Aug 19th, 2009 at 4:00PM: It was just about four months ago that Gadling reported the launch of a great new travel resource and bookstore, GuideGecko.com. Now, GuideGecko, the innovative publishing platform for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides, has just announced its first travel writing contest in conjunction with the world's largest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany. From now to September 24, authors from all ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Germany posts
GuideGecko's travel writing contest
Aug 19th, 2009 at 4:00PM: It was just about four months ago that Gadling reported the launch of a great new travel resource and bookstore, GuideGecko.com. Now, GuideGecko, the innovative publishing platform for travel, lifestyle and entertainment guides, has just announced its first travel writing contest in conjunction with the world's largest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany. From now to September 24, authors from all ...Weird sign of the day - what does this mean?
Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:30PM: I'm not entirely sure what the worst part is of this collection of signs - that they had to show their ban on pooping in the parking lot so visually, or that the fine (Bußgeld) for messing up things is a whopping EUR1533.88 ($2100). If you are wondering how they got such a weird number for the fine, they simply converted it from DEM3000 (Deutschmarks) to Euros during the conversion. That ...Photo of the day (4.28.09)
Apr 28th, 2009 at 8:00PM: Tickets to Germany have been on super sale for the past few weeks, as they normally are this time of the year. The problem is that most budget tickets are into Frankfurt, which hasn't got a ton of exciting tourist attractions. Luckily, a variety of beautiful cities like Cologne are nearby, where the above picture of the Kölner Dom was taken by rafapdalbem1. Neat shot. Got any cool photos ...Germans still coming to U.S., but not as much
Apr 24th, 2009 at 1:00PM: German bookings to the United States were strong through the end of last year, even as overall action from outside the country dipped in the fourth quarter. Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that nearly 1.8 million Germans came across the Atlantic Ocean, an increase of 17 percent from 2007.
Fourth quarter arrivals from German last year reached 420,285, a gain of more than 9 percent ...Brits continue to self-congratulate on cleanliness
Apr 19th, 2009 at 10:00AM: Brits are the best-behaved hotel guests, according to a survey by TripAdvisor. More than 3,000 participated in the study, and the results are certain to reinforce stereotypes. Forty-three percent of hotel guests from the UK make their own beds every morning ... which is nothing compared to the 79 percent who put their clothes neatly in the closets.
But, tidiness comes with a price. Travelers from ...Top 10 wine spots, none in U.S.
Apr 12th, 2009 at 4:00PM: I realize that, on the world stage, our homeland isn't exactly the most popular place right now. Part of it stems from eight years of political buffoonery, and a healthy dose comes from traditional "old world" bias against the United States. Like most of us, I've learned to adjust for a touch of this when I read international news coverage. To a certain extent, I understand it ... we're more like ...Record influx of visitors to U.S. in 2008
Mar 26th, 2009 at 1:00PM: Last year, 58 million international visitors came to the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. That's an increase of nearly 4 percent from 2007. To sweeten it up a bit, 13 of the top 25 arrivals markets saw new records set. In the last month of the year, nearly 4 million people came here from abroad – down 7 percent. The fourth quarter was down 6 percent ...Bargain Europe: Camping Across The Continent
Mar 10th, 2009 at 9:30AM: In these economic times we're all looking to find ways to save a little cash without giving up our travels. Airfares are more affordable than they have been in a long time, which means that we can at least afford to get to the places we want to visit. But what happens once we get there? Are there any affordable places to stay? Most travelers making their way across the pond to Europe tend to stay ...Photo of the day (2.24.09)
Feb 24th, 2009 at 10:00PM:
Most people don't think "art" when they see a train yard, but as dydcheung shows in this picture, the right perspective and frame can really bring out the beauty in an otherwise mundane setting. This photo was taken at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, one of largest train stations in Germany and reminds me how much I enjoy watching trains and people move, commute and flow through a maze of public ...The friendliest expat countries
Feb 23rd, 2009 at 3:30PM: I'm not a big fan of lists, so please don't be surprised at my dismay with Forbes.com's newest attempt to show how Western countries are full of the friendliest people on earth. In its latest "Top Ten" list, David Sutton identifies what he believes to be the world's friendliest expat countries. The top three on his list: Canada, Germany, and Australia. Please don't get me wrong. I think these ...Travel sans visa coming for European, Caribbean, Mauritius, and Seychelles nationals
Feb 13th, 2009 at 2:00PM: A mutual agreement allowing Europeans, nationals from four Caribbean countries, and citizens of two island nations in the Indian Ocean is expected to be passed and approved by the end of March, which will allow for hassle-free and smoother travel. If you hold a passport from any of the following countries, it means you're that much more free to travel between those listed sans visa: Austria, ...Tagcrumbs are places worth remembering
Feb 7th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Let's face it: there are tons of online travel resources out there, and they seem to be growing exponentially by the day. It came to my attention that one of those millions should not be overlooked. Despite its rather unfortunate name, I found Tagcrumbs, a Germany and UK-based company, to be quite useful and informative. The premise here is simple. When you come across a cool place in the world ...Want to hike in the nude? Don't go to Switzerland. It's now a no no.
