Europe String

I’m mean. Every time I take someone to Berlin, I make them try a Berliner Weisse mit Schuss. This is basically bad beer with a shot of fruity syrup, and can be ordered rot (red) or grün (green). The red syrup is usually raspberry flavored, while the green is Waldmeister, or woodruff (not that I have ever heard of woodruff in English), a flavorful herb.
To add insult to injury, this sweet, colorful beer is consumed through a straw. When someone orders one of these, the appropriate response is to point and laugh. But if you’re a first-time tourist in Berlin, …read more

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Every day at 11:00 and 12:00, tourists gather in Munich’s Marienplatz and gaze upwards at the Glockenspiel. This mechanical puppet show features life-sized figures dancing, jousting, and milling about with no discernable purpose.
While I’ve never gone out of my way to see it, I have coincidently found myself at Marienplatz just as the show was beginning on more than one occasion. While it’s mildly amusing, I wouldn’t place it high on my to-do list if I only had a few days in Munich. For example, you could be drinking beer instead (11:00am beers are completely acceptable here)…
Photo source: personal collection

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In honor of Tavern Day, here’s a little post about drinking in Munich. (I know what you’re thinking… “There’s drinking in Munich ?” I was shocked, too.)
This weekend we partook of the annual Munich Strong Beer Festival (or Starkbierfest), a fabulous Bavarian tradition. Each year for a few weeks during Lent, the local breweries open their banquet halls and cellars for this festival celebrating Starkbier – a heavy, sweet, dark brew thought up by fasting monks who wanted some nourishment (but weren’t so interested in sobriety). These days each brewery produces its own brand of Starkbier, with names that usually …read more

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Super Bowl XLII is coming up – on February 3rd, 2008, to be exact. You don’t hear much about this American game over here in Europe, but all is not lost if you’re a fan who finds yourself on this side of the pond for the big day (assuming you’re willing to stay up late).
The game is actually broadcast live on free TV in many European countries, minus most of the pre-game shows, and, sadly, without all those fancy commercials. Broadcasts start at around midnight CET; check the local listings for the country you’re in to find out whether …read more

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This empty multi-story building is located in Bremen, Germany. And in August, participants will be free to let their creative ideas soar here.
Sproutbau is a live-in experiment where each participant is encouraged to “explore (their) individual living utopias. The ideas should preferably be in the field of self-sufficient, sustainable living.”
Participants each get a space where they can put their ideas into fruition. Ideas could be in the form of an “architectural element to a design object from recycled material as well as a theater performance“. No matter how crazy the ideas may be, it will be welcomed …read more

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If you are

planning on traveling between Germany and any country within the EU
planning to travel between German cities
traveling with a child aged 11 or under
planning to travel sometime in July and/or August

You can save a lot of money by flying with Lufthansa.
Kids accompanied by any paying passenger — whether parents, relative or friend — can travel for €0 (plus tax and fees) during the period indicated.
Lufthansa Kindersommers is available if you book before the 31st of June.

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For Mother’s day, I went up…

up…

and away!

What about you? How did you celebrate Mother’s Day? 

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Summer will soon be upon us. And for budget travelers headed for Munich, Germany during summer, this is definitely good news.
Why? Because The Tent (locally called the Kapuzinerhölzl), the cheapest place to crash in Munich, will be open from the 15th of June until the 15th of October.
For 35 years, the Tent has been offering backpackers and all sorts of group travelers cheap accommodations.
Where: middle of a park near the botanical garden. To get there, you have to take Tram 17 (direction Amalienburgstrasse) and get off at the Botanischer Garden). From the botanical gardens, just follow the sign …read more

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Do you have left over Deutsch Marks from your trip to Germany many years ago?  If you are not really interested in keeping it as a souvenir, you may be able to use the cash by exchanging it for Euros.
Apparently (was unaware despite the fact that I have been living in this country for the past 8 years and only found out today through Mark), you can exchange DM notes and coins in any of the Deutschen Bundesbank (state bank) branches.  You do not need to pay any extra fee for this service.
Now, go check out your stash of foreign …read more

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Did you know that BEER is cheaper than WATER in Germany?
Do keep that in mind the next time you are in the country.

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