The other week, I talked about airport currency exchange rates. This has an impact on tourist traffic that tourism and travel agency monitor closely. I’ve had a look at their predictions and wanted to share some of them with you!

First, you will want to book early for your summer travel. According to industry reports for the initial quarter of 2010, travel bookings to Germany have already exceeded their 2009 levels. This means to ensure you have a train seat or a hotel room in August you should make reservations NOW.

Second, you will want to be mindful of specials. Cruises, for example, have been dropping in price over the last few years, and German River Cruises are in line with the trend. It is becoming more and more affordable to do a Rhine Valley cruise, and this year the falling euro and the cruise ships specials make a German cruise a great value.

Third, you should be aware that you will be facing stiff competition from locals. Germans took 86.6 million domestic trips in 2009, which was up 2% from 2008 and is expected to go up again in 2010. Yes, we love to travel and we love our own country, so expect festivals, trails, and scenic spots to be well populated with natives as you travel.

Fourth, you will want to be mindful of the most popular travel destinations. If you want to avoid crowds, stay away from Bavaria and Lower Saxony, Germany’s most visited areas. You will be able to find more space for reflection and perhaps more open hotel rooms in other regions.

Finally, be sure to check low cost airfares. Discount air travel has been rising in Germany, and now accounts for nearly 40% of all travel. With a robust market, there are multiple carriers serving the German market, and by shopping carefully you can really snatch up some cheap flights.

Happy travels! :-)

—Marcus

After the last blog post about the Porsche Test Track, I thought I would share something a bit lighter now in honor of today.

Today is not merely the first of April. Today is also April Fool’s Day, so be on guard against pranksters and tricksters roaming around looking for gullible types. April Fool’s Day is quite popular throughout Germany, so you can’t relax anywhere!

Part of the reason that April Fool’s Day is so popular in Germany is that according to some, the holiday originated here. However, there are multiple stories about its birth.

One of the oldest stories traces the holiday back to Augsburg in 1530. There, a group of lawmakers was supposed to be meeting on April 1st to discuss a number of financial projects. However, the meeting didn’t happen. As a result, many speculators lost money, earning them the title of “April Fools.”

According to another story, April Fool’s Day was started in Darmstadt by Gabriel Hoffman. No one is sure of his motivation, but there is no doubt that the holiday has certainly caught on around the country.

You can’t even trust the news on April 1st. Many of the national and local papers put out a special April Fool’s Day edition. This has caused some international sensations as multi-national syndicates pick up the stories without realizing they’re fake.

Some of the 2009 national hoaxes included the announcement of women’s only parking spaces, magnetic towing on BMW cars, and the banning of lederhosen sales.

For 2010, the pranks are anyone’s guess. . . keep your eyes and ears open! ;-)

To see some of the great April Fool’s Day hoaxes from Germany’s history, you can look at the archives at the Museum of Hoaxes. Also, don’t be shy about sharing the hoaxes you think should have been included in the list!

Traditionally, pranks are supposed to be played before noon, although the national pranks tend to go on all day or even for a couple of days.

However long your April Fool’s Day experience lasts, enjoy!

—Marcus

It’s no secret that German cars are some of the best vehicles in the world. I may seem biased because I’m German, but you can ask anyone. ;-)

Combining speed, elegance, and the latest innovations from German engineering geniuses, driving a German car is a real pleasure.

You can take that pleasure to the next level by making a trip to one of the test tracks in Germany. For those who love speed, the Porsche test track is a must-visit destination. The company builds nearly 200 cars each year for premium racing events, and their test track is where the rubber meets the road–literally!

Located in Leipzig, the test track event package includes a tour of the factory grounds and the chance to take the latest models out for a spin with a professional co-pilot. The on-road track is FIA certified, and there is an off-road track experience available as well, complete with hills, canals, and mud pits.

Currently, the event package features the Cayenne, Boxster, Cayman, 911, 911 Turbo or Panamera models for test driving on-road, and the Cayenne for driving the off-road track. The Panamera isn’t available in the North American market, so if you’re interested you have to come and see it in its native environment.

The co-pilots come from the BMW Driver Training facilities in Munich, so you are in good hands for coaching as you take the wheel.

Pushing the top speeds, doing spins, and shalom racing are all encouraged. You can even do skid pad slides and re-enact driving stunts seen in popular commercials.

The overall cost of the experience is less that you might imagine for hours on a top track and coaching from world class drivers. Four hours with some of the best cars in the world will cost between €650 and €940 (approximately between US$910 and US$1,316), with expansion packages available and group events also on offer.

