Where's nice in Germany?

[sparkybabe]

Have been to Germany several times. I would like to take my 2 dses (13 and 15) over in the easter hols, as they are both doing german at school.

Been to Berlin, Cologne, Nuremberg, Detmold, Trier ... where can we go that is nice, easy to get to from Gatwick, preferably with something for teenage boys to do? (not nightclubs!)

sparkybabe, it might be the camp memorial wasn't there when you were living there. Obv the camp/ground was there but I'm not sure when the Gedenkstaette all opened up. For a long while after 1945, it was obviously a very difficult subject for most Germans. Dachau near Munich was there in the 1980s cos I visited, but I lived in N Germany, near Minden, then too and was also unaware of the camp near Celle. Does anyone else know, out of interest? Funny, our best man's MIL was frm Celle, married a Scottish soldier and moved to Scotland. After my German degree i became a nurse (intended to travel the world, but married DH who doesn't like change ....) and worked mostly in Scotland (though did do a stint as a nurse in Berlin which was fun), and looked after this German lady in Scotland, we chatted in German a bit, who years later, after I'd met DH, turned out to be his friend's MIL!! Small world!

Well, this thread has got me checking the calendar and bank balance - maybe a trip to Germany with ds4 later in the year will be possible, and evoke another thread whilst I do the planning. Thank you to whoever mentioned Eurostar - i'd totally forgotten it. I have minced brain.

Remember, if you want grey, murky, cloudy for a winter holiday, Scotland's your destination!!!

Sorry about bad punctuation above! Hope you followed the story/drivel.

BlueEyeshadow, have you seen the series Heimat? Set in the Hunsruck (not sure where to put Umlaut? sure one is in there) area, so not far from Saarland. We are still on first series, can't afford 2nd if I keep thinking of travel abroad :-(. And did you trudge round Mannheim on a Sunday afternoon examining the town's unique grid system? Maybe something to be said for travelling when your children young enough NOT to do their own research!!

Ohhhh, now I want to go back to Germany!!

I spent 3 weeks last summer camping in various places with my family in Europe and Germany was by far my favourite. We went to Hamburg - the people were incredibly helpful and friendly, the campsite was really good value and the transport cheap. I want to go back there again.
We went from there to Leipzig as I have friends living there and stayed in a flat. I've been to Leipzig a few times now and I love the city. There are lots of historical museums from just about any era you'd like to name. There are trams which are great value and again the people are really friendly. From here you can do a day trip to Colditz. I did this with the kids and it was great to see the place I've read so much about. Though there isn't much about it's pow status.
We then went to visit friends in Kassel. Tbh there wasn't loads to do here and if it weren't for the fact we have friends there we wouldn't return. Essentially we carpet bombed the place in the war so there is very little of the old town left. There is a pretend medieval castle and an 18th Century (I think) palace though.

I have been to Augsburg and Munich years ago, but to be honest I don't like the south as much as the north. I don't know why, it's just the north appeals more to me, and the old East makes me want to live there.

In answer to the original post: You can smoke. Yes I know, kill me now, it'll be quicker. Yes I know, not where children are. But if the place decides they're up for it, and some of them do, you can smoke. Cigarettes. Inside. In Germany.

I agree about Kassel. A friend lived near there and it really was a dull town. Apols to anyone from there :-). Was it not the city whose council, sl presumptiously, built spanking new facilities after 1945 in the hope/expectation that they'd be chosen as the new post war capital, and then it was given to 'little' Bonn? Oops!

Shall we see if we Germany enthusiasts can keep this thread going for weeks?! Please, or should be Bitte .....

I would second that Leipzig is such a great city!!!!!!

Baskets45, do you still have the opportunity to speak German on a regular basis or use your German otherwise?

I lived in Germany for a 1 year (too many years ago!) and visited with family in 2005. Loved Bremen more than Hamburg but both definitely worth a visit. Has anyone mentioned Lubeck (oh the marzipan...)?. Then there's Koln (Cologne to you lot). Heidelberg is stunning. Also loved Munich - loads to see and do there - and Wurzburg... oh I could go on.
The south is trickier linguistically, BUT some parts of the north (Schleswig-Holstein) have rather interesting dialects too: they use 'Plattdeutsch' and say "Moin Moin" to each other instead of "Morgen", for example. Wherever you decide to go, enjoy!!

