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Official Name
Capital
Area
Population
GDP
Major cities
Language
Religions
Time Zones
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Berlin
137,847 sq mi
82,060,000
$3.660 trillion
Bonn, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Hannover, Nuremberg
German
Protestants & Roman Catholic
Germany is 6 hours ahead of the east Coast United States time, thus 9 hours ahead of the West Coast

     


Currency EURO = €. 1 EUR is divided in 100 cents
Coins: 1ct,2ct,5ct,10ct,20ct,50ct,1eur,2eur.
Banknotes: 5,10,20,50,100,200,500.
ATM are everywhere and all accept VISA cards, 50% accept American Express. They have the best exchange rate.

     

Passport
Citizens of the USA need valid passports to enter Germany and to re-enter their home countries. Germany does not allow entrance if the holder’s passport expires in under six months; returning home with an expired passport is illegal and may result in a fine.

Not allowed on board Box Cutters, Ice Axes/Ice Picks, Knives - except for plastic or round bladed butter knives, Meat Cleavers, Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors. Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches. Liquids : 3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3.4 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3.4 oz. container size is a security measure. click here for other items.
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General
Good medical care is widely available. Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate payment in cash for health services from tourists and persons with no permanent address in Germany. Most doctors, hospitals and pharmacies do not accept credit. General emergency number is 112.

Recommended There are no inoculations or vaccinations officially needed to enter Germany and in general, there are no major health risks for travelers visiting the country.
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Climate & Weather
Most of Germany has a temperate seasonal climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Drift, which is the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea including the peninsula of Jutland and the area along the Rhine, which flows into the North Sea. Consequently in the north-west and the north, the climate is oceanic; rainfall occurs year round with a maximum during summer.

Average Temps, Hi/Lo Jan : 38/30    Feb : 41/30    Mar : 50/36    Apr : 56/39    May : 66/47    Jun : 71/53
Jul  : 75/57    Aug : 75/56    Sep : 68/51    Oct : 57/43    Nov : 45/36    Dec : 40/32
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Reichtag
The Reichstag building in Berlin was constructed to house the Reichstag, the first parliament of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire supposedly set by Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe, who was later beheaded for the crime. The building remained in ruins until the reunification of Germany, when it underwent reconstruction led by internationally renowned architect Norman Foster.

Kölner Dom (Cologne cathedral)
Construction of Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over 600 years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall.[2] The cathedral is one of the world's largest churches and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe..

Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle lit. New Swan Stone palace, is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Ludwig II did not allow visitors to his castles, but after his death in 1886 the castle was opened to the public. Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein Castle.

Marienplatz (Munich)
Marienplatz is a central square in the city center of Munich, Germany since 1158. In the Middle Ages markets and tournaments were held in this city square. The Glockenspiel in the new city hall was inspired by these tournaments, and draws millions of tourists a year. Marienplatz was named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column erected in its centre in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation. It is home to Munich's Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) and the New City Hall (Neues Rathaus).

Heidelberg
Heidelberg lies on the river Neckar at the point where it leaves its narrow, steep valley in the Odenwald to flow into the Rhine valley where, 12 miles northwest of Heidelberg, it joins the river Rhine at Mannheim. Heidelberg is a pedestrian-friendly city--especially in the Altstadt, or Old Town, where your explorations are likely to begin.

Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden's history dates back to the 11th century, and has been ruled by a number of different regimes over this long history. Due to its proximity to Austria, it was under their control up until 1810 after which Bavaria took over. Since then, the town has become more and more popular and now serves as a major tourist center in Bavaria.

Eagle's Nest
The Kehlsteinhaus (known in English as the Eagles Nest) was commissioned for Hitlers 50th birthday and took 13 months to build. It lies on the tip of a mountain (the Kehlstein), 1834m above sea level and is one of the most popular attractions in southern Germany. The house was built as a quiet retreat for Hitler, and it was conveniently situated not far from his usual Obersalzberg residence - the Berghof. However, Hitler only visited the site a few times, as he found it too insecure.

