trip to Germany

[blair]

I'll be leaving for Germany on business Sept 9th. I'll be there for three weeks before taking leave; my wife will drop off the toddler at granny's house and then fly into Frankfurt to meet me. On business, I'll be working in Ramstein (Air force base), Stuggart, Kaiserslautern, and Brunswick. I'll have very little time during my three weeks there for sightseeing before my wife meets me for our two week vacation. The question is: What are the hotspots that we really shouldn't miss? Neither of us know anything about Germany. Am I too old (and gentle :lookup: ) for Amsterdam? Is it worth it...? It may be hard to answer this without knowing our specific interests but were are really just looking for a memorable vacation. We are up for anything. Any suggestions are very welcome!

 

[Muley]

Blair,
can't offer specifics, but this is a great site with MANY specific must-sees listed and described.

 

[golfgar]

I have been to Germany quite a few times and you are lucky enough to be there during Octoberfest. Spend a night there, get a table, meet some German people, most of the people there are not Germans they say, and when Octoberfest is over 23:00 then go to one of the local taverns with your new friends. Also, in the south of Germany is The Eagle's nest, Hitler's summer home. I thought the views were great and the trip up there is wonderful. Also visit a concentration camp for some sobering moments. Rent a BMW and drive fast! Amsterdam is really interesting as far as museums and sightseeing goes. Most people there speak English and you can walk most places. It's only weird if you want it to be.

 

[moki]

If you possibly can, head down to Bavaria -- some very cool sights to see, old castles, etc.

 

[sleepyjim]

There are tons of castles to see, Ktown(keiserslautern) is somewhat americanized, if you have access to the bases, go to Volgoway (its how its pronounced, can remember how to spell it) the amry base in Ktown, got to PX best deal on Lead Crystal if ya like that.
Take the rhine rive boat cruise, it is great!
Octeberfest is a must!
Go to McDonalds so you can buy a McBeer, yes they sell them, you will have a story about it years from now.
Hookers(before wife comes) will sit in their car with dome light on if your into that.
Ther is of course the Concentration camps to see.
You will also be pretty close to Paris. I think it was a few hours via A6 autobahn, well that may not be the right number.
Traveling via the autobahn, remember all destinations are done by cities, like there are no North, South, its Munich, Ktown, etc. Alos if ya see a dude with a lil white lolipop looking thing and he points to you, pull over its the cops. Also tickets are also given via remote radar units. - Speed is in Klicks, not MPH the conversion is 100 = 60, that is 100 KPH = 60 MPH.
Germany is great, I loved it, I spent a few years over and got out of the military and stayed for a bit after, you will love it.
SPeaking- even if ya hack it up, try to speak it, once you attemp it, the Germans will speak english, remember they ALL speak English so watch what you say.
If you out lat and see a "Snhell Imbus", its a small roadside thing, they sell beer and food, I recommend the curry wurst and a beer, fantaastic!
Tray to bring home as much beer as you can!
Take the time to go to Berlin, see and get a piece of the wall, there is a bar in town that has hundreds of beers. Tons to see in that town.
A RatHouse is they local pub, they are cool.
All the boarders are open so you can travel to other countries, no are to far really.
Ein Beir Bitta means one beer please, Danka is thank you.
Buy a Emglish to German dictionary they are handy.
Have fun it is a GREAT Country.

Jim

 

[Treamayne]

Enjoy yourself for me. I would kill to go, but I can't get stationed in Europe. I even have family over there I have never met....

Some basic lingo fpr ya:

Tag / Hallo / Hi - Hello / Hi
Auf Wiedersehen - Goodbye

Guten Morgen - Good Morning
... Tag - Good Day
... Abend - Good evening
... Nacht - Good Night

Danke (Schön) - Thank You
Bitte (Schön) - Please / Your Welcome

Ja - Yes
Nein - No

Ein - 1
Zwei - 2
Drei - 3

Beir - Beer

Go Here for more.

