Travel Germany Tourism

The Holocaust was Hitler's final solution for German dominance of the world. With this final solution, death camps were built so as to purge their country of "lesser mortals". The concentration camp in this country's town, Bad Arolsen, holds vital information on almost 17 million Holocaust victims. Its government is planning to make the archives contained within this death camp's vaults accessible to the general public. They have stated that it is for the dissemination of actual information so as to help future generations know of the stupidity of wars and racism.

With information on demand now a possibility due to digital information technology, people are getting smarter and smarter by the damn generation! But this is not only because of faster and easier information access. It would more be due to the volume of information that has been accumulated from centuries of human existence. With this, the connection between brain size and intelligence can be noted. A larger brain would be needed to hold larger volumes of information. But diet also plays an important role on intelligence. With this, recent studies have shown that the smartest people could be found in Germany.

Medical scientists and researchers have reported that among the people of the world, Germans are the smartest. This was from several tests a team of researchers have conducted on European countries. Germans topped the test results, garnering a 107-point average. I think it's more because of German culture that triggers them to be the smartest people on the planet. This is because some of the smartest persons in this world are from Germany, and culture could probably be seen as the prime cause of this. But the team of researchers that made this study have noted that diet plays a more important role than culture.

A German diet consists of almost the same food stuff to be found on any country. So how in hell could they actually be smarter than other people?! But the medical scientists and researchers who have found that Germans are the smartest people on the planet have noticed a larger brain size for Europeans living in the northern areas of the continent. A university professor known as Lynn has stated that colder regions of the planet produce people with larger brains. This is because of the need to eat animal meat since plant life is rather scarce in these areas. With meat stuff, you get more protein, and protein is generally for the brain. With this, I think a trip to Germany would be more of an educational venture than a leisurely one.

If you want a tasty gourmet meal, you would have to take a trip to France so as to experience the best when it comes to gourmet cuisine. If you're in Germany, chances are, you're expecting to hop on a ride on one of their famous world-class cars, and drive at breakneck speeds on their famous lonely highway roads. But you certainly would never expect to get damn good burritos from this part of the world, you know. Yet, I think burritos just found the way to Berlin!

This is exactly what two investors have brought to Berlin. Dolores, Germany's first burrito shop, seeks to take good Californian fast-food dining to this part of the damn planet! So the world famous Frankfurts and Vienna sausages of Germany now has a worthy contender when it comes to easy outdoor dining, don't you think? This burrito shop is at the actual corners of the streets Münz and Rosa Luxemburg. Plus, it stands not in the midst of palm trees, but in avocado trees!

Yes, the owners of this shop, namely Grischa Coenen and Philipp Krahé, are the first people in Germany to own a burrito shop! Not only that, but it is actually the first and foremost burrito shop in the history of Germany! But the owners have stated that in running a business in a country, just the right planning is needed for the job. After all, burritos thrive on smashed-up avocados, better known as guacamole. So it would take more than just export resources for this one, you know.

This group seems to have a thing with beef fillets and other gourmet stuff, police have told reporters. This is because this group, who are composed of about 30 people or so, have robbed several gourmet shops and restaurants for the last few months, always taking the beef fillets with them. The Kobe gourmet shop has reported that only the beef fillets were taken by this group when it was robbed early this week.

Recent events have baffled the authorities back in Germany. A group dressed in superhero costumes has robbed several chains of restaurants and gourmet shops in Hamburg. People are saying that Robin Hood and his Merrymen have been brought back to life, and that they are now making a statement on the uneven distribution of wealth in this country. Robin Hood and his Merrymen in Germany? Plus, in this modern information age? You've got to be putting one on me!

People have also told reporters that this series of gourmet shop and restaurant robberies in Hamburg are the group's idea of making the whole world see the inequality in Germany. While some people are dining in classy joints such as gourmet restaurants, half of this country's population is happy with bread and fish on their plates each and every day. Much like what we have here, don't you think?

In classical times, the names Beethoven, Mozart, Wolfgang, and Bach would definitely ring more bells than a cathedral on a wedding day. These musicians have defined how music is being created today, and their music would stay well within our minds' ears more than it would in our minds' eyes. Even a damn rock concert would lose its audience with a performance from anyone of these classical giants!

