Blogs from Germany, Europe - page 6

4 a.m. is early no matter where you are in the world. That’s what time I woke up this morning. Since we did laundry last night and had clothing hung all over the room, I had to wait until this morning to pack. We were able to pack, tidy up our room, pack a lunch (thank you mom for doing that), and still make it to the main bus stop on time. We took the bus from Hradec Králové to Prague without a problem. Then we realized that the bus to Germany didn’t come to the same station. We had to take the subway to Florenc in order to catch the next bus. We’re acquired a steep learning curve and actually purchased our subway tickets before getting on the subway this time. Of course, we didn’t ... read more

Lützen as it was for us in 2002 Lützen is a town in Saxony-Anhalt. We were fortunate to visit this town in August of 2002. It happened quite occasionally – we drove from the Polish-German border at Frankfurt am Oder to Karlsruhe. We decided to stay for a night not far from Leipzig. Lutzen is located only 18 km south from Leipzig we choose it for a short stay. We knew nothing about it but the next morning at breakfast the owner of the small hotel told us that Lutzen was famous by two battles which occurred at it in 1632 and 1813. He was proud of his city that was the scene of two famous battles: The Battle of Lützen in the Thirty Years' War, in which Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden defeated Albrecht von Wallenstein. ... read more

Day 2 After a night of restless sleep, we pulled ourselves up around 11am. This gave us just enough time to grab a quick starbucks and currywurst before our alternative berin tour. This one started in Alexanderplatz, in a more discrete location. Fortunately, google maps saved the day and pointed us to the right location. It is pricy getting a roaming data plan, but I admit that it's come in handy during times like these. At 1pm, a cheery Californian tour guide led us on our tour of Berlin's graffiti and local art scenes. First, we walked along the Mitte neighborhood. He pointed our notable pieces of graffiti by famous artists such as El Bocho (and his crazy lucy and her cat), and Alice. We wrapped up the Mitte portion of the tour at the graffiti ... read more

Rapebook facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/StopRapebook?ref=hl What is 'Rapebook's purpose? The 'Rapebook' page is for the purpose of protesting against facebooks tolerance of content containing hate against women, which we have reported to facebook repeatedly and persistently. I am Admin MF Posted by me on various facebook groups and pages. Our friend, has logged off in protest, against facebooks seeming lack of interest in ensuring a safe and healthy environment for its users. Posted on 'Rapebook' by me ''You people really are censorship freaks aren't you? Whew.''... read more

“Black Forest? Isn’t that a cake?” Tasting the cherry torte at its birthplace was of course on our agenda when we set out for Black Forest but one of its ingredients held out a special promise. At a little café adjoining the end-of-line railway station at Seebrugg we order kirschwasser, literally translated cherry water. The waiter seems surprised. The liquor distilled from cherries is usually drunk after a meal. Well, we could use some to help digest the duck we ate on the way at Freiburg. Freiburg im Breisgau, an important town in the Black Forest region, was surprisingly sunny. A wedding ceremony on the cobbled square before the town hall; shoppers exploring the small town with big brands; and the tower of the legendary church presiding over it all. After a brief stroll and quick ... read more

Having lived in West Berlin in the mid-eighties, this fabulous city has always had a place in my heart. Historical, vibrant, and always moving, it is a must see for anyone wanting to experience something a little different. History buff, party animal or seasoned traveller will find a gem to entertain them. Nite clubs in the old eastern side of town, the wide open park spaces and waterfronts, to the awful historical truth of the Mitte district are just scratching the surface of Germanys' capital . From the Topography of Terrors, to the Stasi headquarters, the Olympic Stadium, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the Wansee and the Matrix Club are only the start.There are many wonderful eateries all over town, from homegrown currywurst (a personal favourite of mine and my wife) to international cuisine and ... read more

We flew out of New York after a delicious lunch in K-town, a harrowing missed stop on NJ Transit, and a mad dash through Newark. United was actually quite comfortable, and we watched Wreck It Ralph on those tiny chair monitors. But since this was a red-eye (flying out of NY at 7, landing in Berlin at 9) we tried to get at least a couple of hours of uncomfortable sleep in coach. Berlin-tegal airport is small, but we were quickly introduced to the great public transit system. At 6,50 Euro a day we got unlimited rides on double decker buses and trains. They were clean, ran often, and had (accurate!) electronic displays that showed wait-times. It was a rather quick ride to Artotel, our hotel in Berlin, which certainly lives up to its name: we ... read more

FRIDAY 4 a.m. is early no matter where you are in the world. That’s what time I woke up this morning. Since we did laundry last night and had clothing hung all over the room, I had to wait until this morning to pack. We were able to pack, tidy up our room, pack a lunch (thank you mom for doing that), and still make it to the main bus stop on time. We took the bus from Hradec Králové to Prague without a problem. Then we realized that the bus to Germany didn’t come to the same station. We had to take the subway to Florenc in order to catch the next bus. We’re acquired a steep learning curve and actually purchased our subway tickets before getting on the subway this time. Of course, we ... read more