world, all need to plan ahead and discuss for the present to tomorrow and also to fear on what to do when it misfires.


A german feels responsible for everything in their country, it is so patirotic one cant write it in words or with feelings.They dont fight for their nation but will stop you before you want to do ill to their nation. THAT MEANS.


From money matters to production to doing things so secret.


we are yet to reach the level Germans had done at the end of the war.some of the devices still cannot be competed by Indians or even west. So little space for me to detail, that is the reason as it comes one has to edit but it is worth. How writing on Germany gain for India.


By knowing the truth instead of Hate feel just on Hitlers measures we just dont know the impossible level of creativity , capability, endurance and strength of Germans who just love their mother tongue, nation and culture for them world is simply Germany towards highest living standard and ofcourse it is not just materialistic but family plus to love their nation at all times. How much they can invest in India.


Today the us debt is 16 trillion dollar and now Americans are serious about it, they want oil to explore from their own site which will cover 20 percent import from Saudi Arabia, but the 16 trillion dollar debt is not easy to come out, govt has to tax and spend less and reduce the salary of even the president of usa. Germans investments.


when they know Indians value their products without reservation and guarantee there, flood of German experts in all field will survey india as whole and place their expertise in such a way, India will become


LITTLE GERMANY FEEL FOR GERMANS.


What Germans want realistic approach not of EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH BECAUSE THEY DONT LIKE FAT LAZY PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THE DAY. Usa has all type of committees to CIA AND IRS.


But Germans dont have any kind of search people to find out the opinion of public and national forum to discuss, HARD work matured people never need to know what is happening outside, if it rains, it rains if it snows it snows, if the bird sings around you it is because you are working that is the secret of GERMANS Americans, France, and Germans all have eye on India.


Indian market is so huge main is Population is enormous, GNP is raising and not less than 1000 billion dollar income is expected for Germans and they have to work so hard, build good will for German products, , IT IS ECONOMIC WAR AS EQUAL TO SECOND WORLD WAR .Far more is expected, in war you had allies but in economic war you have no allies and only CUSTOMERS. customer is king and you have to behave humble.


The future is week for Europe hence a sudden realization towards India is brewing so secretly, but japan is already in , but GERMANS HAVE CAPACITY TO IMPRESS INDIA


YOUR RATING ON

Germany - General
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I love u ...... my little Darmstadt - Germany
Sep 28, 2006 12:26 PM6131 Views

I had a chance to visit Germany as my hubby dear was assigned with a project in Germany.We


stayed in a small city called Darmstadt near Frankfurt which is just 20 mins from Frankfurt


Airport.


Oh my little Darmstadt how could I forget u....


And here comes an intro about Germany .....


City Center - All over Europe I have seen the concept of the City Center where in a center


place of the city all the shopping malls, dining outlets... are there.And good accessibility


is provided to this area.So u have every thing in this area.


People - Before visiting Germany I had an idea that the people will be so rude,... but the


people in Germany are very friendly and helpful.There is lot of Turkish population in


Germany, settled for years.They wish u with Guten Morgen(Good Morning in german) where ever


they see u & they expect us also to wish them.


Transport - The main transport with in the city is thru Bus/Tram.There is a button to make


them incline, so that any person who is in the disabled wheel chair or a lady with baby in


the pram can get in to them easily without anyone's help.Every body follows the traffic


rules properly, so no problem of TRaffic Jam.And the public transport is given preference


first like when the bus/tram passes by the car/truck gives way for them.


Entertainment- With my hubby dear going to office in the morning & returning back in the


evening, what can I do all the day alone ? I found a good entertainment.There is a


StadtBibliothek(City Library) where in u got lot of english dvd's , books & novels for


free.U just have to become a member in this library with a copy of passport & borrow the


dvd's for free.Beleive me u even get hindi dvd's from that library.And please don't envy me


i saw more than 80 hollywood movies borrowed from this library during my stay there.


Weekends - All shops are closed on Sundays.And offices are closed on weekends.And if u plan


for weekly shopping u should do it on saturdays as all shops even the supermarkets are


closed on sundays.People here enjoy their weekends with family.And most of the people stay


in their work place apart from family all the 5 days & they join their family in weekends.


Climate - There is a clear differentiation between all the climates here.If u r fond of


Winter them enjoy it as it snows for 3 months in Germany.All the places in Germany seems


different in each season.So the same street may look different in Summer,Spring,Autumn &


winter.It is very soothing to wlk in the snow the next day of snow fall.The emperature even


goes to -25C here.


