Heading to Germany

[Zeke2A]

My wife and I are leaving on Wednesday going to be there for 10 days. Really looking forward to this trip BUT I am going to feel naked over there w/o anything even a knife. Anyone have any suggestions (situational awareness as always ) for improvised items. Are tactical pens allowed in luggage ? Got the wallet security and passport carrier covered.

Good news is we are travelling with 30 other people with about 1/2 of us speaking German, ( I am @ a 3rd grade level )

auf Wiedersehen

[max384]

Try to stay out of the Turkish sections of the cities. The Turkish men mostly hate the GIs that try to 'steal' their women, but this feeling has sometimes spread over to other American tourists.

Chances are you won't have any problems and I'm not trying to insinuate that all Turkish people are bad by any means, but it is prudent to avoid any possible negative interactions.

Do you have Rothenburg on your travel plans? If not, I highly, highly recommend it. It is a tourist magnet, but it's quintessential old Germany and definitely worth it. I was there probably a dozen times while stationed there with the army.

[Zeke2A]

Going to be in the Alsace-Lorraine region for most of the trip.

Landing in Frankfurt then going to Rudeshiem , Speyer , Strasbourg Fr. , then back into Germany, Reutligen ,Stuggart and then Heidleberg and back to Frankfurt and home. I don't anticipate any issues but still will feel odd.

[Steve_NEPhila]

I spent about 7.5 years in Germany growing up as he son of an Army Officer. Graduated High School there while living in a few small cities in the outskirts of Frankfurt. The best advice I can give you is to avoid dressing like an American. Ditch the American flag gear (if you have any), do not wear sneakers (pick up some subdued adidas shoes like the "Campus" line), do not carry a map in plain view and try to emulate the locals.

With clothes, the best items to wear are earth tones and skip the jeans. The Gap sells a lot of stuff that will help you blend in. Do not flash iPods, iPads or other electronic doodads around. Ditch the obnoxious ring tone on your cell phone and keep it on vibrate. If you smoke (consider quitting, COPD is a killer and your last few years of life will feel like you are out of breath) switch to a European brand or use it as an attempt to quite. All of these things blatantly show you to be an American.

The housing "projects" in Germany do not look anything like they do here in the states. They are actually quite posh when compared to their American counterparts and will be very difficult to spot for the American eye. Quite a bit of Germanys street crime is perpetrated by the Turkish underclass. I am in no way saying all Turks will stick a knife in your gut for your iPod, but you should avoid the areas where thr projects are. This should be relatively easy as I am sure you tour group of 30+ people will not be visiting those areas. However, I am the type to go out on my own and check out the sights.

Speaking of the tour group, stay on the periphery of the group when it travels en masse. This will help you see a bit more of the Germans and not the Americans you came with. Do not hesitate o strike up a conversation with a local if they are game. The Germans are quite friendly to Americans (especially their young women... in my experience) and there is little if any animosity concerning our 60+ year occupation of their fine country.

Avoid carrying all of your cash with you and bring a couple credit cards (do not carry all of them at the same time either). Wear your seat belt while on the bus. The most dangerous thing you will do over there, just like here will be travel by automobile.

Enjoy.

[Zeke2A]

Clothes are covered ....Khakis , polos and no jeans. Tour group and other travellers who have been over there before have given some good dressing advice. Sensible walking shoes faux wallet and passport neck holder. thanks for the tips and advice ....

[Steve_NEPhila]

Going to be in the Alsace-Lorraine region for most of the trip.

Landing in Frankfurt then going to Rudeshiem , Speyer , Strasbourg Fr. , then back into Germany, Reutligen ,Stuggart and then Heidleberg and back to Frankfurt and home. I don't anticipate any issues but still will feel odd.

You will be in the neighborhood of Mainz and Wiesbaden, fantastic old cities. (I spent a number of years in them) They are bisected by the Rhine river and offer great sites to see. Mainz has the "Dom" which is a very very old church that survived the bombing of WW2 and the Guten berg museum. Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in Mainz, ushering us out of the dark ages. If I remember correctly just across the street from the Mainz Hauptbahnhof (main train station) was the largest brothel I have ever seen, the Crazy Sexy. It may have a different name today, or may be gone... who knows. The oldest profession is indeed legal in Germany.

Just outside of Heidelberg is the Sinsheim autotechnik museum, which is a fantastic collection of some amazing machines. Stuttgart is the home or Porsche, another great attraction. It sounds like a great trip...

[Gun]

Never been to Germany. From what I understand, drinking German beer is not the same as drinking Budweiser.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Never been to Germany. From what I understand, drinking German beer is not the same as drinking Budweiser.

That is a lot like saying eating real bread is not the same as eating wonder bread. Budweiser is mass produced tasteless light pilsner beer which the Germans do not allow to be called "bier" because it does not adhere to the German purity laws.

America used to have great breweries (now a resurgence of good American beer is here) before prohibition. However, the only companies to survive prohibition were the big three whose shit all tastes the same. Do yourself a favor and go out and try some German beer. It is not very expensive, has less chemicals in it and tastes like beer not pisswasser.

[Gun]

That is a lot like saying eating real bread is not the same as eating wonder bread. Budweiser is mass produced tasteless light pilsner beer which the Germans do not allow to be called "bier" because it does not adhere to the German purity laws.

America used to have great breweries (now a resurgence of good American beer is here) before prohibition. However, the only companies to survive prohibition were the big three whose shit all tastes the same. Do yourself a favor and go out and try some German beer. It is not very expensive, has less chemicals in it and tastes like beer not pisswasser.

Ha Ha!!! I found out what real beer was, while traveling Great Britain years ago. I also learned that beer could be bought and drank warm; room temperature, as that is what was sold on the trains.

After returning from G.B., I couldn’t stomach american (piss-water) beer; Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.

[ar15jules]

Never been to Germany. From what I understand, drinking German beer is not the same as drinking Budweiser.

I had a young fellow tell me in Germany that "Drinking American beer is the closest thing to having sex in a canoe. " What, I said. He replied, "It's like $%^&*(# water". I am fortunate to have a brother and nephews still living there and plan to take a trip in the next few years.
Jules