Those with the travel-bug most likely love anything that has to do with planes, trains, and/or cars. Am I right?

I know I do. Yet, this isn’t about planes or automobiles, really. It’s all about the trains.

Germany’s network of trains is exceptional; offering a handful of choices for your train travel needs.

Suppose you’re in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, or Belgium; and you got this burning desire to come to Deutschland? By the time you’ve gone through airport security, managed to get your clothes & stuff back on, and sit on the tarmac for umpteen hours—you’d have already been there if you hopped on the ICE Train (these babies do 300 k/h or 186mp/h, so they’re really, really, REALLY fast).

Um, that’s the Inter-country rail line; but, not the only one. Express service of the ICE will take you nonstop on intra-German lines (like Berlin to Frankfurt, Hamburg to Duisburg, you get the point).

Don’t want to kill a day traveling? Use the Night Train (called the DB Nachtzug). Oh, this is a gem of a line—with sleepers, couchettes, and women-only compartments with routes taking you to/from Berlin, Munich, Copenhagen, and Prague (to name a few). There’s even room for your bicycle onboard.

Already in one of Germany’s big cities, and want to head out towards the suburbs? You won’t need the night train or the ICE—you’ll take the S-Bahn. No women-only compartments needed since most travel is within a 60km radius of any major city. They’re quick, they’re convenient, they’re punctual, and they’re affordable.

Better than having to fight your way to the center of town from the airport, I think.

Even better that just about everything runs on-time in Germany. Being punctual is of the utmost importance to us! ;-)

It’s also important to easily buy your ticket, too. Most of Germany’s train tickets can be bought on Bahn.de as well as at the stations themselves, even on the trains (with a small surcharge).

Wow, what a great (easy, affordable) way to see the German countryside and the best of its cities, no?

I’ve learned one lesson on my four decades on this Earth. That is, dog people shouldn’t marry cat people, or should they?

Yes, I’m quite serious—but joking at the same time. Oh, maybe I just started a debate here (my debate coach from high school would be proud, don’t ya think?).

So, this got me to thinking about dogs. More specifically, German dogs.

Sure, breeds like the German Shepherd and Pomeranian have made the cut. But, have you ever heard of the Bavarian Mountain Hound (needs acres and acres to wander). Or, the Affenpinscher (a dog so small it weighs less than a newborn baby)? What about the Hovawart (a medieval estate dog)?

Even if you are a cat person (like I am), you may be bound to fall head over tail for some of these German breeds.

Dachshund

Known as the “hot dog,” this short, stubby fellow is famous for digging, and being stubborn. These guys will chase just about anything and everything, making for hours of fetching-fun. This breed’s been around so long, Kaiser Wilhelm II owned one; as well as Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and E.B. White.

German Shepherd

You know this loyal, protective, guy was gonna be here. These dogs are so smart they’re often used for search & rescue missions, trained as seeing-eye dogs for the blind, and police dogs (I guess their 238 pounds of force on their bite have something to do with it).

Large Münsterländer

Called the Großer Münsterländer in German, this Black & White hunting dog is quite affectionate and really great with kids. They’re not all that big, weighing in at an average of 30kg.

Mini Schnauzer

This doggy is a cross between a poodle, affenpinscher, and a standard schnauzer—giving you a smaller version (around 5-9kg) with all the intelligence, friendliness, and playfulness of the bigger variety.

Pomeranian

Hmm, this is one little pup. I have a cat that weights more than this toy breed (average 3.5kg). Queen Victoria of England was a fan—she owned one.

Poodle

Called a Pudel in German, these canines are said to be smarter than the German Shepherd (believe it or not). Hypoallergenic, playful, and a willingness to be shaved into geometric shapes makes this breed a winner with many dog lovers.

Great Dane

Talk about massive—and popular. Think Scooby-Doo and Marmaduke. Either way, in TV or reality, the Great Dane is friendly, friendly, friendly. And even has a totally cool Blue colored coat (amongst others).

Leonberger

I saved the best for last. This gargantuan beast originally bred in Leonberg (males average 150lbs.) is loyal to the end, just like the lion it resembles. They’re a great family pet and loves to swim (it’s got webbed feet). I don’t care that Otto von Bismarck owned one; once you get a look at this fuzzy creature—you’re hooked for life.

Hey, the Leonberger converted some folks from being a cat person to the Leonberger dog lover. So this is some dog.

I can’t wait to hear about your favorite dogs. Hopefully they’re a German breed! ;-)

Although I used to be somewhat old-fashioned in that I refused to read books electronically, once I got my Kindle a couple of months ago things have changed dramatically…

I started to throw books away just to purchase their respective Kindle version in order to enjoy an easier and a much more comfortable reading experience.