Food - If u r a non-veg there is no problem here.For Vegetarians u get all stuff of


vegetables here, so better cook & eat.And u have a wide variety of dining out like


McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Subway...The bread varieties are very good here so try


the Croissants, Baugette ... when u stay here.


Currency- The currency used here is Euro.Previously it was DM(Deutsch Marks).The old people


even now compare Euro with DM and feel DM was better for them.Cost of Living is not too


high.U acn manage with 1000 Euros per month.


Indian Shops - U can find many shops selling Indian groceries.But these shops are basically


Pakistani/Afghani/Iraqi shops.They use the name of Indians as indians have got good


reputation among Germans.


Travel - u can get the monthly/weekely/Day passes to travel in any public transport with in


the city.So they have a concept that if u have a pass, say monthly pass a person can


accompany u before 9 in the morning & after 7 in the evening & in the weekends.So there was


no problem of buying tickets for me as my husband had a monthly pass & travel with him every


where for free.


Punctuality - Germans are very punctual, an attribute I admire in them.If a bus is supposed


to come @ 9.38, u can expect it at sharp 9.38.


Language - The only probelm here is the language.They speak one & only Deutsch.Only some


people knew English, but even they can't speak English as fast as we indians do.If u r


planning to stay for a longer period, it is better to take a short deutsch course before u


travel to Germany.


Hope this review would have given u good intro about Germany.


Watch out for more reviews to come on the places I visited in Germany


new delhi / mumbai India
My days in Germany
Mar 26, 2006 04:51 PM3924 Views

My trip to Germany was for a month with 03 other colleagues. The first thing that struck us once we landed at the Frankfurt airport was the enormity of the place … the airport was literally HUGE. You have to see the impressive line-up of the best carriers in the world , all lined up standing huge and pretty . The weather had been predicted pleasant and that piece of information happened to be the first disaster . It so happened that it had snowed the night before we landed and as we reached there at around 0700 hrs. , the snowy winds were really not in a mood to spare us. The cold was so intense , we had to head towards the rest rooms to puke , it was the kind of cold that even the chilliest and biting winters of Delhi had not prepared us for. From the airport thankfully the wait time was nil , so we settled comfortably in our Lufthansa bus and headed towards the hotel. As we moved on, the scenes outside could not but make us feel amazed. The roads were all lined up with some of the most beautiful and colorful flowers we had ever seen. Unlike India , the pollution level was NIL , or as I think , minus zero. Not a speck of dust could be seen around and we could wear the same white shirt for 06 days in a row , it was that clean !!! From the hotel as we headed towards the office , we decided to go for a bus ride. The buses in Germany are a great way to travel around. Amazingly punctual , the bus stops are well-placed and have ample information about the bus-timings, which arrive by the clock. The floors are almost on road-level , so that you don’t have a problem in boarding. The seats are spacious with huge windows and u can always see the display board to check the name of the approaching destination. Other than that , the trains are another option of convenient travel. Trams in Germany are something you should take a ride in , more so to feel the experience of going through the streets in a leisurely pace and having a chance to look around at some of the very amazing and beautiful structures. A very good practice I found in Germans is the habit of reading. You will hardly see anyone waiting at the bus stop without reading something , whether a book or the paper. Plus once on the roads , you can always feast your eyes on the sleek German automobiles. For dog lovers too it’s a treat , as Germany has some of the best breeds. Germans are way too fond of dogs and you can almost spot every second person going out with man’s best friend. Food in Germany is not worth mentioning , especially for people like us , who are bred on spicy and oily stuff. If you are the kinds who can live on salads and fruits ( I saw some fruits and vegetables that I had never seen in my life and will never again taste in my life, come what may ) , then it could be a plus point. But don’t go by the look of the food , please enquire correctly and take a decision. A dish that looks fab could actually have you throwing up. Speaking about non-veg , I thank Germany for introducing me to ham and turkey , which I hated in the beginning but now I like. Though I really dint like the food there , I must admit the absence of oil and spice had worked wonders for my skin and when I returned , everyone just exclaimed how much fairer and glowing my skin had become !!! Now who would mind that , ya ! There are a lot of Pakistani restaurants in Germany who would be more than happy to dish up something spicy for you. You have to visit these restaurants that you’ll see very often, the love and friendliness shown by Pakistanis there towards Indian is really touching. We had one such restaurant near our hotel where we would go each evening. The people there were so happy to see us. They wanted to know what was happening in India and how were things actually between India and Pakistan. No matter how much we tried to pay them , they refused to charge us for the food. Finally when we were leaving, we got them a parting gift and the tears in their eyes said it all. It was an experience I will never forget. Frankfurt is a city worth visiting , you may read the review on Frankfurt for a better knowledge of the place. Go there with some good amount of time as well as money as there are some good shopping hubs out there. WalMart and some other big names are all there and once you land up in the Frankfurt market , you are gonna wish you carried some more cash. There are some good buys there for jackets , shoes , bags , belts , wallets, skirts , tees , formals ( both men and women ) , perfumes , accessories , books , electronics. But preferably try not to purchase jewelry , as you can always find better options in India. The pavements are all transformed into party zones, with live performances , songs , dance , tricks , bands , DJ’s , even strippers. Its going to be one hell of a time. Chocolate lovers should try out the different available flavors , its simply a treat to find the best names in chocolates under one roof. For the real chocolate lovers, try out the original flavor of chocolates , the bitter chocolates. For others , there are the sweet ones , the milky ones, nuts , crunchies , wafers , tobelorone and all the usual sinful delights Try out the wonderful open-air cafes and restaurants lining the streets. They are definitely worth visiting. A sincere piece of advice , steer clear of the punks , no matter how outrageous their hair-do or their outfits , please DO NOT turn around and look at them. As a rule , Germans, especially the punks do not look on outsiders as friends . Water in Germany is more expensive than beer , a small bottle could cost you upto 15 euros. Its always better to carry your own supply from the hotel. To be very blunt, even the water in the sink tap is pure drinking water , so you can always store it. Again , while traveling , remember to carry a lip balm that can double up as cream , the weather in Germany can prove to be very cruel at times and you can end up looking like an aged wrinkled version of your real self. Germans by nature are not very friendly , so its always better to be either a bit aware of the local tongue or know how to interpret signs. We had some of the worst experiences in the local shopping centers. As it is , everything closes down by 08:00 pm sharp , so you have to be through with your shopping by then. The labels are all in German, making it impossible for an outsider to understand what lies within. No amount of seeking help proves helpful, as they are simply not ready to speak English , even if they know the language. You have to run around on your own and depend on sheer luck. One small piece of advice , enter the malls with ample amount of time in hand , closing time can prove to be chaotic .


