Germany

A new “express” bus service now links Südkreuz train station in Berlin with Schönefeld Airport.  Price:  6 euros, 4 euros with any BVG ticket, 3 euros with a weekly or monthly ticket.  For those flying into Berlin, the ticket remains valid for further transit on public transportation in Berlin ABC.
This bus represents no monetary savings [...]

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I love capitols – can’t get enough of their marble halls, gilded domes, dark wood paneling and hundreds of tiny desks (at least they always *look* tiny from the viewing gallery) with multicolored voting buttons.  They capture a regal era removed from our own with a permanence found rarely in modern architecture.
While in DC at the beginning of January, my destination [...]

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At the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers in the lovely city of Koblenz, Germany, stands a large monument called Deutsches Eck (German Corner).  Originally dedicated to the empire of Kaiser Wilhelm I, its partial destruction in WWII led the remnants to serve as a memorial to German unity until 1989.  It was rebuilt by [...]

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The Russians have a term — avoska — for a small tote bag carried “just in case.” Theirs were used for the random times where lines spontaneously formed for things like bananas. When lines appeared, people would join even if they weren’t certain what was on offer (on the grounds that, if people [...]

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It was six men of Hindustan to learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant (though all of them were blind),
That each by observation might satisfy the mind.

The first approached the Elephant and happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side at once began to bawl:
“Bless me, it seems the Elephant is very like a [...]

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Greetings fellow travelers and welcome to this week’s Carnival of Cities. I’m happy to be your host as we jet around the world following tales of tapioca, tumbling and taxidermy. Intrigued? Read on . . .
New York City, NY, USA: Sascha Zuger from Travel Savvy Mom scoops a great hotel package, [...]

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Traveling in Europe for nearly a decade, I’ve reached a saturation point with churches. Some study-abroad students come down with an unshakable case of ABC Syndrome (short for “Another Boring Church”) in just 10 weeks! Don’t get me wrong: I studied church art intensively and am still moved by the beauty and [...]

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Until you’ve seen Oktoberfest for yourself, you’re probably not going to believe me when I tell you it’s like the State Fair, minus the animals (butter or otherwise), plus traditional costumes and, obviously, Maß upon Maßloads of beer.
Once you’re there, you’ll wonder why anyone ever thought it was a good idea to mix overconsumption of [...]

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Deutsche Bahn, the German railway company, is offering a special this fall, targeted at its pedal-pushing ridership: FREE transport of your bicycle on two of its IC lines.

On the line Nürnberg - Karlsruhe, major stops include:
Nürnberg Hbf, Ansbach, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Stuttgart Hbf, Pforzheim Hbf, and Karlsruhe Hbf
On the line Düsseldorf - Ostseebad Binz, major [...]

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