August 2018
Germany is a great country. They really take care of people here.
My first weekend trip was to Munich, the capital of Bavaria. My photos do it no justice. Munich is very clean, has great architecture, and is certainly one of Europe’s finest cities.
This is the central square, Marienplatz.
Heading back to the hostel with some friends, we came across a peaceful protest. People were walking by for about 45 minutes. They were protesting a new conservative and controversial government official while promoting liberal causes.
Next stop was Berlin. Berlin is interesting in that is was divided between the democratic allied forces and the communist USSR after WW2. Being divided, and partially communist, until the 1990’s held back much of Berlin’s development and it is grittier then many other German cities. Some people find this edginess appealing, and Berlin is known for having great nightlife.
I was fortunate upon arrival to inadvertently stumbled across a film on the history of Germany in front of the Reichstag Building. This is were the German government now meets. In 1933 a Dutchman burned it down early in the reign of Hitler. A false national emergency was declared and the atrocities of Nazi Germany began to escalate. It is important we remember to be cautious of lunatic leaders declaring national emergencies for their own prerogatives.
Museum Island has 5 great museums and a Cathedral. If you visit, buy the day pass online instead of buying tickets at each.
After Berlin came the Bodensee, aka Lake Constance. I stand in Germany with Switzerland and Austria behind me. This is a popular place for a short getaway. I stayed in the city of Friedrichshafen. Famous for being the headquarters of the Zepplin company, they made massive airships.
Next stop, Nuremberg. This medieval city is certainly one of my favorite spots in Germany. It is pretty cool being inside castle walls that have stood longer than my country has existed.
This man handcrafted all of these mugs. I got a shot glass from him.
Another cathedral. They are all amazing, but get a bit dull once you have seen a few. The temples in Asia are more colorful and exciting.
I often walk around cities aimlessly in hopes of stumbling across pleasant little spots such as this one. I have a rule that whenever I want to turn around, I go a little further.
Nuremberg Toy Museum. Some of these toys have lasted over 200 years. Some kids use to play Hitler.
Germany has a lot of great things to offer.