Black forest
Sep 20, 2005 09:35 AM3597 Views

Black forest shows Germany at its greenest. it's got tall pine and coniferous trees, and is like a fairy tale land. there are numerous lakes, up on the hills, surrounded by trees, high up on the hills. numerous resorts( that empty your purse) are dotted all along the place.


my favourites would be


Mummelsee- A lake


tal see- another lake.


Along the Black forest, there are many beautiful towns like Baden-Baden and


A visit to the Black forest is a pleasure at any time of the year. In Summer, the place is cool, green and shady. In winter it is all white, covered with snow. People flock to the Black forest irrespective of which time of the year it is.if it is Skiers in winter, it's the hikers in the summer.


maybe Blackforest isnt as popular as the Alpine region, but it has a beauty of its own.


I spend almost every weekend somewhere along the region; but for a visitor, I'd say that 3 days would suffice.The means of transport is not frequent high up on the hills, so renting a car would be the best thing to do.Black forest is exclusively for nature freaks and hikers. the others mightn't find anything too special in it.


Frankfurt am Main Germany
Führerschein German Driving license
Sep 15, 2004 04:55 PM3796 Views

Following are the details regarding the German driving licence, which I underwent all the way through to finally procure one for myself.


Introduction


In Germany generally foreign drivers licences are valid for 6 months. Technically a German translation of the licence is required, but it's not likely you'll be asked for one. You can if necessary buy one from the German ADAC motoring club for some ?35. Alternatively you can buy an International Driving Permit from your country's national auto club for a lot less before you go abroad.


Tourists only need to bring their good old domestic licence. However, if staying beyond 6 months and not an armed forces member, you may need to get a German licence (Führerschein).


Prerequisites are : -


· A valid licence from your country


· Residence in Germany for more than six months .