Dachau
The Dachau Concentration Camp (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau in German) was the first such camp to be built in Germany, and served as a model for all others. Today it is set up as a memorial to the people who were interned and died here. The camp was originally constructed in 1933, shortly after Hitler came to power. From that time until the camp's liberation by American soldiers in 1945, the camp housed hundreds of thousands of inmates, most of which were political prisoners but also a large number just because they were Jews.

Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin is the last remaining gate that in medieval times, would have been used to enter the city. It is one of Berlin's most important landmarks, and a symbol of the city. It was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II as a symbol of peace and building started on the structure in 1788. It is therefore ironic that during the Cold War and the time where Berlin was split between east and west, that the Brandenburg Gate sat in no mans land between the two states.

Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum is one of the largest and most impressive museums in Berlin, and if you only get to see one museum, this should be it. Itwas named after an ancient Greek city and was eventually opened in 1930 after a long period of construction. Building had started in 1907 but was severely interrupted due to World War I and the subsequent years of economic hardship in Germany. Like so many other notable Berlin museums, it is located on Museum Island and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Nuremberg
Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and is Franconia's largest city. Nuremberg held great significance during the Nazi Germany era. Because of the city's relevance to the Holy Roman Empire and its position in the centre of Germany, the Nazi Party chose the city to be the site of huge Nazi Party conventions–the Nuremberg rallies. Between 1945 and 1946, German officials involved in the Holocaust and other war crimes were brought before an international tribunal in the Nuremberg Trials.

Baden Baden
Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg. The German word 'Baden' translates as 'to bath/bathe'. The springs of Baden-Baden were known to the Romans, and the foundation of the town is referred to the emperor Hadrian. The popularity of the city as a spa dates from the early 19th century, when the Prussian queen visited the site to improve her health. The 19th century saw the town rise to become a meeting place for celebrities, attracted by the hot springs as well as by the famous Casino, luxury hotels, horse races, and the gardens of the Lichtentaler Allee.

Hamburg
Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany (after Berlin) and the sixth-largest city in the European Union. The city takes its name from the first permanent building on the site, a castle ordered to be built by Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD. The castle was built on rocky ground in a marsh between the River Alster and the River Elbe as a defence against Slavic incursion. A typical Hamburg visit includes a tour of the city hall and the grand church St. Michaelis (called the Michel), and visiting the old warehouse district (Speicherstadt) and the harbour promenade (Landungsbrücken).

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911 = 112
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What comes to mind when you think about German cuisine? Sauerkraut and Bratwurst, German Chocolate cake and beer. However that would be a huge generalization and simplification, because nowadays things have changed towards lighter cooking, reviving of the regional cuisines in Germany. German appreciation of healthy, well-prepared foods served with care is well known.

Bavarian Schupfnudeln

Schupfnudeln is a kind of spaeztle (homemade pasta) that gets its name from the Upper German word 'Schupfen,' meaning 'to shove, push, throw or chuck.' They are traditionally handmade by rolling out potato dough on a board and cutting the dough into noodles." They are good with saurkraut, cabbage and many meat dishes.
INGREDIENTS

For 4 persons
17,6 oz. (500 g) potatoes
17,6 oz. (500 g) sauerkraut
5,3 oz. (150 g) flour
1 egg
5 tablespoons cooking oil
3,5 - 5 oz. (100 - 150 g) diced bacon
a teaspoon cumin
PREPARATION

Boil the potatoes and peel them.
- Mash the potaotes and mix them with the flour, the egg and the cooking oil.
- Cut small pieces from this and roll them between the hands into noodles which are as thick as a little finger and about 2 inches (5 cm) long
- Put the noodles into boiling water and cook them until they come to the surface
- Fry the diced bacon and add the noodles
- When the noodles turn golden add the sauerkraut and spice this with cumin, salt and pepper
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Opening times
Legal opening times for retail outlets are: Monday to Friday 5am - 9pm, Saturday until 6pm. The actual shop opening hours vary, but most are open from 9am to 6pm (grocery stores from 8am) and on Saturdays until 1pm or 5pm. Tourist locations are subject to special regulations, allowing longer opening hours. Shops in stations and airports are open during travelling times (often until 11pm). Most shops and supermarkets accept VISA, American Express and Cash.

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