Archive for the ‘Travel Tips’ Category

Solar Power Solves Public Transport Problems In Germany

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

We Germans are some of the most environmentally conscious citizens on the planet. We recycle more than other developed nations, invest millions of euros in green energy expansion, and actively protect our green spaces from pollution. The country leads the world in solar power production, and is the world’s top photovoltaics installer — if planet Earth holds still, we Germans will try to put a solar panel on it! ;-)

As an example of this in action, you need look no further than the way solar power is used to solve transportation issues in Germany. It goes far beyond simply installing solar powered roadside lights and road signs. Instead, we Germans use solar power to run some of our largest and most notable ferries.

In Hamburg, for example, the solar powered shuttle has been operating since 2000. It can move up to 120 people across the river at speeds of up to 15 km/hr. The sleek needle shape is 42 meters long, and has a pontoon style layout with bench seating.

Many people compare it to the famous Serpentine shuttle in Hyde Park, completely unaware that the 14.5 meter British ferry is a miniature of the Hamburg model constructed by Christoph Behling!

Further south, a catamaran style solar shuttle operates on Lake Constance. With a spiraled translucent top, you can enjoy the beautiful shorelines of the lake as you make your transfers between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Although the shuttle holds up to 60 people, with the clear sides you will feel as though you are floating alone on the water, and be able to get some stunning photographs.

These are just a few of the green innovations in use in Germany as solutions to the pollution many public transportation systems cause. Thus, when you explore Germany using public transport, you get the satisfaction of supporting some of the world’s most cutting-edge installations of solar power. :-)

—Marcus

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Germany Now Has 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Germany is full of beautiful and memorable places. Some of these places are so special that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has honored them as world heritage sites.

While other countries might have just one or two of these sites, Germany has 33 (!) stunning world heritage sites, with new sites being added regularly.

As you look into the year ahead and your travels in Germany, why not plan to visit some of the 33 locations listed below? I’ve included all of them with the date they became a recognized site, as it’s an excellent New Year’s Resolution to try and see each one! ;-)

1. Aachen Cathedral in Aachen — 1978
2. Speyer Cathedral in Speyer — 1981
3. Würzburg Residence in Würzburg, with the Court Gardens and Residence Square — 1981
4. Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Steingaden — 1983
5. Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust in Brühl — 1984
6. St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church at Hildesheim — 1985
7. Roman monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier, Germany’s oldest city — 1986
8. Hanseatic City of Lübeck — 1987
9. Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (including Schloß Sanssouci) — 1990, 1992, 1999
10. Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (in the Bergstraße district — 1991
11. Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar — 1992
12. Town of Bamberg — 1993
13. Maulbronn Monastery Complex — 1993
14. Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg — 1994
15. Ironworks in Völklingen — 1994
16. Messel Pit Fossil site — 1995
17. Bauhaus and its sites in Weimar and Dessau — 1996
18. Cologne Cathedral — 1996
19. Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg — 1996
20. Classical Weimar — 1998
21. Museum Island (Museumsinsel), Berlin — 1999
22. Wartburg Castle overlooking Eisenach — 1999
23. Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz — 2000
24. Monastic Island of Reichenau — 2000
25. Zeche Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen — 2001
26. Historic Centers of Stralsund and Wismar — 2002
27. Upper Middle Rhine Valley, the Rhine Gorge — 2002
28. Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen — 2004
29. Muskauer Park in Weißwasser on both sides of the Neisse River — 2004
30. Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Upper German & Rhaetian Limes — 2005
31. Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof — 2006
32. Modernist Housing Estates in Berlin — 2008
33. Wadden Sea in Schleswig-Holstein — 2009

Now the decision of which ones to pick…

—Marcus

Posted in Dream Trips, Parks & Nature, Sights, Travel Tips | No Comments Yet »

Do You Know How To Recycle In Germany?

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Germany is a world leader in recycling. Although the country produces more than 30 millions tons of garbage every year, we have an advanced recycling collection system to avoid waste piles. Some waste is even burned at special facilities that provide steam energy to create electric power for our cities.

Understanding how to recycle in Germany is something locals have learned over time. We separate our trash instinctively and enthusiastically.

There are even reports of German soldiers in Afghanistan habitually separating their waste, despite the lack of a formal system.

It’s simply the German way. ;-)

How The German Recycling System Works

For newcomers, recycling in Germany takes a bit of getting used to!

To begin, unlike many other developed nations, Germany doesn’t have one single recycling bin. Typically, there are at least four bins. Each color manages a different kind of waste, and the bins are supplemented by other collection programs for glass, batteries, and miscellaneous goods.

Brown Bins

Brown bins are for biological waste. This includes kitchen scraps and garden clippings. Other items that go in the brown bin are coffee filters, tea bags (without the paper tag), feathers, sawdust, and hair.

Blue Bins

Blue bins are for paper and cardboard. In some ways, this is the easiest one! All of your papers, boxes, tea tags, and magazines go here, although you should remember to flatten boxes first and to throw in dry paper only.

Yellow Bins

Yellow bins are for plastics and metals — often also represented by the Der grüne Punkt sign (a round circle with two arrows pointing to each other). Plastic wrap, food cans, yogurt cups, shopping bags, and soap bottles go here.

