Portal Germany Blog

Berlin Germany Insider Sigtseeing – TOP 10 Sights – Part 1 of 4

2005-07-27T15:38:00.000+02:00

With about 3,400,000 inhabitants, Berlin is the largest City in Germany. It is 38 kilometres long and 45 kilometres wide. Consider that Berlin has a lot of suburbs and districts. As you know, the city was divided in its history. You will still recognize that there is/was East-Berlin and West-Berlin so it has a "City East" and a "City West".

Arrival is possible with four different options.
1. By aircraft – Berlin has three airports.

2. By train – it’s a junction of the German Rail Network. Example, the station "Bahnhof Zoo" is located within Belin Mitte (City East), thus you have "instant access" to a lot of sights and pubs.

3. By Car – All motorways to Berlin lead to the "Berliner Ring". From there you can get to the inner city on various access roads.

4. By Bus – it’s a well-priced and comfortable way to travel to this (or any other) city. The "Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof" (ZOB – Central Bus Station) is situated near the Exhibition Centre (ICC), in Charlottenburg, City West. From there, you have connections to over 350 destinations in Germany and Europe!

Now, shall we get started? Okay, c'mon, take my hand, let's go sightseeing! :-)

Reichstag
The Reichstag was constructed from 1884–94 by Paul Wallot, is the seat of the German Bundestag or federal government and, with its new transparent dome, one of the biggest crowd-draws in Berlin. Its colorful past reflects the turbulence of German history since the 19th century. From 1994–99, the Reichstag was reconstructed and extended by the Architect Sir Norman Forster. He decided to add an accessible transparent dome, inwhich you can walk through and "participate" and view how political decisions are made. One says, "We (the government) want to show that we have nothing to hide". Go to http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/berlin.html for further information on this monumental building.

Friedrichstrasse
This is the most legendary street in the whole city. It combines the architecture of the New Berlin with the tradition of the "Golden Twenties". In the Twenties, the 3.5 km long street was the location for pleasure palaces, cafés, theatres and variety theatres such as the famous "Wintergarten". After the division of the city, the Wall also cut through this street. The world famous Checkpoint Charlie was located at the border of the districts of Kreuzberg and Mitte and thus at the border of East and West Berlin. Not only visitors but also the employees from the new, chic offices, agencies and media centres all enjoy the urban spirit and New York flair of the new Friedrichstrasse.

Checkpoint Charlie
From 1961 to 1990, Checkpoint Charlie was the only border crossing point for the Allies, foreigners, employees of the Permanent Representation, and officials of the GDR. And it was the place where Soviet and American tanks stood face to face. Today, the checkpoint is commemorated by a border sign and a soldier’s post.

Stuck for a moment, the second part arrives soon :-) Then you can go on with your Berlin Sightseeing Tour. In it we will go to places like the Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Museum’s Island.

Kind regards, Marcus Hochstadt © Copyright http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/ All Rights Reserved

Steer clear of car-sale scam

2005-07-12T20:41:00.000+02:00

MANNHEIM, Germany - There is a new scam making the rounds in Germany. It involves Americans selling their cars in the classified ad sections of newspapers like the Stars and Stripes. To date, this scam has been reported in Mannheim, Stuttgart and Frankfurt.
Here is how it works. "Someone poses as a buyer, often by email from a far-off country, and forwards a large cashier's check to you for more than the asking price," said Lt. Col. Carol A. McKinney, chief of Law Enforcement Operations at the USAREUR Office of the Provost Marshal. The buyer wants you to ship the car to his country, giving the excuse that the extra cash is for shipping and asks you to wire any excess amount back to him via a money transfer agency.

The check will eventually bounce, but this can take a long time. If you have already shipped the car and wired the excess cash by then, the car and money are lost and remain untraceable. The scam takes advantage of a rule which forces banks to clear a cashier's check within five days although they don't necessarily verify the check in that time.
And sometimes the criminals are only after the excess cash, rather than the car. There's always some pretext - the buyer made a mistake, needs the money for shipping or whatever - but the end result is the same. The seller discovers that the certified check is worthless after sending the cash.

This scam can involve any expensive item such as motor bikes or motor scooters, horses or even pieces of art.

