General: Germany

Today’s my last day at work in Germany. A year after I arrived, I have to say good bye to my colleagues, pack up my belongings and jump on a BA flight back to Manchester. I’ll be taking a break for the next few weeks as I get back to life in the UK, so what better way than to step down, temporarily at least, than with an op on the place I currently call home?


GETTING TO GERMANY

With flights from 60 GBP return, ...
...and visit the country. If you can’t (or won’t) fly, you can drive, or come by train or coach. The main airport is Frankfurt international, but along with this there are also many regional ones (Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart) and thousands of little ones. If I wasn’t fussy about my destination I could chose to fly from any one of a dozen airports within 2 hours of my home (though some, it must be said, are in neighbouring countries). ... more

Today’s my last day at work in Germany. A year after I arrived, I have to say good bye to my colleagues, pack up my belongings and jump on a BA flight back to Manchester. I’ll be taking a break for the next few weeks as I get back to life in the UK, so what better way than to step down, temporarily at least, than with an op on the place I currently call home?

GETTING TO GERMANY

With flights from 60 GBP return, there’s never been a better time than now to come and visit the country. If you can’t (or won’t) fly, you can drive, or come by train or coach. The main airport is Frankfurt international, but along with this there are also many regional ones (Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart) and thousands of little ones. If I wasn’t fussy about my destination I could chose to fly from any one of a dozen airports within 2 hours of my home (though some, it must be said, are in neighbouring countries). Getting around Germany is easy too, as there’s a fairly complex public transport system, with buses and trains operating 24/7 locally and nationally.

WHAT TO DO IN GERMANY

I’ve spent coming up to 2 years of my life in the country, but there’s still lots of places I’ve not been. Some suggestions though:

• The Heidelbeger Schloß – a castle reached by one of the world’s oldest funicular railways. While you’re in the area, check out the old town, the university (one of the oldest) and the funky student prison.

• Do a cathedral tour – the ones to be found in Berlin are ok, but for outstanding architecture you need to head south, to Worms, Mainz and Speyer among other places. All 3 towns also have an array of other sites on offer, so you can easily spend a day or two exploring. They’re also more “German” than a lot of the larger cities, giving you a real feel for the country

• Spend some time exploring the many museums the country has to offer – some of the art galleries are spectacular, and many of the specialist museums – such as the chocolate one in Köln, or the Women’s one in Bonn – are well worth a visit if you have a vested interest in the subject. Almost all places have guides available in English, be these paper or audio.

• Chill out in one of the country’s large, sprawling parks. One of the best (and most well known) has to be Munich’s English Garden, a true oasis in the middle of the city. Have an ice cream, hire a boat or just wander around enjoying the chance to relax.

• Indulge in a visit to a theme- or film-park. Babelsberg near Berlin is terrific, and the Bavaria Film Stadt would probably thrill school age kids. Europa Park is a good all round theme park, and though I’ve not been, I hear the Warner Brothers Park up in Bottrop is worth a visit.

• Go to Berlin and be amazed at the contrast with more western cities, even all these years after the wall came down.

• Do everything your guide book suggests for the region you’re visiting, but then take a day off and see the “real” Germany – head to a smaller town near by and spend the day wandering, nosing in the shops, exploring any local sites, eating in places where you’re the only foreigners.

WHERE TO STAY IN GERMANY

As with any civilized country, Germany has accommodations to suit all pockets. At the lowest end there are youth hostels, though these quickly fill up in summer, so book in advance. Age and/ or hostel association membership requirements may apply. An alternative is to take a private room in someone’s house – tourist offices have details. Usually someone will have 2 – 5 rooms on offer, with either running water (and a shower etc on the floor) or ensuite. Breakfast is usually provided, and at about 12 Euros per person per night, this can be a very economical option. Next up there are Pensions, a bit like B&Bs, though standards vary dramatically. A Hotel Garni is one which only serves breakfast and perhaps snacks – not having a main restaurant as such. Again, levels of service and facilities are wide ranging, and the fantastic Sheraton we stayed at in Munich had this classification. Hotels come with usual international *classification and associated prices. Larger cities also have apartments to rent, and smaller places may have a list of holiday flats and houses, perfect if you’ve a big group and/or need to cater for special diets / like the freedom of being on your own. My family stayed in one when they visited for Christmas, and found it more than adequate, plus cheaper (and more convenient) than staying in a hotel. In more rural place, farms often offer rooms and breakfast in a similar way to Pensions.