I forgot Nurnburg / Nuremburg ... and I can second Baskets45 recommendation to watch Heimat.

Does anyone recommend the series 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'? quite a few Brits mentioned that series to me.

How would one explain Marzipan in English? As Lübeck is cute and of course the Travemünde right there and the Timmendorfer Strand...

Why, oh why did we book a holiday in Greece?!? I would be so happy in a little cottage in Schleswig-Holstein...

Mind you, it will be nice to see the sun once this year.

Marzipan is the same word in English.

Auf Wiedersehen Pet is an old program and was about people from the North East of England working over in Germany. I haven't seen the original ones recently and can't remember loads about them, but they made some more a few years ago where the lads got back together here in the uk.

I want to go back to see friends in Leipzig, I'd love to go to Berlin too. I also have Hamburg as a place I want to explore a bit more, and I'd like to explore the Dusseldorf/Essen type area as I've never been there. I'd love to go to the Stutgart (sp?) area as my Fathers family originated from there and I'd like to see where they were from.
Unfortunately my Dh doesn't share my enthusiasm.

Emandlu, thanks for the info. Now, I am even more intrigued to look into that series.
I watch loads of UK films and series' here in Hamburg. Unfortunately, I haven't come across 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'. I'll have another look.

ContinentalKat, be happy about your trip down to the Mediterranean. the weather is awful here. This must be one of the worst summers we had so far. Rain, rain, rain. Nothing but rain, storms, flooding and grey clouds. Just awful, really :-(

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is a bit 'Englishmen abroad'. Though i'm sure men frm other parts of UK could do the same :-). It's got some very funny parts, a good chance to practise your Geordie accent, and the acting is good. Several of the actors have gone on to have very established acting careers in the UK - eg Kevin Whatley, Timothy Spall. I have the first series on dvd and it's good, light entertainment.

mmm, Marzipan. I found a cake shop in Bonn that sold the most wonderful Birne-Marzipan. For those not in the know, that's a tart with pears and almond paste. Slaver, slaver.

I have always had a yen to see the castles down the Rhine. Are they very crowded? Are river cruises full of ancient people? Would I be disappointed?

I have A Level German and did it as a subsidiary at university, but to my absolute shame, have never been to Germany. I still just might be able to order a weiss wein! (Or maybe some kartoffelsalat...)

Surely Boden see would be full of MNetters....

Struggling a bit to post as MN gremlins now got 2 of my posts. grr! So, more briefly, in answer to qu about whether i get o speak much German these days. No, I don't, my vocabulary is dire, my ability to use colloquialisms very poor, my grammar is sound but without the words that's fairly pointless! Sadly, it's a case of If you don't use it, you lose it. It's all quite complicated as I do try to make opportunities, as linguistic competence is something I want, but sometimes I think fate is against me .....

LA, isn't that a good thing?! and we could all talk auf Englisch!

It's on our list to visit castles on the Rhine - all we've done is travel the route by train, so far. I suspect lots of American tourists will be there? Not sure about river boats. I am tempted, look at ads in paper von Zeit zu Zeit (get me!!), but could never justify the cost as we live on shoestring budget.

Where do I go for the Birne Marzipan?

There's a veggie cafe near the Hauptbahnhof in Bonn called Cassius Garten and their cafe next door to main cafe has cake. Obviously, it being Deutschland and all. And that's where I got Birne-Marzipan. I want, I want .....

Note to self, 'mumming' involves more than just MN chat. I need to engage with various sons, wash dishes, eat lunch, dream of German cake, press buttons on washing machine, and I think we have a glimmer of the sunshine thing so washing to go out ......

We have relatives in Germany so visit the Bonn area fairly often. Went to Vienna once and couldn't understand a word anyone was saying . Cassius Garten in Bonn is my favourite ever place to eat to the extent I nearly asked to go for my 40th (but got a dog instead as you do !)