A Hidden Concert
in a Berlin Warehouse
It is a chilly Sunday evening in Berlin. Late October and the trees have shaken off their leaves. I shuffle my feet through piles of golden yellow and approach two steel doors with graffiti scrawled on them. Two smokers huddle in the cold, shifting from one foot to the other, trying to stay warm. I go inside. A man with a white head of hair runs his finger down a list, stops and draws a line through my name. He hands me a chit of...
“Next Train Game” – Aachen, Germany
My favorite thing to do when traveling is – play the “Next Train Game”. As a traveler it can become monotonous waiting for the train to so-and-so place at so-and-so time. I don’t want to spend my time waiting to travel, I want to be traveling each and every moment I possibly can, and as a spontaneous and impatient person meticulous planning isn’t for me! So, I came up with a little game to keep things fast paced and exciting....
Oktoberfest!
7 tips on how to make the most of Oktoberfest This Saturday, September 21, Oktoberfest will open its gates for the 180th time with the famous words “O’zapt is!” (It’s tapped!). If you want to experience it like a local, here are seven tips on how to make the most of what Germans call “Wiesn”. The perfect outfit A dirndl dress for the “Madln” (Bavarian for girls) and leather trousers (Lederhos’n) for the “Buam” (Bavarian for...
27 Michelin Stars for Berlin and Hamburg
(December 19, 2011) – Northern Germany’s top chefs in Berlin and Hamburg continue to rack up Michelin stars, firmly establishing the two cities at the top of the country’s gourmet food chain. Their young, inventive and creative chefs have solidified the trend toward a modernized, German cuisine with local recipes and strong regional influences. Both Berlin and Hamburg ascended to new culinary heights with two new 2-star restaurants in...
Cologne Revisited
The train shudders as it crosses the bridge to Cologne. Barges and cruise ships pass below on the Rhine. Cologne straddles the river for miles; a million plus citizens call it home. Koeln Hauptbahnhof is one of Germany’s major train stations, its tracks spreading like spaghetti underneath a giant glass roof. I’m lost in a sea of people — 280,000 travelers squeeze through here daily. The aroma of fresh bread and smoked meats greet me;...
Catch World Cup Fever in Germany
Eurail Group G.I.E. wants to alert travelers to Europe, especially ardent soccer fans on their way to the Women’s World Cup Soccer in Germany, that Eurail Passes continue to offer great value for money and provide tremendous flexibility in planning itineraries for travel throughout Europe. Germany, its people known for their hospitality and love of soccer, is ready to welcome FIFA World Cup fans and to introduce travelers to its...
The Toy Museum in Munich
Standing in the historical center of Munich, the Marienplatz, while looking at the massive Rathaus, I got a first impression of toys at play. Every hour, the Glockenspiel chimes and out comes the figurines of Bavarians dressed in traditional clothing, dancing high up in the bell tower. They are mechanical toys of the highest quality and never fail to delight the huge crowd of locals and tourists alike who gather on the Marienplatz to...
Potato sculpture in Munich
What to do on a rainy day in Munich? I looked at the information leaflet I had picked up at the Tourist Information Centre on Marienplatz and found, to my delight, two quirky sounding museums. One was the Nachttopf Museum (chamber pot museum) and the other the Kartoffelmuseum. (Potato museum). Chamberpots first I decided and set off. It wasn’t easy to find, but when I arrived, slightly soaked and in need of…you know what,...
Architecture and More in Dusselforf
Apart from it being Germany’s richest city, the nation’s advertising and fashion capital (where Claudia Schiffer was discovered), and the hub of many Japanese corporations and banks, it’s also a city of eclectic art — ultimates and extremes, a sensational mix of over-the-top, old and new. Radical architecture dominates the Media Harbour were, instead of warehouses and silos, stand edgy art installations designed by...
ITKT Interviews Munich (video podcast)
Maryl Celiz gets a few answers from Munich’s rep, Mary Phillips at the Visit Europe Media Exchange held in Los Angeles. Munich is known for its great food and beer. Can you say Octoberfest? I have. It may have been a while, but I remember the suds overflowing. Not just from the ample hands of the Octoberfest waitresses, but from the me as well. This podcast was produced by Wayfarer Digital for In The Know Traveler. To see our...