"Many rip-offs employ certified checks," McKinney stated. Many buyers insist on them, claiming they're as good as cash. "But the check may bounce. It may be phony. Counterfeiters can create realistic-looking checks or alter real checks in ways that make them worthless," she added.

The solution is to trust your gut -- to a point. "There's no foolproof way to tell the good guys from the bad guys, but if the deal sounds too good to be true you're probably being taken for a ride," McKinney stated. Con men are usually good at what they do - the "con" is short for "confidence," because they're experts at inspiring it in their victims. But if your instincts tell you something's wrong, trust them.

Also make sure any certified checks you're offered are good. Get your bank's toll-free number and call to ensure any check is legitimate and hasn't been stopped.

Another popular scheme to dupe car sellers involves fake escrow services. Legitimate escrow services act as middlemen, taking payment from buyers and then releasing the money to sellers once the items bought have been properly transferred. They're common in real estate transactions and Internet-based sales. A fake escrow service can help a criminal steal a car by falsely verifying a payment has been made.

Most car transactions go through without a hitch but there's also the remote but real chance of being robbed or hurt. Private sales often involve meeting and getting into cars with strangers - always a risky proposition. Fears about getting into cars with strangers cause some sellers to just hand over the keys, but you really shouldn't let the car out of your sight. Both men and women should consider having a friend accompany them to any transaction, inspection or test drive. Some sellers take the additional precaution of meeting in a public place rather than at home.

Also, if you're a woman, think twice about putting your name in an ad. It is often easy to figure out which ads were probably placed by young women based on the type of car for sale and the suggestion to "call Tiffany".

You can find more crime prevention tips online from the National Crime Prevention Council at http://www.ncpc.org/ncpc/ncpc/

By Robert Szostek
USAREUR OPM Public Affairs

Hostels in Germany

2005-07-10T07:42:00.000+02:00

Would you like to spend nights at the most beautiful, most exciting and most unforgettable places?

Would you like to constantly receive TOP Insider Tips from natives, whose are really well versed - and this totally free of charge?

Would you like to save 50 to 80% of your usual overnight expenses?

If you answered one or all above questions with "YES", read on ; -)
Did you know that the youth hostels were "invented" in the year 1909 by Richard Schirrmann, Germany?

Did you further know that ever more adult and "smart” people firmly build hostels into their travel planning to get hold of the benefit from advantages which they would not receive with usual hotels?

Hostels in Germany offer far more to you than a low-priced accommodation.
Getting to know each other and intercultural meetings are motivating again and again not only grades, groups of children and young people, but also families, seminar organizers and many interested single travellers to consciously experience their spare time in a youth hostel.
Tolerance towards the other one, the helpfulness, open dialogue, and a strong environmental awareness make the hostels in Germany for its guests an unusual and experience-rich destination.

Beside small cosy old buildings or the experience in castles and residences you also find many houses in scenic delightful environments as well as in large cities.
At first sight it has even the appearance at some, that it would be a 5-star luxury hotel. But after all if you ask for the conditions you experience that you have been landed in a fantastically beautiful youth hostel and will feel at ease in the time of your stay.
Whatever you are looking for - whether conference atmosphere, sport possibilities, school experiences without classroom, or a particularly for families co-ordinated equipment - with the hostels in Germany you’ll find the fitting for you.

By the way, between youth hostels and schools exists a long active tradition. You find more about this on my page about the actual developed history of youth hostels at http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/youth-hostels.html.

Anyhow, it is important for them that they do not only offer touristic attractions. The youth hostels above all attach also importance to obtain conscious travel. The social, economic and ecological consequences of a blind mass tourism are very conscious to them. Therefore, you will still get expert consultation and insider knowledge, and all this free of charge. Fits somehow to my website concept ;-)

Good. Most hostels in Germany are located at places, from which you can discover a lot of beautiful things. Whether it is on a mountain from which you have a fantastic view, or in the country, where you can get to know the very German life, or in the middle of a city, where you can admire the attractive and historical points of interest.

There are even youth hostels with extensive wellness supply! By some I am inclined to call them Secret Resorts. (More about Secret Resorts and how to find them in my specific 4-part article or on my website)

If you however attach great importance to comfort, you should better book your accommodation in a hotel. In the youth hostels often no or little service is offered. Service you usually get in hotels.