There have also been many European musicians that have made it big in these modern times. If we have Jimi Hendrix, then our Brit friends have the Beatles to boot! But, I think we just don't have a classical musician worthy of being put up in the ranks of these European classical giants. A German classical genius, who goes by the name of Bach, has even an instrument that is being displayed for public viewing in the Leipzig Collegium.

The baroque German harpsichord is among the greatest musical creations humanity as seen and actually heard. It resonates sound more than a small orchestra would, with its 16-inch stop and its separate organ-styled pedal. When Bach moved on to hold a directorship position on the Collegium, about a dozen or so performances of this classical giant was done using this instrument. The Leipzig Collegium is now publicly displaying this instrument, and it would be worth about a year of tasty gourmet meals if you miss seeing it once your in Germany.

The world has suddenly turned too damn sick for me with this news! Yes, we have lots of actual information on cannibalism being done here and there in history, but I think the cases are around two centuries old. Of course, this would give anyone the idea that these cases are either a result of misinformation, or bad education the people back then were receiving at the time these instances happened. With this recent cannibalism case, I think you'd better monitor the information your kids have access to on cyberspace. Better yet, even monitor those handheld mobile gizmos they use for communication purposes with the outside world.

This is because German self-confessed cannibal, by the name of Armin Meiwes, used an advertisement placed on cyberspace so as to commit one of his wildest fantasies. In court, this sick bastard told of his sob story as a boy growing up without the attention and care of a father, and his childhood crackpot fantasies of a brother who would be forever with him. With this, he had this sick fantasy that eating up someone, preferably male, would make this person stay with him always and forever. Talk about sick, man! But what's even sicker is this certain Bernd-Jurgen Brandes, the victim who willingly answered the ad placed by the damn cannibal! It seems to be quite a sensational case since the old victim was a willing prey to the fantasies of this sick bastard. The entire act was caught on video, and the court would be using it as evidence to see whether the victim willingly obliged to the cannibalistic desires of Mr. Miles, or otherwise.

If there's one thing that our German friends do well, it's to anticipate great things to come! I once told a few friends of mine that being in the company of teary-eyed Germans is like being among prophets and seers! Yes, German people know when there's something which is worth their time to cry on, or make decisions on, and let alone celebrate! With this, the good German government has expressed their sincerest support on building a foundation for their communities regarding open source design and development.

Those people high up in the ranks of their government have also stated that with open source design and development, the software industry would be able to produce more quality applications both for their own needs as well as for the entire planet's. With this, they plan on building technical facilities in which to develop their people's open source design and development skills. I think they see digital information technology as something which could be manipulated for each purpose, and that the way to this customizability is open source design and development. This is mainly because with such a platform, people could fully customize an application regarding its security features, as well as its functionality. That is, keeping it open for all to modify, which would evidently make the programs more accessible, usable, and cost-effective!

I know being drunk may cause a person to see himself and the world as fresh and young-looking, but I think a newly formulated German beer just might actually be able to do this the literal way! Since beer is regarded as being a healthy drink if taken in moderation, what bad would it do if it is made to stop a person's aging process as well! I now believe that the heavens bless the human race time and again with such beautiful things, and beer is one of the things in history I see as an epitome of the outworldly combination of miracles and human ingenuity!

I even think the digital information platform known throughout the world as the internet comes a distant second when it comes to the invention of beer as the top innovations of past centuries. Well, now that there's a beer that's supposed to keep people young, then the internet just became the distant third! This German beer, called Bathbeer, can be either drunk or applied on the surface of the skin. I just hate the idea of the latter method, for it gives me the idea of drinking cosmetics! Nevertheless, I thank the heavens for the innovators of this beer didn't strip this drink off its necessary alcoholic content!

The world, as far as I can see it and through it, has certainly turned bonkers! With the advent of fast internet connections, we have equally fast-acting viruses, trojans, spyware, and hackers. With our energy resources being depleted by the minute, we spend twice as much of it! Plus, with the proliferation of the dreaded AIDS virus, or all those other sexually transmitted diseases, prostitution just turned legal in some countries, specifically in Germany! Well, this is not latest breaking news for most of us, but the idea that there are certain benefits you would be receiving from the German government in being a prostitute is indeed news! More so, losing certain benefits by not being one!