It will certainly be a one-in-a-lifetime experience — don’t you think? :-)

—Marcus

As you know, Germany is full of unique festivals and celebrations. Many of these celebrations are based on our rich history and legends. Nowhere is this illustrated better than in the Schwarzwald a.k.a. Black Forest, where many of Germany’s best stories have been born.

If you are up to an exceptional dose of culture, you will want to head to the Black Forest town of Gernsbach this next week. Each year just before Easter, the town hosts one of Europe’s premier puppet festivals.

The Gernsbacher Puppentheaterwoche (Gernsbach Puppet Theater Week) attracts the top puppeteers from Germany and Austria. For one week straight they stage performances for adults and children. Some are light-hearted and funny, while others are darker artistic pieces.

No matter the subject, the visual experience is superb. Many of the puppets are made by hand especially for the event. With intricate costumes and sets, the stories really come to life in ways that can make you forget there are any human performers involved!

For 2010, there will be more than 14 puppet performances. Some will be traditional stories for children, while others, like Caravaggio, are original works design specifically for the festival. There are performances each day of the festival, which is being held March 20 – 27 this year.

Even if you can’t make a performance, you will still want to head to Gernsbach for the workshops and exhibitions. You can see museum displays of historical puppets made in Germany at both the town hall and the main library.

If you’ve ever thought of trying your own hand at being a puppet master, then you will want to attend some of the workshops. There are workshops for children’s entertainment, but there are also in-depth teaching events for those with an interest in being on stage.

Tickets for the day and evening shows are available from the town culture and tourist office at +49-7224-644-44 or by email through touristinfo@gernsbach.de.

It’s a novel festival with a lot of culture packed into just seven short days, so try to find at least one day where you can visit!

—Marcus

My friend, beware of airport currency exchange rates!

You’ll get the best exchange rates on your travels when paying with your plastic card(s). However, if you’ve got some cash to exchange I always recommend doing this at the airport as I found the most reasonable exchange rates there (rather than at a local bank).

However, do check out the various exchange desks available at the airport and do NOT stop your journey at the very first!

Short ‘n sweet, here’s my experience from last weekend, on which we exchanged R$ 370 (three-hundred seventy Brazilian Reais) into euros:

Currency Exchange Counter #1 (I don’t recall their name): € 97
Course: 3.81

Currency Exchange Counter #2 — Reise-Bank: € 117
Course: 3.16

Currency Exchange Counter #3 — Euro Change: € 130
Course: 2.85

See? Noticeable differences! The third desk gave us 33 euros more than the first one.

So make sure you ask at least three. They’re usually pretty close to each other, by the way. ;-)

—Marcus

I mentioned earlier this year that Germany was recognized as one of the best places in the world to live, and I’m happy to see more evidence piling up! ;-)

This time the news comes in the form of a special lifestyle feature out of Amsterdam. The piece focuses in on artists and other creative types who are leaving their homes to move to a new creative capital — Berlin.

Berlin has served as a creative capital of Europe before, and insiders know that the museums, theaters, and concerts are second to none.

In this time of economic uncertainty, however, Berlin’s numerous cultural charms are being seconded by the financial realities.

Berlin is cheap.

Don’t scoff! Compared to many other cities in Europe, the cost of living in Berlin is surprisingly low. Artists and others who make their living in creative fields can find reasonably priced homes and apartments throughout the capital. The stable real estate market in Germany helps keep prices from fluctuating wildly, making it easy for artistic types to survive and thrive in the capital.

Another factor in many artists decision to move to the city is the overall economy in Germany. Unlike other countries in Europe, Germany’s economy is strong and stable. Both the government and the average person have money to spend on artistic items, such as museum visits, tickets to performances, paintings, sculpture, or other things for the home.

Though many people want to believe in art for art’s sake, the truth is that artists need a market of buyers in order to survive, and in Germany that market is vibrant!

Though other places in Europe may be crying over their lost artists, Berlin is happy to see new arrivals and support their work. With a low cost of living, strong market for artistic goods, and strong arts culture, it is no wonder artists favor Berlin over other European capitals.

Naturally, what is good for artists is also good for anyone interested in living in Berlin. Even visitors will benefit from all the new artistic activity coming to the capital, so be sure to save a few days for Berlin in your next vacation! ;-)

—Marcus

The closing ceremonies are freshly over, but the memory of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver will last for a long time in Germany. Though many predicted a strong showing for German athletes, few anticipated just how well the Canadian team would do in the Winter Olympics this time (Congratulations, Canadian friends!).

For me, it has certainly been enjoyable to see Germany’s shining performance in the Winter Olympic games again. True, Germany has traditionally done well at winter sports, thanks to our honorable attitude, many mountain ranges, excellent skiing opportunities, and the exemplary national support, but we were not always a medals leader.