Moreover, in Bavaria are lodgings which offer overnight stays only for humans up to 26 years. That is, they proverbially concentrate on the youth. You will find however sufficient others in which is also offered a cosy bed to adults.

Today we have youth hostels in the whole world (I even had the time of my life in the hostel of New York City!). You will however see, feel, and smell that the origin of hostels was developed in Germany.

Now still a few numbers of Germany Hostels: world-wide there are more than 4,000 youth hostels in 65 countries, whereby more than 600 alone in Germany. You need a membership card in order to be able to stay overnight there, which costs only 20 EUR per year and is world-wide valid! More than half of the 1.7 million members in Germany are adults. The average cost per night is somehow between 10 and 25 EUR. So you save a lot of money, don’t you?
You find more details on the official website of the German Youth Hostel Association at http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/hostel.
However, I wish you a lot of fun on your journeys!
Marcus Hochstadt
© Copyright http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/ All Rights Reserved
You may use this article in its entirety with the Author Bio and links.

Frankfurt Germany -- 12 Insider Tips

2005-07-10T07:40:00.000+02:00

In the city with its international airport 650,000 humans live. It is a very modern large city and became the ' turntable of Europe '. In Frankfurt important industrial enterprises and wholesale dealer are resident like also many banks. Not only the German Federal Bank, but also the European Central Bank (ECB) resides here.

Famous ‘Kaiserdom’ (emperor cathedral), which documents loved 'Roemerberg’ (Roman mountain) and the historical 'Paulskirche', in which the first freely selected German parliament met, besides the political meaning of this fascinating city.

Yes, Frankfurt is a metropolis and full surprises as well as contrasts. Skyscrapers are directly apart from half timbered houses; culture and commerce form here a unit. In addition, Frankfurt is a fair city, a literature city and above all a culture city: here the cradle of the German jazz scene with many small music taverns, in which you cannot only ease, is appropriate but also into the night much fun to have canned. The moreover one you find many museums.

Frankfurt, because of its skyline also ' Mainhattan ' mentioned, is a large city in the country, between the mountain courses by ‘Taunus’ and ‘Spessart’ and surrounded by a wreath/ring of world-well-known health resorts, popular holidays areas and trip goals.

In the following I will give you 12 insider tips. Before I do it however you do the following: print out this side, so that you have it immediately available, if you come to Frankfurt. It is nearly impossible, everything that I wrote here to keep in the head and it would be unfortunate, if you are in Frankfurt and get to face only the 'normal' points of interest.

Besides that after your arrival you should go immediately to the tourist information. It is in downtown, near the 'Roemer'. The road calls itself 'Auf dem Roemerberg' (on the Rome mountain) and the telephone number is: +49-69-21238800. Ask them for a city map. Without a city map you will lose yourself in this big city, and with the city map you will find everything I mention here.

Bars and restaurants
1. One of the best cocktail bars in Frankfurt is the ‘Strandperle’ (beach bead). Particularly the Caipirinha is unique! In the summer the bar surface expands to a terrace café high over to the river 'Main'.

2. The smallest jazz restaurant of Germany is the 'Mampf'. Since more than 30 years there are free concerts to German meals. Apart from jazz also Blues, Swing, Latin and Flamenco are played. Simply enjoy the good mood and fun inheres.

3. One of the few popular apple wine restaurants with yard garden is the 'Lorsbacher Tal'. It is in the quarter 'Alt-Sachsenhausen’ (old axle living) and has a very cosy ambience and solid German meals.

4. The restaurant 'Pilar' is at the same time a bar. Fine noodles, salads and original Mediterranean creations will be served. On the side panels of the restaurant hang sumptuous baroque paintings, which offer an interesting contrast to the simple Design of bar, leather seat and wood table.

5. In the elevated ‘Villa Merton' (Mansion Merton) you find meals of the all-finest. If it permits your travel budget, go here. The employees speak English and recommend to you gladly the specialities of the house.

Sightseeing and culture
6. In the Goethe house and Goethe museum Goethe was born in the year 1749. He lived here until 1775. The house was outstanding reconstructed and contains paintings, handwriting and diagrams of the large German poet.