PS: It was spoken at home and I have never been there, so spelling may be off.

 

[stogieman]

I spent 13 years out of my 20 years in the military all over Germany. Stop in the ITT travel office on any of the military posts your at. They offer 1 day, weekend, and 4 day tours anywhere in Europe at a great price. Must stop in Frankfurt is the area called Sachsenhausen. All cobblestone, no autos allowed and nuttin' but pubs and restaraunts. Before you leave, PM me and I'll give you some info to give the owner of the Irish Pub there and you'll drink free beer all night..... :thumbs:

 

[AVB]

A trip down the Rhine and a stay at a Castle will make this memorable. Here are some of the places you could stay.

 

[blair]

Great comments! Thanks guys, for the suggestions and links. :thumbs:

 

[Horse]

I spent 13 years out of my 20 years in the military all over Germany. Stop in the ITT travel office on any of the military posts your at. They offer 1 day, weekend, and 4 day tours anywhere in Europe at a great price. Must stop in Frankfurt is the area called Sachsenhausen. All cobblestone, no autos allowed and nuttin' but pubs and restaraunts. Before you leave, PM me and I'll give you some info to give the owner of the Irish Pub there and you'll drink free beer all night..... :thumbs:

I think there's a song in there somewhere...something about "Friends in low places" :lookup:

 

[stogieman]

Before you leave, PM me and I'll give you some info to give the owner of the Irish Pub there and you'll drink free beer all night..... :thumbs:

I think there's a song in there somewhere...something about "Friends in low places" :lookup: [/quote]
Yeah, the owner and myself helped pick each other on occasions off the bar floor at 04:30 in the morning at the pub singin' a song or two.... :thumbs: :sign:

 

[blair]

Before you leave, PM me and I'll give you some info to give the owner of the Irish Pub there and you'll drink free beer all night..... :thumbs:

I think there's a song in there somewhere...something about "Friends in low places" :lookup:

Yeah, the owner and myself helped pick each other on occasions off the bar floor at 04:30 in the morning at the pub singin' a song or two.... :thumbs: :sign: [/quote]
That's it!! That's the vacation I'm looking for!

 

[blair]

Well, here I am in Germany. My wife will fly in this Friday. Just as I thought, I have had almost no time for touring. My colleague and I did however get to a Weinfest over the weekend, in a place near k-town. That was really fun. I drank an enormous amount of beer out of an enormous mug. The mug holds 6 beers at once! I kept the glass as a souvenir. I am writing now from a Courtyard Marriot in Braunschweig (working at the P.T.B.). I have been primarily staying at the Ramstein (North) base. Tomorrow I'll stay at the Vogelweh base. I've seen the hookers that sleepyjim wrote about! I'd would drive past them every night. Yes, PAST them!! :sneaky:

I am very much looking forward to my wife coming. My colleague and I have been working 15 to 16 hour days and we are both exhausted. I have been working mostly outdoors where a good box of cigars would be wonderful, which brings me to my question... Where are they? I can't seem to find any cigar shops. I thought they would be all over the place. Everyone smokes cigarettes like mad. Are cigars easy to find in Germany?

Blair

 

[moki]

I am very much looking forward to my wife coming. My colleague and I have been working 15 to 16 hour days and we are both exhausted. I have been working mostly outdoors where a good box of cigars would be wonderful, which brings me to my question... Where are they? I can't seem to find any cigar shops. I thought they would be all over the place. Everyone smokes cigarettes like mad. Are cigars easy to find in Germany?

Blair

You should be able to find them in any major city, especially those visited by tourists. Check out http://www.habanos.net/ for a list of LCDH's in Germany.

 

[other1]

Screw cigars.. It's OKTOBERFEST!!!

 

[moki]

Screw cigars.. It's OKTOBERFEST!!!

Yeah I had a blast at Oktoberfest last year. I figured out why German men drink so much... makes the German women look a lot better