During these games, however, German athletes certainly seemed to be going for the win again. You can see from our final standings just how well we did in the overall medals count. In both team and individual sports, Germany’s Olympic champions gave their all to earn recognition for their event and their country.

Besides, in the all time Winter Olympics medals count we are, with 358 medals thereunder 128 gold medals, a convincing number one. :-)

Germany’s strong showing at the 2010 games has broader implications than just enhancing our national pride. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we have an upcoming bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Munich has put in an official bid for the games, with the theme Die Spiele im Herzen, meaning “The Games in the Heart.”

If Munich wins the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, it would become the first location in the world to have hosted both the Summer and the Winter Games. It would also be the first Olympic Games hosted in Germany since the reunification, which would be meaningful for many Germans.

The bid has an environmentally conscious bent, promoting the use of existing winter sports facilities near Munich, like the ski jump courses at Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the bobsled, luge, and skeleton tracks at Schönau am Königssee in the kingly Berchtesgadener Land. It is also being promoted by Katarina Witt, one of Germany’s most famous (and gorgeous ;-) Winter Olympic champions.

By doing so well in the 2010 Winter Games, Germany enhances its chances of getting the bid for the 2018 Olympics. Our strong performance testifies to the high quality of our training sites and competition grounds as well as exemplifying our commitment to sports excellence.

Keep your fingers crossed that we win the bid, and I’ll save you a seat next to me at the 2018 Winter Olympic games! :-)

—Marcus

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

Well, Valentine’s Day is here, and even though Valentine’s Day isn’t a historical holiday in Germany it has become popular to celebrate it here. Usually, couples will exchange flowers or other small love tokens. It isn’t as big of a deal like it is in the United States or France, but I know I’d still better get something for my wife!

However, if you are without a date for Valentine’s Day it can be a little depressing. Fortunately, there are many ways to meet single people in Germany. One method that is growing in popularity in Germany is online dating.

There are several different types of online dating sites in Germany. The biggest four German dating sites, based on paid membership models, are listed below. You can register for free and browse listings, but you need to pay a subscription to actually talk and/or connect with dates:

1. FriendScout24
2. iLove.de
3. Neu.de
4. Parship.de

Neu.de is also good for listings across Europe and around the world, as it is affiliated with Meetic, a global dating network.

If your budget is tight, you can also try some of the popular free sites. Two popular free German dating sites are Freenet Singles, and Single.de. You can meet good, interesting people on the free sites, but you will need to have more patience than with the paid German dating sites as you will find there are more ads, junk, and poor matches to look through.

There is also one up and coming site for dating German academics, which is ElitePartner. They promise fast matches based on a scientific matching system, though I haven’t tried this for myself yet.

I have personally tried many of the other sites — after all, I met my wife online! ;-) So I can tell you truly that you can meet a wonderful date for Valentine’s Day in Germany by registering with the German dating site of your choice. Millions of my single countrymen (and women!) are waiting to meet you. And rest assured that your soul mate DOES exist!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

—Marcus

When you travel to Germany, you will no doubt notice the bread on your table at breakfast and dinner.

German bread is famous around the world for its flavor and texture, but did you know that there are more than 200 recognized varieties?

Pumpernickel is the most famous internationally, but there is so much more to German bread! Experimenting with flavors and textures will let you move beyond the basic loaf and explore other mouthwatering options in every category.

Weißbrot is the basic white bread, although most Germans prefer the more nutritive darker breads. Weißbrot is often used for rolls, like the popular Käsesemmel, which is baked with cheese on top.

Graubrot, while literally meaning gray bread, refers to the bread that are neither black nor white. Sourdough and rye breads fall into this category, as do the delicious sunflower seed (Sonnenblumenkernbrot) and pumpkin seed (Kürbiskernbrot) breads.

Schwarzbrot is the black bread that has made German bakeries famous. It generally has a 90% rye content with a hard crust hiding a dense, moist center. The super grainy Vollkornbrot is a part of this group, as is the renowned Pumpernickel.

Eat your bread with cheeses, creamy spreads, and sliced meats. A mild cheese with small holes is very popular to go with the bread, as is Hüttenkäse, a seasoned cottage cheese. For using jams many foreigners toast it, although the chewy bread really doesn’t need it.

To learn more about German bread, its history, and its role in daily life in Germany, you can even visit a museum dedicated to bread in Ulm. The Museum of Bread Culture covers 6,000 years of the history of bread. Opened 10 am – 5 pm daily and until 8:30 pm on Wednesdays, it has 18,000 works related to bread in its collection.

It is also conveniently located near some cafes where you can snack after you’ve worked up a bread craving looking at the displays ;-)

—Marcus