7. On the 'Roemerberg’ (Roman mountain) regularly highlights and meetings take place. It is a long stretched, five-angular place and is gladly visited by humans. At this place is the 'Frankfurter Roemer’ (Frankfurt Romans), the famous city hall of the city. It was reconstructed after the war. In the festival room of the Roemer pictures of German emperors are to be admired.

8. In the 'Pauluskirche' (Paulus church), which was established between 1787 and 1833, the first German national assembly met in 1848. It is a place of historical building method and historiography.

9. The 'Senckenberg Museum’ is the largest scientific museum in Germany. You find here a descriptive collection of approximately 500,000 exhibits, which arrange for you an overview of the development of our animated nature over millions of years. It is simply impressing.

10. The 'Palmengarten’ (palm garden) shows a domestic, tropical and subtropical Flora. The emphases of the 20 hectares large park are over 300 orchids, ‘Bromelien’ and about 1,600 different cactus species. Concerts also often take place here.

11. In the 'Frankfurt Zoo' approximately 6,000 animals (650 kinds) live together in extensive outdoor installations and houses. If animals interest you, you must go here. Plan however at least five hours for your attendance.

12. When it becomes evening, you absolutely MUST go to the 'Berger Strasse’ (Berger road)! On 2 km (1.3 miles) you find taverns, Bars, Cafés and restaurants for each taste! Here you surely will NOT become boring. If I am in Frankfurt, this road is a must for me, again and again.

Enjoy your trip!

Inns and Bed and Breakfasts – Are They For Everybody?

2005-07-10T07:39:00.000+02:00

Inns are a delightful alternative to hotels and resorts. They can be just the right ticket for your vacation, providing you understand how they work and function.

Are they for everybody?
No, they're not. But here’s the answers to some basic questions to determine if it’s the type of accommodation that’ll work for you…

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INNS AND BED AND BREAKFASTS?
Let's start by clearing up any confusion on the differences between inns and bed and breakfasts. And it's not so much in the name as how they advertise themselves.
Firstly, there's no difference in accommodation. The charm of a bed and breakfast can be every bit as good as the personality of an inn. The difference is the prepared meals. A bed and breakfast is just that… expect a bed and a breakfast, but you're on your own for dinner. But at inns, they're set-up to provide dinner as well, although it's usually an option, and not included in the quoted price. The listing will be very clear if dinner is offered. But assume its just bed and breakfast if nothing is mentioned.
In many areas of the world inns and bed and breakfasts are also called guesthouses.

ARE THEY RIGHT FOR MY KIDS?
When an inn says kids are welcome, then you'd better believe they really mean they're kid friendly. Now there's nothing wrong with that (I have three myself), but don't expect too much piece and quiet and solitude.
You'll find a number of listings that put age restriction on children. For example they'll say something like: 12 or older, or above 6-years old. They're not being mean. It's just these places are also catering to a single or couple looking for a chance to unwind and free of noise and high activity. If you've got high-action kids then bed and breakfasts may not be ideal for your family.

WHAT SERVICE CAN I EXPECT?
Staying in inns is very different than staying at a hotel. You shouldn't expect a country inn to be like a Sheraton, with hordes of staff at your beck and call, and soundproof walls. Also, having a party and playing loud music after 11:00pm won't win you any brownie points with your host or the other guests.
Remember... the innkeeper or host is there to provide you, and other guests, with a unique experience in unique surroundings, but to do that they'll need your understanding.

WHAT’S THE USUAL CHECK-IN TIME?
Your host will go out of their way to greet you when you check-in. Usually when you reserve you’ll be told when their normal check-in period is. But most can accommodate you arrivals outside those hours.
But you need to let them know if you’ll be late so they can arrange for you to get into the house (yes, the doors are locked after a certain hour), and to your room. It’s one thing to show up at midnight at your hotel – they’re staffed round the clock - but it’s entirely another matter to roll-in after 11:00pm at an inn, and expect your host to get out of bed and greet you smiling.

