France/Germany travel ideas?

This is going to sound a bit strange, but when my husband and I
travel, we like to make up little games for the trip. For instance,
on the last trip we took the game was "How far South can we drive?"
We started in Connecticut, USA and made it to Belize before we had to
fly to Costa Rica to meet the plane that was taking us home. The trip
took about a month (didn't want to rush).

I had planned for our next trip to be "How many pubs can we bike to in
Ireland?", but we've just been presented with the opportunity to fly
into Germany this winter (Ramstein AFB), so Ireland will wait.

I know very little about the region, so I'm wondering if others have
input on what would be an appropriate theme for this trip. We will
have about 3 weeks and so far don't have a preference for what area we
spend it in. We like low-budget trips (youth hostels, cheap B&Bs,
etc) and seek out any opportunity we can find to do things "off the
beaten path" that will increase our chances of interacting with
residents of the areas that we are visiting, instead of other
tourists. Museums and historic buildings are nice, but people,
cultures and customs are vastly more entertaining.

We'll be traveling mid December through mid January.

Any input is welcome, either through this NG, or directed to my email
account.

tia,

-Meredith

Zetekitoxin schrieb:
>
> This is going to sound a bit strange, but when my husband and I
> travel, we like to make up little games for the trip. For instance,
> on the last trip we took the game was "How far South can we drive?"
> We started in Connecticut, USA and made it to Belize before we had to
> fly to Costa Rica to meet the plane that was taking us home. The trip
> took about a month (didn't want to rush).
>
> I had planned for our next trip to be "How many pubs can we bike to in
> Ireland?", but we've just been presented with the opportunity to fly
> into Germany this winter (Ramstein AFB), so Ireland will wait.
>
> I know very little about the region, so I'm wondering if others have
> input on what would be an appropriate theme for this trip. We will
> have about 3 weeks and so far don't have a preference for what area we
> spend it in. We like low-budget trips (youth hostels, cheap B&Bs,
> etc) and seek out any opportunity we can find to do things "off the
> beaten path" that will increase our chances of interacting with
> residents of the areas that we are visiting, instead of other
> tourists. Museums and historic buildings are nice, but people,
> cultures and customs are vastly more entertaining.
>
> We'll be traveling mid December through mid January.
>
> Any input is welcome, either through this NG, or directed to my email
> account.
>
> tia,
>
> -Meredith

It's not really the season, but you could set out on a trip down (up?)
the Moselle, which is not far from Ramstein. Something like "How many
vinyards can we bike to". There are plenty of places to stay.

Tom

Zetekitoxin <DontPanic@danger.org> wrote:


> I know very little about the region, so I'm wondering if others have
> input on what would be an appropriate theme for this trip. We will
> have about 3 weeks and so far don't have a preference for what area we
> spend it in. We like low-budget trips (youth hostels, cheap B&Bs,
> etc) and seek out any opportunity we can find to do things "off the
> beaten path" that will increase our chances of interacting with
> residents of the areas that we are visiting, instead of other
> tourists. Museums and historic buildings are nice, but people,
> cultures and customs are vastly more entertaining.
>
> We'll be traveling mid December through mid January.
>
Hi Meredith,

I don't know what the weather is like where you come from, but it can
get pretty cold in Germany in midwinter, so wrap up warm.

How about trying "How many different kinds of sausages can we eat?"

IMHO Germany is a great place for a low-budget trip, as you can have
excellent beer, wine, sausages and bread for relatively little money.

DontPanic@danger.org (Zetekitoxin) wrote in message news:<8ddf83d3.0307131140.2a1d7b8e@ com>...
> This is going to sound a bit strange, but when my husband and I
> travel, we like to make up little games for the trip.

Not strange at all, rather very nice!

> I had planned for our next trip to be "How many pubs can we bike to in
> Ireland?", but we've just been presented with the opportunity to fly
> into Germany this winter (Ramstein AFB), so Ireland will wait.

Both sounds like exellent ideas. When it comes to Germany, you have to
Visit Berlin. LIke New York, BErlin is more corretly looked upon as a
country on it's own than a part of Germany. THe city has more or less
everything. Art & culture, history & politics, nightlife &
entertaining, a meltpot of different people when it comes to ethnic
origin, religion and interests etc.

To find cheap accomandation and interesting people and nightlife I
suggest the south south/eastern part of BErlin (the Old American
sector) where smail, nice, etnic and alternative places are all over
the place. Kreuzberg is a very nice area. The center/eastern part (the
old Russian sector) has a lot of new and trendy nightlife. I can
reccomend to try some of the Berlin Walks (The origial berlin walks
and INsiders trips are very good). THeatres and cabaret is a must,
Friedrich Strasse has more than hundred thatres (!). There also is a
lot of museums ands galleries. The guides at the BErlin wals can give
you plenty of advice what is worth while.

The TV tower at Alexander PLatz (center/east - the hub in the old
Russian Sectors public transport) offers a great view.

In Charlottenburg (old British sector) there is a great zoo and a
couple of nice jazz clubs if you like modern jazz. THis area isn't the
most interesting in my view.

Although It's not Germany, I will suggest that you inklude Krakoww in
POland, that has lots and lots to offer and can be reached by train
from Berlin.

Oystein

On 13 Jul 2003 12:40:40 -0700, DontPanic@danger.org (Zetekitoxin) wrote:

>This is going to sound a bit strange, but when my husband and I
>travel, we like to make up little games for the trip. For instance,
>on the last trip we took the game was "How far South can we drive?"
>We started in Connecticut, USA and made it to Belize before we had to
>fly to Costa Rica to meet the plane that was taking us home. The trip
>took about a month (didn't want to rush).
>
>I had planned for our next trip to be "How many pubs can we bike to in
>Ireland?", but we've just been presented with the opportunity to fly
>into Germany this winter (Ramstein AFB), so Ireland will wait.
>
>I know very little about the region, so I'm wondering if others have
>input on what would be an appropriate theme for this trip.

In Germany? Beer and sausage. How many different brands of beer or kinds of
sausage can you consume. Beer would be nice since you could often keep a can or
label or coaster or something.
--
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
- Abraham Lincoln