Don’t believe me?

All I can say is, get one (bought or loaned) and see & feel for yourself. ;-)

Either way, back to the topic of this post…

Authors and writers (they’re not the same thing, BTW) are held in high esteem in Germany, so no surprise to me that you’ll find a bunch of book festivals held throughout the year. Perhaps this is why Germany is one of the “leading book nations” in the world.

And the types of books don’t really matter, either. Many book lovers appreciate the written word whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

Now, I don’t know if I should start or end this with the Frankfurt International Book Fair, an event that’s been taking place for nearly six centuries. Every October a quarter of a million book enthusiasts, publishers, authors, and writers flock to the city all in the name of books (400,000 of them during last year’s event).

While the Frankfurt Book Fair is this week (Oct 12th – 16th), the Leipzig Book Fair falls every Spring in March. Oh yeah, at least you don’t have to choose which one to attend—but the game remains the same, it’s books, books, and more books.

Hamburg’s festival is known as the Harbour Front Literature Festival; and held every September. You’ll find it all, historical fiction; women’s literature, biographies, and my favorite—the whodunit.

Not to be outdone, Berlin gets in on the book reading action; that’s a September staple around the capital city. Sorry, it’s called the International Literature Festival Berlin, to be exact.

I don’t care what it is—just as long as it’s somethin’ to read. What do you think? :-)

German Music is a funny, funny thing. Germany is a land that’s given us Beethoven, Bach, Wagner, Stauss, and Milli Vanilly. Milli Vanilli?

Oh yeah, I sure did get a hearty chuckle of this. What isn’t so funny is when you under-25 folks ask me, “who’s Milli Vanilli”?

You cheeky young ‘uns, I tell ya. ;-)

Anyway, this all got me to thinking about other famous singing sensations that came from the land of Bach and Beethoven.

I’ll start with Milli Vanilli since I already mentioned them. These two guys (Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus) were found dancing around a Munich nightclub — and seemed liked the perfect frontmen for songs like Girl You Know Its True.

Problem was, this duo weren’t the actual singers — losing their Grammy because of the deceit.

Another famous singer from Germany was Marlene Dietrich. Yeah, Black & White movie lovers might know her as a glamorous Hollywood movie star. But, she started out singing Cabaret in Berlin. Her sultry, raspy voice singing Das Lied Ist Aus is legendary.

Another German singer that’s managed to cross the Atlantic to America is Xavier Naidoo. Born in Mannheim, Naidoo has been globetrotting, singing, and song-writing for both the American and German music market. And while he’s a two-time MTV Europe music award winner, he’s yet to win a Grammy.

Too bad, his voice is smoother than a well-aged Scotch. Listen to his song Sag es laut with a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Chances are you might never have heard of Tangerine Dream, but watch the 1980’s flick Risky Business; and you’ll hear them. They started performing in the 1960’s — yet gained fame for doing soundtracks. Whatever, a paycheck is a paycheck.

FYI, a Cannabis Cup winner from Amsterdam was also named Tangerine Dream in their honor. I don’t know this for certain, I only read about it in High Times. ;-)

Because I got to be a teenager in the 1980’s, I got to give it up for the Scorpions. Yes, I’ve sang Wind of Change and Rock You Like A Hurricane into my hairbrush way too many times.

It must have been all the hairspray that made me a bit loopy. ;-)

Anyway, the Scorpions (from Hanover) had been performing their heavy metal and hard rock genre since 1964 — and believe it or not, they’re still performing.

A bit harsher is the music from Rammstein. This is a metal band from Berlin (they started performing in the 1990’s) — and chances are if you ask anyone under 35 to name a German band, these guys would be it.

Going back to the 1980’s for a minute, Nena is another singer and band from Germany; and you might have heard of them without knowing their name. They sang 99 Luftballoons (the German version) or 99 Red Balloons, that’s the English version. It went around the globe.

Now, don’t go expecting an exact translation of this Cold War protest diddy — the English version was changed a bit — but either way, this is quintessential 80’s music if I ever heard it.

The song’s still popular, having shown up in movies like Austin Powers Goldmember and in Euro Trip to name a couple.

If I’ve missed any that I should have mentioned — let me know. I’ll be smokin’ some Tangerine Dream — I mean, listening to Tangerine Dream. ;-)

I think it’s pretty apparent at this point that German engineering is on top of its game. There are names that have been synonymous with it for decades, like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

So, I started to think how many other famous (or not so famous) German folks have changed the world of engineering, science, art, music, sports, and politics.