CAN YOU NEGOTIATE PRICE?
You bet you can!
Just like hotels the room rate for inns is negotiable. The main difference is unlike a hotel, the person on the other end of a phone is usually the owner of the bed and breakfast, and they can make the decision on the spot. All you have to do is ask in a nice way.
Just remember the innkeeper may only have a few rooms to begin with anyway, and if your haggling over the last room then don't be offended if it’s no dice on a price reduction. But on the other hand one room of a four-room inn without a paying guest reduces a host's profit by 25%. So it's always worth asking for a reduction!

HOW MUCH CAN YOU REALLY SAVE?
Off-peak travel will save you a bundle.
Most inns can book their weekend's months in advance. But filling the rooms during the week, particularly off-season, is much more difficult. You'll get the best deals for bed and breakfasts traveling mid-week and out of season. Now contrast this with hotels that have the opposite problem, because they cater to the mid-week business traveler, but can't get people in rooms at the weekends.
I love staying in inns. They've a lot going for them. Inns are usually very affordable, offer tons more variety than a bland hotel room, and are a great way to meet fellow travelers or vacationers. You’ll find web sites devoted to inn and bed and breakfast listings now – so crank up Yahoo or Google and get searching… and saving!

Traveling to Europe with your Digital Camera?

2005-07-10T07:37:00.000+02:00

The Vacation Season is fast approaching and naturally you will be taking your digital camera along for the journey. After all your vacations are far and few between and it is nice to look back on those memories as you slave away at your job. However, when you travel with a digital camera, it is a completely different experience from that of traveling with a film camera. This is a lesson that far too many travelers seem to be learning the hard way, especially if you’re traveling to Europe. After a couples years of relying solely on digital for taking photos when I travel, there are things you should consider before you head off on your next trip.
Charging Batteries is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you'll face when you travel. Outlets can be scarce in hotels. On a recent trip to Europe, only one of the five modern hotels I stayed in had more than one outlet available for use when charging up electronics. Charging your battery can be more of a hassle if you're traveling by train: If you take an overnight train in Europe, they don't have power adapters at the seats (certain trains do, but it's not something you can count on). I suggest bringing at least two rechargeable batteries, three if you plan to travel with overnight trains, or don't think you'll be able to charge every night. If your camera uses regular AA batteries, consider yourself lucky-you'll find those everywhere. Scope out the situation in your room when you check in: You should get at least one usable outlet, but don't count on more than that.

Bring your plugs. Some digital cameras typically come with a power brick that can handle international voltages, so you won't need a voltage adapter. However, you will need a power plug adapter to convert a US outlet plug to the local plug. Most of Europe is on the same outlet now-but not all countries accept the general "Europe" plug. Be sure to research what you'll need to jack in, and try to buy it before you leave (try CompUSA, Radio Shack, Rand McNally, or your local luggage store). If you don't have a chance to get what you need Stateside, don't fret: You should have no trouble finding an outlet converter overseas.

How do I offload my images? For fellow travelers using digicams, this was the number one problem I have heard repeatedly. Many comments from folks traveling for a week or more are: "I'm taking more pictures than I expected to." "I'm not shooting at the best resolution, because I need the room on my memory card." "I'm only halfway through my trip, and I have only 50 shots left." When you travel, odds are you'll take more pictures than you expect to also. A 1 GB card is very useful, and should suffice for low-usage shooters. But for those of us, who can go through a gigabyte or more in a day, not a week? Whether it's because your a high-volume shooter, shooting in RAW format, or a combination of the two. What I discovered is many who had digital SLRs, that had 5 megapixel or more reported they were traveling with a laptop to off load their images. None of these folks were traveling on business, so they didn't need to bring a laptop along. The sad fact is, for now, a laptop remains the most efficient and usable means of off loading images. Epson and Nikon have dedicated handheld units with a hard drive, card reader, and LCD display for copying over and viewing your images. But neither has a full-blown keyboard. If you're first buying a laptop, and intend to travel with it, I suggest going for the smallest one you can. Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony all have models under four pounds. A laptop provides several additional advantages. For one thing, you can see your pictures on a big screen-to view how you're doing, and if you see any problems you want to correct with your exposure, for example, or if your pictures are being affected by dirt. For another thing, you can properly label your folders, so you know which pictures were taken where. Most newer laptops have integrated memory card readers, but otherwise, you can buy a small external card reader. For the wire-free approach, use a PC Card slot adapter for your memory card; and invest in a 32-bit Cardbus adapter (Delkin and Lexar Media offer these), for speedier transfers. Nothing's worse than coming back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing, and needing to stay awake another 40 minutes just to off -load two 1 GB cards, at about 20 minutes a pop. If you bring a laptop, I also suggest investing in a portable hard drive. A portable hard drive can serve multiple purposes: It can be a means of backing up your photos on the go; a means of giving you a way to take your photos with you if you have to leave your laptop unattended; and a means of expansion, if you somehow manage to fill up your laptop's built-in hard disk. If you don't want to bring a laptop, and already have an Apple iPod, Belkin sells an attachment for using your iPod with memory cards; or, consider the pricey units from Nikon and Epson. And if you're in a bind, remember you can always buy memory overseas. I was surprised that when I went to Europe, the prices were high, but not so outrageously so that I wouldn't buy another card if I were in a bind. Cards were more readily available, too, than they were when I last traveled through Europe three years ago. Look at it this way: Even if you overpay on the card, you can still reuse it-which beats overpaying for a single use 35mm film cartridge when you were in a bind in years' past.