However, citizens of certain countries enjoy what's known as Pruuml;fungsfreiheit, which means they are not subject to either written or road tests to get their licences transferred. These countries include all EU member states, Andorra, the Channel Islands, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, New Caledonia, Norway, French Polynesia, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland -- each outstanding, as everyone knows, for their ambiance of excellent drivers. (But even citizens of these so-favored nations will have to pay a fee of ?35 to transfer their licences if they are sticking around beyond the 6 month limit.) .


Some US states do enjoy such full reciprocity. A local German driver's licence office (Fuuml;hrerscheinstelle) can inform you of your particular responsibilities.




  • Some years ago India was also in the above list but because of gross violations of the traffic regulations by untrained Indian drivers in Germany , the German government decided to remove India from the above list. It was not only a loss to some genuinely good Indian drivers but also a very shameful thing for our country .




Steps


You have to pass some stages before you can get your licence converted to German driving licence.




  1. You must get your country driving licence translated into German from ADAC(a German driving club).They charge you ?35 for that.




  2. Next you have to attend compulsory First Aid (Erste hilfe) classes. They give you a certificate.




  3. You have to get your Eye Test done from a doctor who also gives you an Okay certificate . (Both the above test combined cost ?50).




  4. Showing your translation and above defined First Aid Test certificate and Eye test certificate , You must get registered with a Car Driving school (Fahrschule) , where you have to pay for the following subsequently.






a. Registration with Driving school which costs around ?150.




  1. Next you should get registered with Führerscheinstelle (driving authority ) which costs around ?50 showing the letter from your driving school and ADAC.




  2. Then within your Driving school you have to undergo the following.






a. Take Theory classes which costs around ?10 per class.(Not compulsory if you had licence in your country).


b. Take Practical classes which costs around ?25 per class.


c. Take a Theory test which costs around ?90.


d. Take a Practical test which costs around ?190.


Normally you have to attend 12-13 theory classes compulsory. The practical training classes depends on your performance and on the teacher when he thinks that you are ready to give the test . Normally they give an estimate of at least 18 classes.


The theory test is of Multiple choice type. Altogether it is not very difficult but the marking is very tough i.e. if you have sometime 2 questions out of 20 wrong , you fail. So the probability of failing is quite high.


Then comes the practical test , A invigilator sits in the back seat when you are driving. The pressure on you when you give the on road test for the first time is very high and many people fail in the first time. The invigilator can fail you on smallest of mistakes for e.g. on a zebra crossing if you fail to stop for a person who was standing on the pavement waiting to cross the zebra crossing. Pass and your licence is good forever.


I had to struggle mentally and physically both to finally procure my German driving licence but in the end it really seemed worth it.Frankly speaking, I spent around 50,000 Indian rupees to get my German driving licence made.


The advantage of having a German driving licence is that you never have to renew the licence . Also the German driving licence is the most prestigious driving licence in the whole world. The rigorous process of earning a driving licence greatly contributes to the general motoring competence and a veritable verdure of signals and signs direct this competence. People with german licence thus drive very precisely if not artfully, which means the incidence of what an American, for instance, would remark as a close call is very high. In fact brinkmanship best describes the ruling spirit on German roads. That this spirit coexists with surprisingly low numbers of motoring casualties is testament to the success of the system.


I am ''Straight''
Jun 21, 2004 05:29 PM2444 Views

One thing which all you guys have to be careful of i.e. if you are straight is to be beware of gays. In germany one encounters gays as often as you do the straight guys. I narrate some of my unforced encounters with gays.




  1. This was when I was travelling from Stuttgart to Hamburg on an ICE (Inter City Express). The journey lasts for 5 hours and covers nearly 800 Kms at a mx. speed of 250 km/hr. It was during this journey that I felt sick to my stomach. I realised after a few minutes why. I hadn't taken a breakfast. Apparently all the ICE's have a restraunt. Prices are not very cheap but its affordable. After I went to this restraunt on this particular ICE, I was a little confused as to what should I order. This guy at the counter gave me the menu card and I promptly ordered some sausages. His next question took me totally by surprise. ''So how old are you, 16,17 18...???''.




Me: No am 23.


Him: Well you look very young.


Me: not my fault.


I was starting to smell something fishy.


Him: You have beautiful eyes.


What the #$%@..


Ok so he gives me the sausages. I go to the farthest table I can see in this on-board restraunt. He comes to me with a chocolate.


