The Christmas Market in Bamberg, Germany was nothing short of enchanting. We first visited in the evening with one of Mr. Meena’s bosses and loved it so much we took the train back to enjoy it again the next week. We were quickly drawn to the smell of German bratwurst at the Christmas Market. The Bamberger Bratwurst is two long sausages on a slightly shorter bun; they are currently my second favorite bratwurst variety (after the Nuremberger bratwurst). Food in […]
Category: Germany
The Würzburg Christmas Markets.
Last Sunday we had our fourth German Christmas Market experience in the nearby city of Würzburg. We’ve visited the small market where we live in Schweinfurt as well as the markets in Munich and Nuremberg. I attempted to research what to do and see at the Würzburg Christmas Markets but I could find little other than the dates and the mention of a special artisans market. So we just had to go experience it for ourselves. It wasn’t surprising that […]
An American Goes to the Doctor in Germany.
I’ve had excruciating back pain for over a year now that manifests whenever I sit or stand for more than 30 minutes. It’s a pinpoint type of pain that radiates from my eighth vertebrae. I do okay if I’m walking quickly or lying down but that’s about it. As you can imagine, it puts quite a damper on our travels around Germany. We saw several doctors and I had so many tests done in America it would make your head […]
7 Tips for Visiting the Nuremberg Christmas Markets.
I especially loved the Nuremberg Christmas Markets because they had so many surprises to offer throughout the day. We arrived early (a big accomplishment!) and were startled when we heard several people speaking English. After a long time of not hearing anyone other than your spouse speaking English in public it feels like culture shock when you hear it. I even heard a lady talking with a southern accent and I wanted to go hug her. Of course, we had […]
8 Ways to Prepare for a Visit to Germany.
Last weekend we visited Munich and I couldn’t help but notice all the ways that a big German city is different from an American one. We’ve been living in Germany for three months now and these are my tips for adapting to the cultural differences during your visit here. 1) Expect to be pushed around – especially if you are in a bigger city. The average German will attempt to cut in front of you, push past you, or otherwise […]
40 Things I Saw on the Deutsche Bahn.
For a €14 ticket you can take the Bavarian regional train from Schweinfurt to Munich and see these things too. Windmills that disappear into the clouds. An altercation between impatient German women and an Italian because of the long bathroom line. Acres of allotment gardens. Hills hiding behind the heavy fog. A cart with drinks and snacks making its way down the train aisle. Aggressive pigeons in the train station. Grumpy German men. Vast fields with bright green grass. Two […]
7 Curious Experiences We Had in Würzberg, Germany.
I feel strongly that any reviews or posts about traveling to a city or country should be honest and give the reader some realistic ideas about what they’ll experience there. I don’t think that I can stand to read one more glowing review of a European city that is ‘absolutely perfect’. When I’m researching cities to visit I need to be prepared for both the elation and the challenges of visiting them. So you can understand why I had to […]
6 Delightful Experiences We Had in Würzberg.
Our first German train ride adventure was to Bamberg and our second was to Würzberg. The cities are both about half an hour away but in different directions. I have concluded that Bamberg has more immediate charm but Würzberg is larger and has more to offer overall. It also became obvious that Bamberg is where you go for beer, especially smoked beer, and Würzberg is the destination for wine. I felt very smart after coming up with that alliterative connection. […]
How Holiday Park (Germany) Is Different from American Theme Parks.
We recently visited Holiday Park and were pleasantly surprised throughout the day as we encountered a more relaxed atmosphere than we expected. This park really challenged our primarily American based experience of theme parks. I’m even more excited now to visit more parks in Europe. Here are the 13 things that really stood out to us: You don’t pass through a special parking toll gate when you arrive. Instead, you just pay when you get your ticket and then give […]
Do’s and Don’ts: Our First Impressions of Bamberg, Germany.
Bamberg is a thirty minute ride down the train tracks for us, so we didn’t try to accomplish all our sightseeing in one day. It was bustling with activity when we visited, which isn’t all that surprising considering its university and the city’s claim to fame as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the first things you’ll learn if you start researching Bamberg is that is has seven hills and seven churches on each hill. I wasn’t able to […]