Just so you know, Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, and Ferdinand Porsche have made the list. What would be the point in mentioning two of the best automobile companies in the world if they didn’t?

It wouldn’t be fair to leave out Rudolf Diesel. Name sound familiar? Sure it does — he’s the inventor of the diesel engine.

For any of you out there who do accounting work, thank a German. Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468) to be exact, he’s the father of modern accounting.

Like your jeans? That would be Levi Strauss. Your coveted ADIDAS sneakers were the brain child of Adi Dassler, another German. Brand names are great; and German natives Hugo Boss (my favorite, born in Metzingen) and Karl Lagerfeld (born in Hamburg) deserve to be mentioned.

Designer clothes deserve to be worn and German supermodel beauties Heidi Klum (born in Bergisch Gladbach) and Claudia Schiffer (born in Rheinberg) know all about it.

Ever seen the space shuttle lift off? That’s all the hard work of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. But long before there was space exploration ordinary men went to the skies in regular old airplanes; men like Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen of World War I fame.

Who else came from Germany? A long list of composers, that’s for sure! You’ve heard of Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I’m sure. Then you’ve got Richard Wagner, Strauss, and Händel.

Traveling around Germany on the German Fairy Tale Road, then you’ve heard of the Brothers Grimm. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller, right?

I’m sure I’ve missed just about a bazillion other famous Germans. But, maybe the next time you see a Benz or a Porsche — you’ll think about the three great inventors behind the engines.

Let’s face it. We Germans love sports, and just about any sport will do. There’s football (that would be soccer for my American friends), track & field, skiing, bobsledding, boxing, mixed-martial arts, hiking, biking, and rugby (just to name a few).

Rugby? That’s not big in Germany.

At least for the moment it isn’t, but it sure is on its way.

If you think American football is rough, or think normal football (a.k.a. soccer) is a test of endurance — you ain’t seen nothing yet. But, first the rules!

Rugby, originated in England and the predecessor of American football, is played on a field called a pitch that’s 69 meters wide by 100 meters long. It’s flanked by two H-shaped goal posts; and game action takes place with thirteen players. Unlike American football, the only guy that gets tackled is the one with the oval shaped ball.

Perhaps the most vivid thought about rugby is the “scrum.” That’s when players all lock arm in a circle, all pushing back and forth on each other.

Whatever the rules of the game are; or whatever they’re doing in that huddle of theirs (probably discussing what pub to go to after the game, ha-ha) this is a very competitive and physically grueling game.

There are a lot of other rules, and trying to figure out how to score can be tougher than rocket science, yet it’s still a lot of fun to watch.

Don’t believe me, go see ’em in action. There are few teams in Germany that play for the Rugby League, like the Heidelberg Sharks and the Rhineland Reds.

Of course I bring this up because it hasn’t been all that long since Germany hosted the 2011 Women’s FIFA World Cup.

I know, rugby isn’t soccer, but wouldn’t it be nice to one day host the Rugby World Cup (that’s also held every four years) like New Zealand is set to do this September?

Heck, it would be nice for the German National Team (that’s part of the Rugby Union) to qualify for the Rugby World Cup (for which it’s never done). However, if we all united with them, they just might!

You might think I’ve totally wigged out by talking about Christmas in Germany when Summer has just turned to Autumn. To be honest, I don’t like autumn, and I look forward to crisp, cold mornings and snow covered cobble stoned lanes.

No rainy weather for me, so until the mercury drops to a preferred level I’ll have to live vicariously by writing about the cold temperature season. ;-)

Now some of you might prefer the warmer weather, so consider this a jump on your Christmas shopping list.

And anyway, the Christmas season starts about a month before the actual date of Christmas — so I’m only two months ahead of myself, instead of three.

With over 2,000 Christmas Markets in Germany, it might take a while to figure out which ones you’ll want to go to. Plan ahead, that’s my motto!

Chances are whatever Christmas market you’re going to will have all the traditional fixings of a proper German Christmas (or just a dandy good time).

You’ll certainly eat great since there’s everything from German sausages to fresh baked bread, and the delicious Glühwein to drink. In most places you can keep the glass as a souvenir, or clean it out & re-gift it.

Oh, I can’t believe I suggested such a thing… never mind!

Weihnachtsmärkte bring out the very best craftsmen (and women) and artists to sell their wares. You’ll have no trouble at all finding the most unique and original gifts for your family and friends back home.

And fruitcakes are really popular in Germany — not so much in America. Maybe you’re better off bringing home Lebkuchen (gingerbread cookies) or Plätzchen, which are traditional Christmas cookies.