Him: Gift for a nice man.(Gives me the chocolate)


{Completely bowled out}Me: Oh th..th..th..th..thanks. How much do I have to pay for this?


Him: Nothing, its a gift. So where are you going??


Me: To Hamburg


Him: Where will you stay in Hamburg?


What?? Why does he want to know.


Me: Oh. I have this terrible pain in the stomach you know. Guess I should go to the toilet.


Man.. I ran away at a speed faster than the speed of light.




  1. In Hamburg during my summer school there is this guy sitting next to me on one of the parties for our class mate. Since I am not talking to anyone, so I though why not get familiar to this person sitting next to me.




Me: Well I am Vyom. I come from India. I guess I have seen you in the class though I should confess I don't know you.


This guy is well built n all.


Him: I am Jens. A german.


Me: Cool so what made you choose this school and what are your plans after that...


Him: I stay in hamburg so I thought it would be good pasttime.I wanna go to australia after this...


Looks deep into my eyes for a long time. I almost thought he lost his tounge or forze or some crap like that...


Him: Its a dream for me.


I almost had a feeling that he would confess he is a gay. Somthing I had by now preety well realised. Huh




  1. I had for a long time heard that french girls are preety pissed off all the time. Reason: Most french guys are gays. Atleast more than you had find in other countries.




On the first day of our course we were supposed to introduce ourselves. This guy walked up to the board. I was not even sure if this was a guy or a girl. Finally it turns out he was neither. He was a gay.


Him: Ok so my name is Mael Eves Gennou. Normally people try to call me Mael but they can't pronounce it. I guess you guys give a try too.


Us: Mael


Him: Ok you guys can't pronouce it. So cal me Eves, or maybe just eve.


Dammit. Apparently it turns out that this guy is a preety helpful to everyone. Guess why? So I have made it a point that no matter when I want to meet this guy I always talk of some arbitrary girl. Like how beautiful she is and stuff like that. I guess thats my only resort.


Cheers,


Vyom.


Ahmedabad India
Leipzig - The town of dreams!
Nov 27, 2003 04:22 PM2353 Views

I got the chance to visit Germany during my management exchange programme. I came here for a rather long period (3 and a half months) to a small town in Eastern Germany called Leipzig. Had my initial frights of going to a communist part of the world but was very much surprised to find it a very amicable and livable place.


I visited other places in Germany like Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt, but I would restrict this review to Leipzig.


As soon as you come out of the main station in Leipzig (which is called Hauptbahnhof, and is the biggest in this part of Germany), you can see the beauty of the place. The strasse (streets) are wide and clean and the plätz (squares) offer plush places to relax. The Leipzig Zoo is one of the best in the country and the city also boasts of places like Bach Church and Beethovenstrasse (which proves the city gave the serenity and environment to so many good musicians to produce their masterpieces).


In terms of public conveyance, the city has superb network of trams and buses. And finally in terms of cost of living, it has very cheap shopping malls, and after making a comparison with other cities of Germany and Europe, I came to a conclusion that it is indeed one of the cheapest city to live. Houses can be rented at cheap rates (probably, that is reflected in the fact that almost 70% of people living here live in rented houses!).


The only negative factor with the city is that the percentage of people understand English is comparatively low here. But that is actually never a problem.


Finally, after spending a substantial time here, I can definitely say .... come here and have a feel of Germany.


As a postscript, I would like to mention that Leipzig is one of the six cities which are competing to become the hosts for the Olympics games in 2012.


OUR 28 DAY TOUR VISITS GERMANY
Mar 31, 2002 02:04 PM2669 Views

We left Amsterdam heading south. When we reached the German Boarder we were on one of their famous 'autobahns', (freeways), until we reached COLOGNE.


In Cologne we were given a short 15-minute tour of the Gothic Cathedral and then our half-hour for shopping. When I came out of the Cathedral I saw a store with the name of a friend who had survived the holocaust. His last name was unusual and he thought he had lost every one during these terrible years. I walked into the store and asked to speak to the owner. The man told me he owned the store. I asked him if he had been born in Belgium and he nodded yes. Then I asked him if he had a relative by the name of Henri. He broke down in tears. He paid for a long distance phone call so I could talk to my Husband and get Henri's home and business phone number for him. What a magical moment that was as this man thought he had no relatives that survived the holocaust.


