Trains, Castles and Beer

That sums up the vast landscape for tourist adventure that is Germany.  Below are some snapshots of what I experienced on our recent and first visit..

Each region is proud of their own heritage and you will hear the locals welcome you and ask to enjoy Dusseldorf or enjoy Baden Wuttemberg while only few might say 'have a good time in Germany'.  Ironically the only time in history Germany was really united was under Hitler's rule but otherwise in the past ages and again today a sense of regional identity is strong.

It is evident in their language, culture and their beers.  Every one has their local identity - north different from the south - even when it is not that big a country.

Here then are some vistas of the land that stretches from the North Sea to the Swiss Alps in the south.

Deutsche Bahn Express leaving Frankfurt

Along the Rhine heading north

Floor art inside Cologne Cathedral

 

Our journey took us north west from Frankfurt -


Doorway to Cologne Cathedral - this sculptor must have been busy

on the Main river to Cologne where we traipsed around the oldest cathedral in the country which to this day is being renovated and maintained (they all need a lot of TLC and donations) then caught the summer lights along the Rhine.

Then 'train'ed our sights on the capital and largest city Berlin in the far eastern corner.  A visit to the heart of it all is to see one of a handful of prominent Tors or Gates - the one below is called Brandenburg Gate where Reagan in Hollywood style told Gorbachev, then the figurehead of the eastern block to tear down the Berlin wall.

 

 

Berlin sits on the river Spree - the pic above is a film shown outdoor on government buildings that sit on cool real estate - river banks - about the journey of German people from the Reichstag (monarchy) to the Bundestag (of the people)

Reichstag Dome where the public can view the working of the Federal Government moving on a motorized walkway - Berlin Federal Government building or Reichstag.
Designer - Norman Foster.

 Leaving Berlin behind we further moved north on to the port city of Hamburg. This is the third largest port after NY and London and sits on the river Elbe.  More on that and further meanderings later...