I really love the Christstollen, which looks like a loaf of bread but is filled with raisins and marzipan. Top it with powdered sugar, and you can feel your teeth hurt. It’s so yummy, so it’s worth it.

That’s it. I really like the cold weather with the Christmas markets, the traditional food and romantic white snow that come with the season.

Merry Christmas, three months early!

The other day, Harald Wolf from Canada contacted & asked me a very interesting question about us Germans, our German History, and why we are the way we are.

However, because I’m a greenhorn when it comes to the topic of history (who would’ve believed that… but my favorites in school were Mathematics, English, Geography and Sport), I had to ask our history buff and German History expert, Lisa Keller, in terms of what could be an accurate answer to Harald’s question.

So here it comes… Harald’s question first, Lisa’s response next, and then some final thoughts from yours truly…

Here’s something for you to pick up on, or keep in mind. I’ve been searching for many years for the origins of the prowess you talk about in “German Engineering Is A Leading Engine In Our World.”

Studying the origins of civilization in general is a bit of a hobby of mine, as is early German history. Of course, German history is rather swamped by more recent events, and I get the idea few Germans like to spend a lot of time thinking about the past.

There seem to be several black holes — between the Völkerwanderungen and the rise of the Frankish Empire and during the Dark ages. What events may have contributed to the intense “can-do” National pride that put the Germans among the top technical innovators — and kept them there for longer than any other nation?

Having learned that Germans are at least as much a mixture of races as any other country, I certainly don’t buy Hitler’s Ayrian superiority concept.

How did we get from a bunch of feuding Barbarian tribes to a nation that refuses to play second fiddle to any other nation in innovation and engineering?

If you have any suggestions of where I could find such information, I would appreciate that too. (And yes, I can read German, though with a bit of a struggle when it gets technical.)

Again, excellent question. Here’s Lisa’s response…

I’ve thought long & hard about this question–and you’re probably better able to answer some things better than I could.

But, from a historical standpoint, Germany wasn’t really a technological leader until around the mid-19th century. The country had been in the midst of wars (Peasants’, 30 Years, even the Reformation itself for that matter for the better part of two centuries).

What Germany did have was location, location, location. The country was located on some old major trade routes, it had resources (silver, etc), rivers for navigating around to trade with other countries. And it had food, as much of the country was used for agriculture.

If you ain’t worried about eating–you got time to think about other things, right?

Too bad the church hierarchy and the “guilds” wielded too much power for the common man to change much of the status quo. It wasn’t until Wilhelm II came to power, and wanted to at least be on par with countries like England–wanting to build a navy like the Brits–and a chance to get away from the bureaucratic way of thinking of his father, grandfather, and Otto von Bismarck. He kicked off much of the industrialization that propelled Germany into a technological marvel.

Of course, education comes in to play. Men like Copernicus & Kepler are only two of the brilliant minds that came from Germany educating its population–plus the 20 year battle of the French Revolution helped to bring around changes of equality and liberty to the people–even though all this took place before Wilhelm’s day.

Women were another resource, they made great strides for themselves in the Weimar Republic–until the Nazis came to power, that is.

The Nazis might have used the phrase “Aryan superiority”, but they ostrasized many brilliant minds–forcing the likes of Einstein and others to flee the country. So, no–I don’t “buy” into that either.

My opinion there wasn’t one catalyst event that caused German to become a technological leader. It was (and still is) a combination of events, people, education, and location that leads (and led) Germany from barbaric tribes to all the technological advances it’s made and will continue to do so.

I hope this helps!

Thank you very much, Lisa!

Thinking about it myself, four characteristics usually come up in my mind that could explain how we Germans are and why, and be reasons for the prowess of German Engineering — in addition to what Lisa said above…

Perfectionism — Probably a prime reason, we have a distinct sense and desire for perfectionism. We simply go an important step further and discover and fix flaws where others give up or think it would be “good enough.” It’s not. It’s never good enough.

Discipline — Discipline helps us focus and stay on track. I’m not sure where our tendency towards discipline stems from. Perhaps due to all the wars we had and the “trainings,” “camps” and “drills” we went through and experienced?

Seriousness — Yeah sure, after all those wars (and we really don’t want any other war anymore, ever!) we lost happiness and joy and now go through live in a serious manner — looking down on earth when walking. Kidding aside, our seriousness helps us “get down to business” and focus on the task at hand (rather than get sidetracked by distractions or delayed by dull chatter).

Climate — Germany is ideally located in Central Europe. The climate is not as warm or hot as in, say, Greece or Portugal, nor is it as cold as in Island or Canada. This, too, helps us focus and concentrate to deliver top (and perfected? ;-) products.