As one of the welfare states of the world, Germany has definitely taken one step ahead of its counterpart states in the European region. I think they even surpassed the absurdity of having heroin clinics and heroin addiction being treated as any other legal addiction. In the country's welfare provisions and laws, any woman aged 54 years and below who have not been formally employed for over, if not equal to, a year is subject to employment considerations in Germany's sex industry. If she doesn't do this, this poor woman would lose the unemployment benefits she is receiving from the government! The German government contends that this is a formidable solution for the growing unemployment rate of the country, and that the prostitutes are protected by certain laws and provisions that were set forth by the government specified for this employment post. A woman, not to be named for purposes of legality (and morality, I guess), has reported to have lost her unemployment benefits she has been receiving from the German government because she did not want to be a prostitute, and yet there were no other options regarding employment that were available for her to choose otherwise.

Over the weekend, I attended the Christening of my friend's first born to her half-German husband. She had been my friend since college, and up to now I am still wondering why we never got involved. Anyway, my friend chose me to be one of the godfathers during the baptismal rites. I now have a total of seven godchildren. Had her husband been of Italian descent, I could have pulled my Brando impersonation. What struck me was the name the father chose to give to the boy. They named him Alaric. I already expected it was German, but I have no idea about what the name meant. It was my first time hearing such name, which I personally find cute and very masculine at the same time.

I immediately consulted Uncle Google. I learned that Alaric was the name of a Visigoth king. Visigoth is Germanic tribe during the days of the Roman Empire. Alaric I led the tribe against Rome in August 410, which symbolized the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Generally you can call Alaric as the man who brought an end to the Roman Empire. I was able to speak to the father, who talks with a slightly-recognizable German accent. He told me that Alaric means "everybody's ruler." For their first born, which happens to be a boy, he wanted to give a name that would signify strength and courage. I think that by having the name of Alaric, my 7th godchild is bound for greatness.

Yes, folks, this is Germany and this is where World Cup fever is rising -- fast. But how come World Cup came into the picture when all we're talking about is the remains of spitted gum? Well, that becomes a major issue when the gum has the spit of a German celebrity player.

That's right. Germany's goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, or his saliva, rather, is probably the most priced commodity recently bought on an online auction. Yes, people, B-O-U-G-H-T! Can you believe a crap like that could amount to more than 500 euros?! Tsk, tsk. The extent of what people could do for their share of fame...

For those who are frequent patrons of E-bay and such money-making sites, there is no need to worry about being duped because the second-hand piece is claimed to be as authentic as George Michael being gay. According to reports, the finder had VIP access to a match, which enabled the person to roam around and pick up (not with bare hands, silly, but a hanky -- careful to preserve the spit) the spoils of the game. Obviously, the seller did not intend to be the keeper of the souvenir, but hey, with that high a bid for being a real sports vulture (literally speaking) for a day, no wonder many takers were inspired with their own abracadabras. Then again, it is still unsure whether the actual auction pushed through or the gum indeed contains Lehmann's DNA.

I was watching the movie Seven starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. There was this scene in the library that I remember very much because of the background music, a classical music to be specific. It was very comforting in the ears and gave me a feeling of relief. When I researched about the music, I learned it was the Air On A G String From Suite No.3 In D Bwv 1068 by master Johann Sebastian Bach. I loved the music so much that I bought a Bach Collection CD. I wasn't expecting I would be able to appreciate his other musical masterpiece like the Brandenburg Concerto, Sheep May Safely Graze, Gavotte From Suite No. 3 In D Major For Orchestra, and Harpsichord Concerto In E Major (1st Movement). It was because of Bach that I get to appreciate other classical masters like Mozart, Beethoven, and operas from Verdi and Puccini.

For me, Master Bach's works are still relevant in our times, just like the teachings of his fellow German Karl Marx. Bach was born into one of the most extraordinary musical families of all time. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a talented violinist and trumpeter. His interest in music sprung at the young age of 10. When he died at the age of 65, he was able to compose more than 1,000 works. This made him one of the greatest composer of the baroque period, and of all time.