Our Guide told us to meet at a small German Cafe for lunch. When we sat down my friend decided she didn't need any help from anyone as she could speak German because her sister-in-law was German. I understand Yiddish, (that is similar to lower German), but I have to read a menu aloud because what I thought was one word, (in Yiddish), was at least 3 words long. The friends we had made crowded around me as I read the menu to them. We all had wonderful veal schnitzel and she was presented with a huge ham hock. The waiters surrounded her and all laughed as they put the platter in front of her, (it was a shared meal she had ordered.


Following lunch we were taken to a small ship for our few hour Rhine Cruise. I think I forgot to tell you that my friend was afraid of water, (she hid behind a sofa during out ferry crossing from England to France). I had to push her onto the cruise ship because she wanted to stay on the coach that would be meeting us at the end of our cruise. The only way I got her on the ferry I told her on the cruise we would see the 'Lorelei', (a rock that sailors thought was a mermaid and many boats were lured so close to it they crashed).


We sailed past the hills and famous Rhine Castles. I did not know why there were so many castles built along the Rhine so I asked our Guide. You would have thought he would have told us before I asked but in any case he did answer me, (some times he ignored any ones who asked him a question), that each castle was on the edge of a kingdom and the king of the castle collect money from each ship that passed through 'his' water. With that many stops what took us a few hours would have been at least 6 hours way back when. We were offered a variety of Rhine wines to drink and by the time we were half an hour into the cruise my friend was giddy and began to love the cruise.


The cruise was worth it because the ''Lorelei' rock that slope down to the Rhine. It is covered with ivy and is full of archways, pillars and stone walls.


We boarded our coach and thought we would be going to Ancient City of Heidelberg to spend the night. Instead we were told that all the rooms were booked there and we would be staying in MAINZ, (a city that is over 2000 years old).


My friend (who was still giddy), got excited because this is where the famous NHL hockey player, Mark Messier, came from. She knew his Uncle and said she would phone him to take us out for dinner to get away from the 'group' for a while. We stayed in a 3 star hotel, (instead of the 4 star hotel we had paid for). He did take us out for a delicious dinner at an Italian Cafe. After dinner he invited us to take us to his Church, (Lutheran), to heard a Pipe Organ Concert. Before he took us back to the hotel he drove us through the quaint downtown area. The buildings were at least 4 stories high and were trimmed in wood.


In the morning we were driven to HEIDELBERG. This must be the most beautiful city in Germany. It is a walled city on top of a mountain. We toured the beautiful Cathedral and the oldest university in Europe. We stopped for a beer and a 'wurst', (hot dog), before we got back on our coach to go to Austria.


SOME THOUGHTS:


I wish we had more time in Cologne and Heidelberg. The 2 hour cruise was long enough for us to get the 'flavor' of the longer Rhine Cruises and we both agreed we wouldn't want to go on that one.


©LL


Dr. Annie Besant rd. worli, mumbai india
A DASH OF COLOGNE FROM GERMANY
Feb 17, 2001 06:36 PM3694 Views

The next time you're at a party, ask the person sitting next to you to name three things he or she associates with Germany Better still, try it yourself, and in all probability you'll think of beer, Hic!!!, busty barmaids the broken down Berlin wall(everything in B's). Worse still if you're a soccer fan, the World Cup Football will also figure in your list.( now u tink of all in F's)


Industrialisation, hard work, precision, tough times in the past, war crimes… Somehow, very few people will tell you that it's a beautiful country, rich in history and the fine arts, with a culture that goes back over a thousand years. Or that it has warm, fun loving people for whom a glass of beer isn't just a drink, but a divine experience, to be savoured slowly.


Germany is all this and more. But if you're not visiting the country on business or to attend one of the many international trade fairs hosted in the country, you'd be best off making tracks to one of the worlds most scenic but yet less talked about regions - Germany


The River Rhine begins in Switzerland and meanders across Germany, bestowing the bounty of natural beauty to every town and village on its banks. The Rhine has many towns, castles, forests and towers along it, but certain areas of the Western Region of the Rhine Valley are a little more blessed than the others are.


Cologne, for example has for many centuries been Germany's seat of education, thanks to the world famous Cologne University. Cologne, with its landmark cathedral spires, unusual museums, theatres and concert halls and pubs, is a bohemian city that beckons people from far and wide. The Cologne University is almost like a medieval township that houses over 54,000 students in its sprawling campus.