FREE TIME IN GERMANY

I go to the cinema all the time – it’s educational since it’s in another language, and it’s fun. Apart from the fantastic “Good Bye, Lenin!”, all the films I’ve seen here have been American ones though. I go to the dubbed showings, though you can get OV, or “Original Version” ones too (I saw one of these once – “Two Week’s Notice” when ze ozzer half was last here due to his complete and utter lack of German skills – but I felt like a fraud. Interestingly enough, though, we were the only Brits there – the others were local Germans who just wanted to see the film in English).

In summer they have lots of open-air performances –theatre but also cinema. These start when it gets dark (around 10pm) and are like American style drive ins without the cars – just a bunch of people on blankets watching a film play on a large screen. They’re always fun, but best when you have a large group – say a dozen people – and make a party of it. If you visit in summer, ask your local tourist office for tips as there are usually some English language performances on offer.

Fireworks are also big here – we have ones in Heidelberg 3 times a year, and on those nights everyone flocks to see them and the banks of the river are packed. Assuming it doesn’t rain. Which handily leads me on to….

WEATHER IN GERMANY

Today it’s raining. First time in about 3 months, too. If you think England’s been hot recently, you should have seen it here. 42 C was not unusual these past few months which, when combined with an un-air-conditioned office, a couple of half-hearted fans and a lot of whinging Germans, was not all that fun. Contrast this with winter though – 20 years in England, but it was my first November here that I needed to buy a scarf and gloves. Temperatures dropped steadily from October onwards, and by mid-winter you couldn’t dip an unprotected finger outside for fear of it falling off. Pack for stereotypical weather – blustery autumns, fresh but chilly springs - and you should be fine.

SEASONS IN GERMANY

Germany has a lot going on throughout the year, but the most well known event is the Christmas Markets. Almost every city now has one, but the best are found in the region I live in. Stalls line the main street and all the squares, offering handicrafts, home made cakes, household goods and so on. Others sell food to enjoy as you browse – sausages, pizza, candy floss, bretzels. Others still offer drinks to keep you warm, including the ever-popular Glühwein. There are carol singers, impromptu shows and rides for the kids. They last from November to Christmas Eve, and are a must if you’re in the country at that time.

Smaller “Fests” take place all year round, with the stogy winter food giving way to ice cream and crepes. In Spring, Summer and Autumn there are also Jazz festivals, film festivals, theatre festivals. There’s always something on. Again, ask at the tourist office when you arrive to make sure you know about everything that’ll be happening during your stay-

SHOPPING IN GERMANY

Recent changes to the law now mean shops can open late Monday – Saturday, and many take advantage of this, with 9-9 being typical shopping hours. On Sundays most places shut, but touristy shops, and those in airports and railway stations still open. Prices are reasonable throughout the country – I buy clothes here and get Debenhams quality for New Look prices. Electrical goods can also be cheaper, though it’s a bit far to come just to buy yourself a new plasma TV. Credit cards are widely accepted, but for cash you need Euros, not pounds and not any old Deutschmarks you have lying around. An interesting (or not) point to make – in supermarkets carrier bags are not free (though plastic and fabric ones can be bought at the checkout). In other shops, though, they are. Funny that.

FOOD IN GERMANY

Luckily for someone with my diet, German food, though it exists, isn’t the only sort available here. Though you should try local delicacies given the chance, if you’re unadventurous you’ll also find a wide choice of Italian, Chinese, French and even British food available. The cakes here are amazing, as are the ice creams, chocolates and sweets. It’s not a good country to be in when you’re on a diet. (I got my leaving presents from work yesterday – my contract ends today – and they’d bought me 5kg of chocolate, all stuff I love dearly and struggle to find in England. How much of it will remain by Wednesday when I fly home, though, is a different matter).