There are lots of popular sights in Germany. Different cities have different attractions. The towering domes and castles are reminiscent of ancient times; the museums commemorate German artistry; the impressive buildings represent the future of the land; and the quaint countryside immortalizes modest and decent living. That concludes why Germany is a premier tourist destination in Europe.

How would you like to penetrate an honorary gate of freedom and unity? The gate who freed thousands of bottled souls! In 1989, history marks the fall of the Berlin Wall as the Brandenburg Gate stood witness to reunified East and West Germany.

The Brandenburg Gate is a powerful landmark in Berlin. The pillars retell the outbreak and triumph in German history. Its crowning glory is a bronze- plated goddess on chariot of four travelling horses. The sandstone gate is an entry not only to fine architectural delghts but to the unfolding of world civilization. Often, festivals, demostrations and various events take place on its ground.

Berlin locals hail it as their national treasure while tourists continue to pour in. What makes it different from other worthy tourist sight is the value it preserves a couple of decades back. It soars as a monumental pride for Germany's long-sought prayers of unity.

If history will be retold, of those castles and knights, the fine pieces of these fine structures were actually construed as a fortress from besiege and for defense during the clouts of the Middle Ages. With its turrets and high walls, it stood as a formidable opponent against army of assailants.

The castles are scattered in various architectural designs, all of which, corresponds with its natural abode. Walls are escalating and formidable in castles atop the mountains, while it also provides for an overlooking landscape. On the other hand, castles on the plains are usually surrounded by lakes, ponds or rivers.

There are no dragons in castles but this myth resembles to the idea of conquering the formidable walls. There are different strategies used to force the castle inhabitants out. Normally, it entails time until they run out of stocks or food. They sometimes build dams and tunnels to infiltrate the torch of defense. But these combat efforts sometimes end in withdrawal should all possible ways have been exhausted. Knights are tested not only of courage but willful determination.

These castles abounding the regions are one of the favorite tourist attractions in Germany. While we fathom Rapunzel to draw her hair down from the wall, castles are no longer just structures of romance and amusement but of revealing past. Of castles and knights, it certainly breathes of long-preserved exploits.

The world usually welcomes the forthcoming year with lavish celebrations and a party bash for friends and the family. In each part of the globe, there are diverse rituals but all the same, time passes by and another year unfolds. And then no matter how far we may be and how much we differ from one another, we submit under one age, one year.

In Germany, New Year's Eve entails a more intimate gathering. The New Year's Eve is sincerely for the family. Before the tick clocks to another time frame, they hold a toast normally with Sekt or champagne while everyone roars "Prostit Neujahr!" Soon, fireworks blaze to skies while they embrace another year.

Bleigiessen is a popular custom in Germany. It is a ritual observed in view of the occasion. Lead chunks are melted in a spoon heated by the candle. The molten lead is then transferred to a basin of cold water where its hardened remains will soon take shape. Each will determine what he or she makes out of the figure. They believe that the figure will lay a fate of what you'll be the next year.

Bleigiessen has gone so popular that Silvesterblei sets are commercialized, complete with package materials with guides and meanings for various shapes. This German custom actually amazes me. Whether its factual or a myth, whatever the results are, still the ritual binds the family closer.

In every event or occasion, eating is almost an inevitable tradition. In Germany, you'll enjoy varied specialties in different taste, smell and treats. All the same, guests are still summoned to a delectable dining experience.

In Christmas, along with the constant ringing of the bells, the air is filled with the aroma of baked apples and cookies, and so with the warm inviting flavors of fish or meat. It is as common as having the traditional turkey during the American Thanksgiving dinner. But in some instances, it varies in different German communities.

In rural regions, hunting and butchering a hog is common before the holiday season. This fresh and good meat is relished with potatoes, small dumplings (Spatzle) and kraut, and Metzelsuppe or soup from the broth you boiled your sausage in. But this meal entails a lot of preparation for cleaning, chopping and slicing of the hog, for which most family members and friends help out.