Be prepared for problems. Things happen when you travel and I've had more things go awry carrying my digital SLR than I have had with my 35mm over the years. Lens paper is always useful to have on hand, but if you have a digital SLR, another supply is absolutely critical: An air blower bulb, to blast out the dust and dirt that will inevitably get trapped inside your camera. I never had problems with my 35mm SLR, but with my digital SLR, I constantly find dirt gets trapped inside, when I change lenses. And there's nothing worse than having a splotch marring your otherwise awesome shots. Finally, remember the philosophy of redundancy. Whether your battery dies and you have no way to charge it, or you run out of space on your memory card(s), and don't want to buy another at a higher-than-usual price, I suggest packing a second camera if you can. A digital point and shoot is a good option but I usually carry a point and shoot 35mm to use if I run into any problems just so I won’t lose any precious pictures.

Getting Settled in Germany

2005-06-26T22:48:00.000+02:00

One of the first things you have to do when you move to Germany is to find the right kind of housing. Obviously the decision you make depends a lot on where you live and whether you move over all by yourself or with your family. Often you can start looking for housing before you actually move to the new country. If you know where you are moving to, you can just move to the city's homepage. These sites often provide information about their real estate market. Moreover, you can contact your employer in Germany (if you have one) and ask him to help you find an appartment or a house. Companies that hire foreigner in many cases have a network of landlords they work with or even own some places where their employees can move into.

If you are looking for a place yourself, you should be aware that their are some basic differences between renting in the States and renting a place in Germany. First of all, most German appartments come without any furniture and applicances. This means: no refrigerator, no freezer, no sink - nothing. This is due to the fact that people simply take everything with them when they move out. If you know that you will live in that place for a longer period of time, the best idea is to go out and buy you own furniture. If you will only stay in one place for a few weeks or months, you should look for "moebelierte Appartments" (furnished places). They are advised in special sections in the local newspapers.

As soon as you have found a place, you should talk with the landlord and make sure that you understand all the conditions of the contract. Ask him whether you have to renovate the appartment, before you move in or before you move out. This is a common practice in Germany. Then you should ask him, which services are included in the rent: cable TV, water, and general utilities for the whole house like insurance, street cleaning and the chimney sweeper are normally included in the rent. You have to come up with the money for your electricity and heat. Ask the landlord, which gas/electricity company he is using. You have to call them yourself and set up a new account. Normally you pay a flatline per month, and after a year you either get money back or have to make a supplementary payment. Utilities (gas and electriciy) can vary between $60 and $120 depending on where you live and how many people live in your appartment.

Another fee you probably have to pay is the fee for phone and internet. The major German phone company is Telekom (www.telekom.de). They provide you with phone and internet service. The basic fee for a phone line is about $20 and the fee for DSL-Internet and flatrate is about $40 a month. If your landlord doesn't include cable tv in the rent and you want to be able to watch BBC and CNN, you have to pay approximately $15 per month for the cable bill. One last thing you should keep in mind before signing the contract is how much advanced notice you have to give your landlord before moving out. Normally, you have to tell him 3 months in advance. Only if you find someone who would take over your place, can you move out earlier.