We’ve been hearing so much on the news recently about the Greek and European debt crises, the decline of the Euro, and of protests across Europe, especially on the streets of Athens. The European Union and its common currency appeared for a while to be a great success, a major…
Germany
European Handball
We had the opportunity to attend a game of European Handball in the German town of Baudsen. My friend’s first cousin (once-removed) plays on a men’s team there, but is currently out of action after knee surgery required to repair a handball injury. He and his family continue to support…
The Dom of Bautzen
In the city of Bautzen in the Saxony region of Germany stands St. Peter’s Cathedral. It was built between 1456 and 1463, and had major restorations in 1634 after much of the town was destroyed by fire. What I find most intriguing about this church is that it is shared…
Oktoberfest!
Welcome to the home of the $8 pretzel and beers big enough to sprain your wrist. The ultimate getaway for the beer lover, Oktoberfest is a huge spectacle. It wasn’t what I had expected — it was better! Oktoberfest is a dynamic blend of beer gardens, dinner theatre, a costume…
Dachau
There are many memorials of war in Europe, monuments to its long and often violent history. Dachau is the site of a former Nazi concentration camp which we visited with some trepidation. It is located just 20 kilometers from the beer drinking revelry of Munich, but it is a very…
Bavarian Beer Halls and Beer Gardens
Bavaria is all the stereotypical images of Germany rolled into one. Lederhosen, oom-pah-pah-bands, sausage eating, and especially beer-drinking. They say when in Rome… The Czech Republic drinks the most beer per capita in the world (159 litres per year) with Germany a respectable third (110 litres per year) after Ireland.…
Elisabeth
Elisabeth was born in Hungary but moved to Germany when she was 4 years old. At the age of 14 she married Ludwig, a wealthy and powerful man. Despite this, she lived a simple life and spent her time helping the poor and the sick. She donated a lot of…
The Tent
For 6 months each year, Munich is home to one of the most unusual hostels we’ve been to. Located in a botanical garden about 6 kilometers from the city centre is The Tent, a summer-only hostel providing accommodations in tents. It is the cheapest place to sleep in Munich. It’s…
Impressions of Germany
Germany has a lot of similarities to Austria. After about a week in Germany, here are some of the things we’ve noticed. Germany is a financial powerhouse of Europe, despite spending a fortune to re-integrate East Germany since 1989. There are still considerable economic differences between the former East and West. Germany…