Cologne encourages the casual visitor to set a slow pace as he or she soaks in the ambience of this enchanting city. If you don't feel like seeing anything in particular, take a walk along the Rhine River through the romantic old city. Or, if you'd rather see Cologne from a different angle. You can take a cruise on the Rhine, past the city.


The Museum that's really worth seeing is The Imhoff-Stollwerck-Museum or the Chocolate Museum. For all those with the ‘sweet tooth’, the first floor takes you through the history of chocolate making, explanations of various types of cocoa trees and even has a hothouse that transports you into a cocoa plantation!


The most fascinating part of the museum is the fact that a live production facility has been built especially for the museum, allowing visitors to see how chocolate bars, truffles, and hollow figures (e.g. Santa Claus figures, Easter Bunnies, footballs, to name a few) are produced. If your taste buds are about to burst after seeing all the mouth-watering chocolate, you can get a taste of your own at the fairytale fountain that flows with warm chocolate!


While you're in fairy tale country, you may as well throw away your thinking cap and travel back in time to the days of courts and jesters. The Cologne carnival, is a bout of merrymaking that more than compensates for the 40 days of austerity that will follow during Lent. This is Europe's biggest fool-ridden public festival, and it attracts a million people. The locals and visitors let their hair down with parties, parades, dancing and beer that flows as freely as the Rhine does. Now if that isn't reason enough to visit the city, I don't know what is!


The Rhineland region has many attractions, but few as enchanting as the Black Forest. The Black Forest covers an area of over 400 sq. miles of wooded areas and undulating hills peppered with attractive traditional villages and half-timbered houses. If you truly want to experience the beauty of the Black Forest and get a feel of rural life in Germany, take a walk along the Black Forest Panorama Route. The beauty of walking through the forest on this route is that you are one with nature every step of the way.


Along the route, you'll come across fine panoramic views, sweeping landscapes of lakes, valleys, hills and forests, depending on where you stop. You'll also come across fine old buildings, museums, old farms and fine footpaths of every conceivable length for tough or gentle walking. The route takes you straight through towns and villages with interesting traditions, original costumes, old crafts and trades typical of the area. You should take a short walk in the Black Forest, to experience what it's like to be completely united with nature.


Now this is one helluva stop for all u clockwork people. If you happen to be walking through the town around noon every day, be prepared for the 'Cuckoo Chorus', a million cuckoo clocks seemingly go berserk. Titisee is the cuckoo clock making capital of the world and is renowned for the quality and intricacy of the clocks made. Each clock is fine crafted by hand and sells for hundreds of dollars on an average. Of course, there are collector's pieces that have fetched astronomical sums in auctions abroad. But then, those buyers aren't exactly cuckoo!


Every town in the Titiseee-Neustadt region has its own special attractions. Neustadt has more of a village atmosphere, inviting one to stroll and shop and, due to both its central and yet charming scenic location, it is the starting point for many a hike and outing in the surrounding area. Waldau, is the place in which the first Black Forest clock was constructed, way back in 1664. It is a horizontal clock, which runs on three wooden wheels and only has one hand. Waldau is the perfect town to rest and relax. In fact, if you want a taste of the country life, you can live in any one of the towns that make up Titisee-Neustadt.


Germanyhas been blessed with beauty, history and a surfeit of the arts, making it a true tourist's delight in every sense of the word.


Well I cud go on and on and rave and rant on Germany, but a) I don’t want the Mouthshut.com team obliterating me into oblivion for using more than the desired MB space for each review b) I do get petrified of the thought of Hitler rolling in his grave c) I need to go other places 2.


So ‘dankscheun’, Oppps…..it means thank you in german.(that’s the only word I learnt, but still can spell). Till my next destination……Hic!!


Great place to visit
Dec 03, 2000 12:33 PM2469 Views

So finally I made it to germany. its been a place I always wanted to visit.


my trip: Frankfurt(2 days), Berlin(5 days), Cologne(2 days), Bon(1 day), Aachen(1 day), Lippstadt(1.5 days)


Notes: Always travel by the busses/U-Bahns and by foot, helps you discover the city! and the Maps are just perfect! so you can do it all alone, without a local!


And do not forget to taste the beer, bread and cakes!!


FRANKFURT: is a big city in german standards, but still maintains its old historic builduings and beautiful scenery to entics one and all. Do not miss : Roemer, and the Museum Surfer areas...in particular see the DOM and Musuem fuer Moderne Kunst! (modern art).


