19 Comments

  1. Mariella
    February 23, 2013 @ 8:57 pm

    I know you wrote this like forever ago, but I cannot begin to tell you how glad I am that somebody has been arguing that case. You are absolutely right, Germany is MUCH MORE than Bavaria and Berlin, and I am very tired of being asked about Lederhosen and Oktoberfest when I’m abroad, because that is as different and strange for me as it is to any non-German. Instead I love my Labskaus and the tides in the North Sea. So thank you for this post!!

    • Andrew
      February 24, 2013 @ 8:27 pm

      I am glad you read it. I really like Germany and how regionally different it is. There are a few posts on my other travel site in Frankfurt if you are interested. http://ctrl-alt-travel.com/europe/germany/applewine-tavern-lunch-in-frankfurt/ for example.

      The north is a place I know so little about. I spent some time many years ago in Hamburg, but since then mostly in Baden. What is Labskaus? Where are you from?

      • Mariella
        February 25, 2013 @ 2:26 am

        I am from Hamburg. Labskaus is a traditional dish there based on mashed poatoes, beetroot and corned beef with pickles and herring in it. Strange, but good. Freaky looking. Not as easy to sell as Schnitzel or Spätzle I’m sure… The North is absolutely worth going to. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is my favorite Bundesland – have you been?

  2. Victor
    November 5, 2011 @ 7:15 pm

    Yes, Trier… We have been there only one night, but what a photos… night photos. I have published them in my travel blog 🙂

    • Andrew
      November 7, 2011 @ 7:08 pm

      I like Trier, but haven’t been in so many years.

  3. Lovewhereulive
    November 16, 2010 @ 4:57 am

    Just by chance I found your blog, when I googled expat in Freiburg. I plan to be one as well in another year. Being married to a Freiburger I saw this day coming and as much as I am excited, I am also terrified to leave my hometown of NYC! My love for Freiburg is deep so I hope I won’t be too terribly homesick. Thank you for this blog, I find it very comforting to hear your excitement.

    • Andrew
      November 17, 2010 @ 7:02 pm

      Ooo cool. Welcome. Freiburg is pretty cool. And there are a number of english speakers here if you want in on that scene. Go into town on a sunny Saturday and the center is at least as packed as a normal block of NYC. Though it only extends a block in either direction. I like NYC for the european flair of it, but Freiburg is still way smaller.
      I hope you enjoy it when you get here. Certainly keep in touch as the time gets closer.

  4. Andrew
    August 23, 2010 @ 5:53 am

    I kind of think the Germans are good about visiting their own country and the edge bits get people from the neighboring countries. Just the rest of the world has yet to discover this place. Thanks for the comment.

  5. Anonymous
    August 22, 2010 @ 2:37 pm

    I have been to some of these places and others were new so thanks! Germany SHOULD have more people visiting. After being in places like Koblenz or towns like Fulda and Tecklenburg, you realize just how much potential there is for tourism that no one is taking advantage of at the moment.

  6. Andrew
    August 22, 2010 @ 12:36 pm

    Indeed. I was talking to a tour guide on one of the group tours asking him about why he thought there weren’t more tours here. We kind of guessed that people with limited time just pick warm or drinking(hence Berlin/Munich). And that the romanticism PR of Germany is low compared to Italy or France.

    Yeah, even I noticed while writing this how little I have been to other places here. There are whole sections that I haven’t seen enough to even write about. My list is getting longer too.

  7. Andrew
    August 22, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

    I know Deutsche Welle, but what is Hin und Weg? It sounds interesting from the name.

  8. Andrew
    August 22, 2010 @ 12:30 pm

    Thanks. Yes you do need to see more Germany. Come, visit, travel.

  9. Andrew
    August 22, 2010 @ 12:29 pm

    Hmm.. yes Bavaria is part of southern germany. The other parts are Baden, where I live, and Schwabenland (these two make up the state of Baden-Würtemburg, but are different culturally. Each has a distinct feel to it, as does each area within the region. To generalize though, I find the southern german pace to be slower and more relaxed, but remember this is still germany it is not latin-style relaxed. Linguistically the dialects are softer and slur more than the harder edge further north. More fish is along the coast than down next to the mountains. I really haven’t traveled much in the north though.
    .

  10. Andrew
    August 22, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

    Wow an impressive breadth of countries on a motorbike. Glad you enjoy coming here, although Germany has its share of rude and unpleasant people as well. Despite which it is an oft overlooked place to be.

  11. Jen
    August 22, 2010 @ 3:45 am

    I’m so glad to see this post and that you mentioned Aachen and Bamberg, both really wonderful towns. It totally frustrates me that Americans only see Germany as “Bavaria.” One only has to read up on German history a bit to realize that this country is a fascinating and endless treasure trove. My list of German places to go keeps getting longer and longer. 🙂

  12. Wildflower Inspiration
    August 21, 2010 @ 11:53 pm

    I loved Germany. We lived in the UK and did quite a few short trips as well as a couple of longer ones. On the weekend trips we would do the bigger cities, but on the longer trips we would head for all the little villages and towns. There is so much history and culture. We now live on the other side of the world but still have a tendency to watch Deutche Welle – Hin und Weg. Every time we watch an episode we add more places that we want to see.

  13. Ali
    August 21, 2010 @ 10:58 pm

    Ok I definitely need to see more of Germany since I’ve only spent a few days going through Munich, Rothenburg and Heidelberg….and it was about 14 years ago. Great pictures!!

  14. WanderingTrader
    August 21, 2010 @ 9:22 pm

    loved the article.. what are your thoughts on the differences between northern and southern Germany (bavaria?)

  15. Ivo Jonker
    August 20, 2010 @ 10:55 pm

    I travelled the whole of Europe, from Norway to Greece, from Scotland to Rumania, on my motorbike, and indeed: Germany is a very beautiful country. Better stil: the people are friendly, polite and welcoming. In fact, after my travels I decided that the Germans are my favorite people.