On the other hand, fish is a rather favorite serving in Catholic areas where and when there's a lavish supply. The Christmas table also includes pork roast and liver dumpling soup. In the last century, Wiener Schnitzel became popular. It is traditional to have cabbage (red or white) and Sauerkraut with mulled cider, beer and Gluhwein as favorite drinks. However, when supply or climate does not permit a fish or hog meal, goose is an equally sumptuous alternative. Goose fat or Gansefett with crackling served on a bread with salt is a delicacy aside from the goose egg and meat.
Although these specialties represent various traditions, what's important is to have family and friends together. May it be with goose, fish or hog, a lot of details and effort is placed behind every meal. The German holiday season is not just about the lavish celebration but the sentiments of unity and peace.

Germany that is once associated with the Axis power in World War I is now one of the pleasurevilles in Europe. Actually, it does not even compare to the carnage and truculence once attached and labeled to the German leader, Adolf Hitler. The towns personify a more quiet and progressive scenery in this fast-changing world.

A tourist in Germany may spend plenty of time in a strand of endless sight-seeing. We often hear about their famous landmarks and musuems situated in different cities. You may also take part in numerous events and holiday celebrations. But with all this fun, your body may also wear out from fatigue and so much excitement. So why not visit a resort spa and have a German holiday with your health?!

Verdant and serene, Baden-Baden resort spa is a fitting refuge for rest and meditation. Relax your body and free your mind from wearineess. Sitting at the foot of the Black Forest mountains, you mights as well indulge yourself in hot springs that contains salt and radon, and with a basking temperature at 70°C with. Mild, warm and reflective- these will surely enhance your circulation and flow.

In itself, it is natural health paradise for it also offers various treatments in musculo-skeletal and cardio-vascular illnesses; and gynaecological problems; nervous system disorders; psychosomatic fatigue as well as convalescence and infirmity. Who knows, that could also be a soul-enhancing experience!

You may be surprised to know that one of the important holiday celebrations in Germany is Easter. Why be surprised? Because while it is commonly celebrated worldwide, we always picture Germans to be rigid or stern. Perhaps that's how they are always presumed to be!

Like in other countries, Easter is the time when family are all the more closely-tied or bound. Same in Germany, during the holiday the family celebrates by having a fine meal afterwhich the egg-hunt begins. They look for the Easter Eggs hidden by the so-called Easter Bunny. Same tradition follows. They also have what they call the Easter walk. The family treads through the fields or wherever they make take the stride together.

In some communities in Germany like Bavaria, they anticipate the Easter celebration even before the sunrise. They lit fires mostly in open fields and they call it the Easter Fire. For them, this ritual emphasizes a belief in life against death. Soon after, with lighted candles at hand, they take the walk to the nearest church.

There are similar traditions and customs that other nations may associate with Germans like the Oktoberfest. It is not a celebration but more like a festival featuring race horses. The Oktoberfest is likewise celebrated in other parts of America. It displays a friendly pact between two nations that was once tight-fist rivals. Meanwhile, their Christmas celebration is not far other practices. They also uphold the ideals of St. Nikolaus, also known as the Santa Claus. It is the time when children has to prove themselves by sing a song or reciting a poem and so they receive gifts, all for displaying goodwill.

Sometimes it marvels afew to have their notions actually mislead by impressions. But isn't it fascinating to learn a little trivia, hopefully in course of understanding a unique culture more.

Now, tourists can finally set their feet onto the controversial bunker of German tyrant leader Adolf Hitler. It was officially distinguished on Thursday. The ruins of the underground shelter are located under a parking space, an apartment establishment, and a playground. The marker for the bunker shows graphics and photos plus a lineup of events written in English and German.

The bunker is no doubt the most denotative places in Germany. The organization that made the marking arrangements wanted people to know the truth. The ceremony is attended by Sergeant Misch, Hitler's bodyguard during the war. He's a witness to the Nazi leader's last days.

Earlier, it was reported that Berlin representatives are hesitant in having the bunker to the public because they anticipated that Nazi supporters might convert the historical site into a ground for pilgrimage. But amidst their reluctance, the truth about the underground shelter was let out. At this point in time, the bunker receives visitors from all over the world while the bunker guides are painstakingly disproving the myths about the historical site. True, it will be very difficult to let people see the real picture inside the thirty feet deep bunker, but given ample time, the story behind Hitler's death will surface the myths.