BERLIN: Needs littls introduction, though the disparity between east and west is gradually abating, it still exists and is worth seing... walk around Alexander Platz!.. or some other East berlin areas... surely see the PARGAMON MESEUM. ofcourse the Reichstag and Brandenberger tor et al are a must see... do not miss the Tiergarten or the Zoo either! Discover Berlin by foot!


Aachen, Lippstadt: Smalll towns.. worth going to.. I went also to a small village called Kallenhartdt! it has/had I guess a population of 1000. very quaint and very old. beautiful. Aachen is also a small city but beautiful with really old gothic architecture!


Koeln/Bonn: Must see, especially the DOM, and Haus Nu 4711.


a walk in the city center in bonn is also very highly recommended.


If you travel a lot by train (best way) enquire about the Bahn Karte (card) which entails you to 50% discounts on any train travel.


Also on weekends they offer the Schone Wochenende Karte, which for DM40, offers travel anywhere by any train (except the ICE). For the ICE (250 km/hr), between 19:00 and 03:00, you can buy the Guten Abend Karte (DM 69-84).


Viel Spass in Deutschland!


Tchuess,


-sr


German hospitality
Dec 02, 2000 06:36 AM2245 Views

I have travelled extensively in Germany over several visits. It is extremely pleasant and nice and people are friendly in an aloof sort of a way. Most Germans are very courteous and welcome Indians well. There are particular places (like Hamburg) or in small towns of East Germany where one may face a little discrimination but it's so minimal overall, it should hardly be a deterrent to someone planning a career there.


Overall, as an Indian you can probably never ''belong to Germany'' but you can be reasonably accepted in order to work there. It's better to take a language course in basic German before going there for work. This really helps in the acceptance level. Vegetarian food is a severe problem and you probably need to learn to cook for longer than a week stays. Never get entangled with the German police. They are worse than the Indian police in terms of corruption, harassment etc.


Idar-Oberstein : Home of Precious Stones
Dec 02, 2000 04:26 AM3953 Views

We started from Frankfurt by car to go to visit a friend in Idar-Oberstein, a small town about 100 kms from Frankfurt. The drive was pleasant, as mostly it is in Germany with the winding wide roads passing thorough little villages lanes lined with birch trees & flowering shrubs.


Idar-Oberstein was till 150 years two little villages. Idar & Oberstein , is a town situated on the river Nahe, is beautifully surrounded by mountains and forests. The town is famous for precious-stone polishing jeweler manufacturers and precious metal working for over three centuries now. Because of this a substantial number of stone dealers from Jaipur have moved in here setting up business offices in the town. The “Bourse” is a towering building where all the stone dealers have offices, with the police station opposite to the building.


We visited the German Gemstone Museum which presents everything sparkling and shining from Emeralds, Rubies Sapphires to the semi precious stones like Amethyst and moonstone. In the pedestrian zone in the Idar part of the city., is a unique sight of a gemstone-studded creek bed, a gemstone map of the world and a gemstone fountain.


In the Steinkaulenberg mines, the only European gemstone mines that are open to visitors, I felt as if I had made a journey back into the times of treasure diggers in the labyrinthine cave system. The traditional way of gemstone cutting as practiced by our ancestors is demonstrated in the Weiherschleife Cutting Mill, where rough stones are artistically coaxed to show their fire and charm.


In The Museum Idar-Oberstein, situated below the Chapel-in-the-Rocks, a wide range of artistic handicrafts in splendid variety.. are displayed. From here we climbed up to the legendary 500-year-old Chapel-in-the-Rocks. Standing at the top you can see all around you the lanes of the old city. A guide narrates the legend of the Chapel’s construction, a tale of love, fratricide and woeful penitence. In the narrow lanes of the old city there are boutiques, antique shops and jewelers selling traditional stuff..


Though, the Indian food was no problem, as the friend we stayed with is from Jaipur, but whilst in Germany, I always want to relish the franfurter and goulash, and the German Beer. Incidentally KIERN is the popular beer (the word literally means Kiran in Hindi). There is a vast majority of German words, which are spelt and pronounced differently, but have the same meaning as in Sanskrit or Hindi.


So for the evening out, we went to Hotel Garni, near the railway station. A small hotel, with the elegantly decorated dining hall, dim wall lights and candles on the tables, and a live band playing soft German music in the back ground. It was a fascinating experience.


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