Feb 2nd, 2009 at 2:00PM: In Switzerland shedding clothes and hitting the trail used to be fine and dandy. Nude hiking was allowed. Not any more. That fun has ended. In a move to protect children from seeing those body parts usually located in places where the sun doesn't shine, the Swiss government has made a law, at least in the Appenzell Innerrhoden canton, that nude hiking isn't allowed.
It sounds like this was a rush ...Berlin celebrates 20 years of wall's collapse
Jan 12th, 2009 at 12:00PM: The Berlin Wall was pulled down 20 years ago, giving birth to a new industry: selling pieces of the Berlin Wall. Remember that? Well, all the pieces were probably bought long ago (well, except the "real" one that you picked up last week, of course), but there is still plenty you can do to celebrate. The list of cultural events is long and impressive, like the German translation of a short word in ...The new face of army food
Jan 11th, 2009 at 5:00PM: The U.S. Culinary Arts Team ... yes, there is such a thing ... faced an incredible challenge. The team had to cook 150 three-course meals in six hours without the benefit of a real kitchen. The crew had to work "in the field" – as the army calls being away from the plumbing, walls and heat of the barracks – which is never an easy task. The IKA/Culinary Olympics, which occurred back in ...Europe books it more online
Jan 9th, 2009 at 4:00PM: Online travel searches may be down, but online bookings are up (at least in Europe). At the end of 2008, 29 percent of Europe's €246 billion travel industry happened in that strange place called the "internet." Traditional bookings are expected to inch higher by 3 percent, providing just a tad more proof that the action's on the web. PhoCusWright uncovered this and other travel tidbits in a ...Fruitcake: Where does it come from?
Dec 25th, 2008 at 4:00PM: While those chestnuts roast on your open fire, it might be time to open Grandma's fruitcake that you forgot to eat last year. Maybe it's on your closet shelf, just waiting to be devoured. You don't have to worry about it going bad, either. It's probably even tastier now that you've waited year. As you unwrap it and prepare it for your plate, it might be a good idea to understand just where the ...Cultural Delicacies: Dogs (and cats!)
Dec 19th, 2008 at 5:00PM: It is not uncommon for people to eat dog meat in parts of China, Korea, and the Philippines. Historically, in times of famine people in France and Germany ate dogs too. As a pet lover, I can't bear the thought, but I know this practice is more far-reaching than meets the eye. Earlier this year, Honolulu experienced its own case of dog-eating men who stole, killed, and ate a couple's beloved poi ...Photo of the Day (11.04.08)
Nov 4th, 2008 at 6:00PM:
With everyone getting all riled up about the elections and all today, I thought that I would pick a more gentile subject for the photo of the day: delicious, delicious treats. This photo of a row of candied and chocolate covered apples was taken by uncorneredmarket among the myriad Christmas Markets in Germany, several of which I was supposed to make it to this year. We'll see if I have the ...German tour bus catches fire, 20 feared dead
Nov 4th, 2008 at 5:30PM: Up to 20 people are feared dead after a tourist bus caught fire near Hannover, Germany today. It was headed for Berlin. Reuters reports,"The bus caught fire near the northern city of Hanover as it headed toward Berlin, forcing the driver to pull over. Some passengers were not able to get off in time but about 10 people escaped, a police spokesman said."Some reports are claiming "it was not a ...