They do ask that you rinse items before putting them into this bin (remember my “enthusiastically” note in the first paragraph? ;-).

Gray Bins

Gray bins are for household waste a.k.a. Restmüll. Light bulbs (the old models), diapers, tissues, cigarette butts, and photographs are some of the things that go here. Also these items are burned when collected.

Glass and Batteries

Glass bottles and batteries are recycled publicly. You will see large bins for glass recycling in most public places. It is separated by color, always.

Batteries are collected at supermarkets and shopping malls.

Sperrmüll

In Germany, we also have Sperrmüll, which refers to miscellaneous items. Typically, Sperrmüll days will be announced as a time when municipal trucks will come around for all of the other things you want to have thrown away, like broken furniture, old lamps, or sofas. You place it on the curb outside of your house.

Sounds like it is heading for the landfill, right? Wrong! Second-hand goods dealers, junk collectors, and enterprising locals often collect the Sperrmüll long before anyone from the city arrives to get it. No sense letting something that can be used again be thrown away by your neighbors! ;-)

—Marcus

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Medical And Health Care For Tourists In Germany

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Germany has some of the finest medical care available in the world. Did you know?

While traveling may be full of little stresses, like worrying what would happen to you if you got sick, this is not something to fear in this country. Here, you don’t have to worry about being trapped in some sub-standard hospital. You are going to get high-quality care from well-trained professionals.

If you live in Germany, you are part of the Statutory Health Insurance, German: gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, which is part of the Social Security a.k.a. Sozialversicherung. You can learn more about it on the Healthcare in Germany page.

Yet if you are a traveler, you are not part of the system. This concerns some, but don’t fret. Even as a guest you can still access excellent treatment during your stay, with a minimum of fuss.

The key is that you will need to pay out of pocket for the care. You can then be reimbursed by your home healthcare provider system. This is a general rule, so you may want to investigate with your health care provider to be sure of the details.

This cash-for-care system means that for a sudden case of the flu, small cuts, chipped teeth and so on you can simply go to the appropriate doctor or hospital and get care. Germany has more practicing specialists per thousand people than any other country in the world, so lines are short. You will not need to wait for weeks to see a doctor — same day or next day will be available.

If you are staying at a hotel they can help you get an appointment. They may also link you with the Ärztlicher Hausbesuchsdienst, or Physician’s House Call Service, which is run in many communities as a regular service. In this case, you will receive a personal visit at your hotel from the doctor.

Alternatively, it may be called Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst. In most cases, however, you would simply ask for the Notarzt, the emergency doctor.

Many pharmacies will also give you recommendations for physicians. In fact, pharmacies can be an excellent first stop as most have very knowledgeable staff. As the over-the-counter cures vary country to country, you may find they have a good treatment for your sickness on hand.

In all German cities — down to the small villages — will you find a Apotheke that is available for you 24/7. Although the lights may be off, if the Apotheke is one with Bereitschaftsdienst you can ring the boss out of bed if need be. Else, look at the plate outside to see which nearby pharmacy does have this 24/7 service that night.

For more severe illness, keep in mind that Germany is a world leading in medical innovation. Heart treatments, brain and nerve surgeries and even cancer treatments attract millions of medical tourists each year. Again, specialists are available quickly to treat even very complex ailments.

Emergency care is also very good and amazingly fast. Emergency Medical Services are a mandated task for municipal governments and strictly regulated for quality and efficiency. Nationwide, the network is strong enough that you can have a staffed medical helicopter at the accident scene within 15 minutes no matter where you are in Germany.

Thus, even as a tourist or visitor to Germany you can have all the benefits of the advanced German medical science. With services like the Ärztlicher Hausbesuchsdienst, you may even receive more personalized care than you would at home!

—Marcus

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Find Berlin’s Unofficial Gems On Your iPhone

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Sometimes the most interesting things to see aren’t the officially licensed attractions. This is quite true in Berlin, which has been home to a vibrant art community for many years. The street art is there is really remarkable but not usually mentioned in any official guides.

The street art works appear in parks, on the sides of buildings and near train stations. Many are full-color masterpieces. Some are even done by legends with museum exhibits. But you’ve always had to be a local to know how to find them.

Now there is a new iPhone application designed to take you straight to the best street art and graffiti in Berlin. It’s completely free thanks to a sponsorship from Adidas. You simply download it onto your iPhone and put on a pair of comfortable walking shoes.

The link for the site to get the application is http://www.urbanartguide.de/. Click on the “English” link in the top right corner if reading German is not your cup of tea.

The download bar is obvious, but there is also a lot of other good content to be found. For example, the artist profiles are also worth reading. Click around there and learn about the personalities behind the paintings.

On the ground, you’ll find that the application is completely interactive. You can rate the art and upload new images if you discover them. You can also browse the Gallery to see a museum of your favorites.

Other useful features are the “Tour Guides,” which are pre-planned tours, and “Find artworks nearby” which gives you the closest sights. For every image on your iPhone, you can click to get background and reference data.

It’s quite a fun tool to play with in the hotel, on the ground, or back home with your friends. :-)

—Marcus

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