Tucked against a front corner of the Quedlinburg Rathaus stands a statue of Roland. The figure is small compared to the massive Roland statue in Bremen. Our tour guide told us that the Statues of Roland were the sign of a free market town and a symbol of strength. (She also mentioned that Roland used to stand in the center…
Category: Travel to Germany
A Visit to the Nuremberg Toy Museum- Spielzeugmuseum Nuremberg
Nuremberg has been a hub of toy making since the Middle Ages, so it makes sense that the Nuremberg Spielzeugmuseum is considered one of the best Toy Museums in the world. HUNDREDS of toy makers had their workshops along the cobblestoned streets and ways. Not only that, Nuremberg is the home of the first mass-produced toys and the first Tin…
A Visit to the Silent Night Chapel Oberndorf Austria
We’ve all sung it hundreds of times, in German, Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht, or in English, Silent Night. It’s THE Christmas song in most German households. It is the last song before the end of the Christmas Eve church service and the last song before the Bescherung. Silent Night is a song we all know the words to in German…
Your Local Friend Live Virtual Tours of Christmas in Munich!
So… Your Trip to Germany was cancelled this year. Don’t be too sad! You can still take the whole family and a bunch of your friends on a LIVE (Virtual) Tour of Munich with Your Local Friend! Visit the Christmas Markets, learn a little history, hear some great stories… all without having to pay Airfare! (You don’t even need your…
A Day in Rüdesheim Germany- A Gondola Ride and Wine on the Rhine
While traveling with my daughter, she insisted we go to Ruedesheim, Germany. I had been there before on a Rhine Cruise, so I knew what to expect. Why Not? Unfortunately, we only had one whole afternoon and overnight, but we would squeeze in as much as we could. This town along the Rhein River is known for winemaking and is…
The Muenchener Kindl – The Symbol of Munich
For someone not from Munich (like me), the Münchener Kindl can be a bit confusing. When I first heard it, I presumed it referred to a native, someone born in Munich. And although I’ve heard people referring to themselves that way, it’s much more than that. It’s the symbol of Munich, and you can see it everywhere in the city.…
The Journey System -The Best Travel Backpack to Carry On
Idea Mountain sent me their Journey Travel System Backpack to test out for you. A backpack carefully designed to carry everything you need for travel using an intelligent system that makes packing easy and FINDING things in your bag even easier. As a lifelong suitcase user, I was skeptical. I’ve tried backpacks before, and they don’t always work out. This…
The Passion Play of Oberammergau- History and how YOU can see it!
The Passion Play of Oberammergau holds a special place in German history. Part Pilgrimage part spectacle, every 10 years this amazing event brings over 450,000 visitors to the small mountain town of Oberammergau in Bavaria. Over four months, the locals (and yes, it’s only locals, not professional actors) stage 103 Performances that last over 5 hours!. But what is the…
Brown Signs on the Autobahn- Notable sights in Germany
I’m the kind of person who loves roadside attractions. If a sign says “Biggest Ball of Yarn” or “Caves of Wonder,” I’m telling the driver to PULL OVER! So you can imagine my delight (and my family’s frustration) when I discovered the Brown Signs on the Autobahn pointing out German Tourist attractions! Everywhere are signs pointing out Sehenswürdigkeiten (things worthy…