A Weekend in Düsseldorf

About 2 hours west of Bielefeld, in the heart of Germany’s Ruhrgebiet, is the city of Düsseldorf. The city is an industrial powerhouse that sprawls the banks of the Rhine river and is the seat of North-Rhine Westphalia’s government. I spent the better part of the week in a suburb of the city, speaking EnglishContinue reading “A Weekend in Düsseldorf”

A Weekend in Hamburg

Hamburg from a Height A three hour train ride from Bielefeld is Hamburg, a port city located on the Elbe river. Hamburg has always had an international atmosphere due to its historic role as a major port between Europe, Scandinavia, and America. Now, it’s the hub of Germany’s media and the European headquarters for manyContinue reading “A Weekend in Hamburg”

The Cologne Cathedral

Always Lookin’ Up The trains coming into the Cologne train station take the scenic route, crossing a bridge over the Rhein, cruise ships floating below.  Along the river are modern, attractive skyscrapers.  If you’re nose deep in a book, or sleeping in your seat on the train, you might miss one of the most spectacularContinue reading “The Cologne Cathedral”

A Weekend in Mainz

Mainz on the Rhein A short train ride from Frankfurt sits the ancient roman city of Mainz (pronounced like “mines”).  When my parents came to visit, we started our vacation here, with a weekend on the Rhein, exploring Mainz and neighboring river villages.   The funny thing is, when we told our German friends our plansContinue reading “A Weekend in Mainz”

A Weekend in Amsterdam

Dam Tourists Last week my parents came to visit.  It was their first time in Europe, and we tried to do and see as much as possible in the short time frame they were visiting.  One of the destinations: Amsterdam, Netherlands.  I had never been to Amsterdam before, and knew little about it.  The onlyContinue reading “A Weekend in Amsterdam”

Germany Travel Bingo Printable

Travel Games Growing up, our family vacations involved road trips throughout the west. Traveling up the Pacific Coast Highway, or making our way through the desert to Nevada and Arizona.  My sister and I loved these trips, but we also had strict rules: We each had to have our own row of seats in theContinue reading “Germany Travel Bingo Printable”

Nachtansichten

A Night at the Museums Saturday was Nachtansichten.  My feet are sore, I’m tired, and I have a bit of a headache, probably from the lights.  It’s a Nachtansichten hangover.  Every Spring in Bielefeld, the city stays up past midnight and gets a little bit wild, all in the name of creativity.  Over 50 museums,Continue reading “Nachtansichten”

A Weekend in Bremen

The Myth & Legend Two hours north by train lies the birthplace of fairytales.  Disguised as one of the biggest cities in Germany, Bremen sneaks in little glimpses into its past from behind a modern infrastructure.  But this once-small town has a unique celebrity to it: I mean, not every city gets a centuries-old shoutoutContinue reading “A Weekend in Bremen”