PEOPLE IN GERMANY

I like my gym. It’s a bright, friendly place, full of real-live Germans to chat to. Best of all, it’s opposite my work bus stop and within 10 min walk of home so I’ve no excuse not to go every day. My trainer there is, however, different. German but married to a Brit he comes out with “Hello England” every time I arrive. Sometimes I even get a “How’s Mr Blair?” thrown in too.

Most Germans, when you manage to find them, are much more normal. A little formal, perhaps (you shake hands with everyone. All the time. Including, in a lot of instances, colleagues, people in shops (!) and your friends), but nice. Knowing that German isn’t the foreign first language learnt by the majority of pupils in western Europe, they appreciate you trying to speak it. A scary number speak excellent English though – I went to the bakers the other day to find the assistant (German) chatting away with a customer (American). Can you imagine the staff of Gregg’s being able to do that in a different language? Nope, I didn’t think so.

GOING OUT IN GERMANY

“Night-club” is a bit of a dirty word here. Literally – most establishments with that sort of name are a bit seedy, more like some of the worse lap dancing places at home. For a cleaner evening out, you head to the disco. Bless. The first time I heard that I was reminded of the YMCA on Friday nights – while we trained in the gym, on the other side of the door a roller disco would be taking place, complete with slush puppies and underage smoking. But yes, the Germans like to go to discos. They also like to drink, but not the way people at home do. The only pubs near here are Irish ones. There are bars (beer bars, not wine bars) but most older people get together in local hotels or guest houses for their evening’s drinking.

SPORT IN GERMANY

They’re fit people, these Germans. Green, too, which kinda goes together – why drive when you can walk or cycle? Every little town and all the larger cities have sports clubs, plural, offering everything from football to ice skating – something that is popular with “amateurs” too during the winter months. In summer the focus moves to water – within 30 minutes of where I live there are 5 outdoor pool complexes which open from April to October. In other areas there are lakes and rivers to swim in, and go far enough north and you’ll find the coast. Now a little sports story to end with:

After 3 months living in an All Inclusive Spanish resort, the first thing I did on moving to Germany was investigate the sport possibilities nearby. Out of shape and over-fed, I was not a happy bunny. I happened across the local center which offered an interesting mix of ballroom dancing, football and aerobics among other things, but at only 10 GBP per month for as many classes as I wanted, there was nothing to lose by signing up. Or so I thought.

Each class was supposed to be run by a different teacher, but scheduling conflicts and, rumour has it, a few hissy fits, had lead to most of them quitting. Instead, each and every session, from step aerobics to body forming, was run by the same one woman. Her name was Gertrude and she was around 35. Long, pale blond hair spilled down her back and draped itself over her shoulders. She was pale herself too, with icy blue eyes that glowered behind evil looking brown librarian glasses. A thin, whispy thing, she favoured loose clothes for both daily life and her evening classes and was of the opinion that she would get us – and our Chi – centred and calm, whether we liked it or not. The first few classes were fine – a bit low impact, perhaps, but do-able. Then, on the Friday of my first week, I went to what was dubbed as “BBP” – Bauch, Beine, Po, or “Tums, Legs, and Bums”.

The class was scheduled to last an hour but after 45 minutes it seemed to be over. We were stretching on the floor when she suddenly dimmed the lights and ordered us to close our eyes. Then, walking around the room, weaving in and out of our frigid with fear of what was coming bodies, she began to talk. Now that our bodies had had their exercise, she explained, it was time to stretch our minds, so she was going to “take them for a walk”. With her as our guide we “wandered” into a forest, following a slow flowing brook as made our way deeper and deeper inside. We “saw” all sorts of wildlife, from bears (friendly I hope) to butterflies (“flitting here and there, not a care in the world”). We “walked” further, climbing over tree trunks, dodging under branches, following an intricate path that only she seemed to be able to pick out. Eventually we came to a clearing where we sat down for a rest. A moment later she rose up, and told us that her job was over, and that we would need to find our own way home again. Leaving us to “return” from the forest to the sports hall we’d left behind, she switched on the lights, collected her bags and left.

The next day I joined a gym.
 

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