A possible fifth reason just popped up in my mind… Silence. We love silence and a quiet environment that helps us relax, enjoy, think, consider, contemplate, focus (again), and concentrate.

70% of our population lives in smaller (& quieter) towns and villages with less than 100,000 inhabitants. With 82 Million people living in 14,000 German towns, they are scattered all over the country — something rare in our world. And these smaller towns and municipalities provide a quieter environment which, again, helps us focus and concentrate on what’s important.

And focus and concentration ultimately leads to better performance, productivity, and products.

(This does not mean Germans don’t love to party. Yet still…)

And speaking of silence, ever noticed that windows in our houses are usually so thick and insulated, they eliminate noise from the outside almost completely?

Again, thank you very much for this excellent question, Harald. Really something to chew on… (although my own response was probably more about the current state rather than historical roots… ;-)

—Marcus

It be a good guess to say that I’m probably not the only one out there in the world that clicks the TV to mute (or off) when modern newscasters drone on about what England’s new duchess is wearing. But, it did get me to thinking that merry ol’ England doesn’t have the monopoly on the monarchy.

Germany too was a hodge-podge of kingdoms and dukedoms, and they certainly weren’t without scandal (as is the modern day English monarchy). Sorry, Elizabeth, I ain’t judging — I’m just saying. ;-)

What’s really funny (and I mean REALLY funny) is ordinary common folk also have their fair share of scandals. It just doesn’t so happen to make the tabloids or CNN. Most of the time.

So, if you’re scandal bound; why not add a real German noble title to your name?

No, I’m not kidding. With a few clicks of the mouse & a hundred bucks (or two), you can buy yourself the designation of a German noble title — such as Herzog (that’s a Duke) or Fürst (Prince).

Alright, the titles you buy might be only to the micronation of Pomerania and Livonia, but it might be fun to make all the people who think you’re a “Nobody” call you Freiherr (Baron) John Doe.

It’s downright hilarious. What? Am I the only person to find the humor in this?

What wasn’t funny when it comes to titles of the nobility is the case of Caroline of Brunswick. Oh, she was a lady of German noble blood who went on to become a Queen of England at the turn of the 17th century.

Sort of.

Her husband, King George IV of England, was illegally married to his mistress prior to Caroline. Their tumultuous relationship was chocked full of gossip, adultery, and scandal. Hmm, you mean these aren’t just modern day problems?

Anyway, Caroline was so despised by her hubby that he had her turned away at the doors of Westminster Abbey for the coronation — and those loyal to the king referred to her as just a simple Duchess. Oh, a snub to a proper queen, don’t you think?

For us mere mortals, I wouldn’t be offended if someone called me just a Graf (that’s a Count).

Once you buy your coveted German title, I wouldn’t worry too much about an assassination attempt like the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (in line for the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), whose death kickstarted World War I.

Wheww, that’s a relief — ’cause I’m about to go get me a title (just kidding).

And if you’re interested in hearing more scandalous stories in German history, let me know — there are PLENTY. ;-)

Germany, again, is looking at reunification; but it’s not what you might think. This is about the tiny, one square kilometer island of Helgoland (which is found in the North Sea, about 70km off the coast of mainland Germany).

Wait, that’s one island. Do they plan on being reunited with the mainland? That’s a heck of a long bridge.

No, nothing like that. German officials are looking to connect Helgoland with its neighboring island (which is also part of Helgoland), which it was once connected to back in the 18th century.

A nasty North Sea storm washed away the only land bridge connecting the two islands. Now three hundred years later, they very well might be together again.

So, why the sudden (as if 300 years is “sudden”) vote to reconnect? Simply put, tourism.

Detractors say that might not be the answer. More than a quarter of a million people come to Helgoland as a day trip for its unspoiled beauty. By connecting to its former appendage (oh, that would be island, sorry) there would be more room to build more hotels so that more people could spend the night.

I guess they’re afraid Helgoland would turn into a tourist trap. Oh, I’m so torn on this one, but it’s not up to me. The fate of the Helgoland islands is in the hands of the 1,200 people that call this place home.

Make that a couple more, ’cause I think some of my dear readers want to live there; and not because the average temperature in the dead of summer is only in the 60s. OK, that might just have something to do with it.

Psst, allergy sufferers — it’s been said that Helgoland has virtually no allergens. Ahh, can’t you already feel the sinus relief?

It won’t matter too much if the people of Helgoland vote to connect (or not) to the other island. Helgoland has prospered just fine the way it is. Remember, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Oh, wait! Helgoland was broken. So I guess they do have to fix it, huh?