The Germany of today is much different than in the mid 1900s. For 41 years Germany was separated into two states - West Germany and East Germany - by a wall that divided the city of Berlin. In 1990 the destruction or ‘fall of the Berlin wall’ signified the collapse of communism and reunification of the country.

Some say the best way to see Germany is to drive through the countryside to appreciate what this country is all about. You will see farms with goats, cows and mountain elk roaming up the mountainside. Tiny villages dot the landscape and vineyards cover the river banks from one end of the country to the other.

Oktoberfest is an annual festive celebration, originally begun as a celebration of the marriage of King Ludwig I in October 1810. With more than 6 million participants every year it is the world’s largest festive celebration of folk music, food and beer where people join together to drink, dance and have fun dressed in their lederhosen and other traditional attire. This celebration lasts for 17 days, ending on the first Sunday in October and takes place in all cities, villages and towns throughout Germany as well as many other cities around the world.

Once the home of King Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein castle is the fairy tale castle that Walt Disney himself used as his theme park icon. If the white-knuckled bus ride up the steep mountainside to visit the castle doesn’t take your breath away the walk along the swinging rope bridge some 250 feet in the air will. Although photographs are not allowed inside, your memories of this extravagant castle will never fade. The Throne Room is sure to exceed anything you have ever seen.

The House of a 1000 Clocks in Triberg is home to the largest producer of traditional Black Forest cuckoo clocks of all sizes. They will ship anywhere in the world so you have no excuse not to bring home the works of fine German craftsmanship. The Black Forest gets its name from the thick, mature trees that loom overhead. The trees are hundreds of years old and stand so tall they act almost as an umbrella from the elements. Rays of sun hardly squeeze through these trees allowing for very little light to shine down on the forest floor.

Beer making is to Germany as wine making is to France. Beer has a long tradition where hop fields grow row by row just as vineyards grow on the hills of France. The beer stein story tells us that as Germans enjoy sitting in beer gardens, the steins have lids on them to stop droppings from the many birds in the trees above spoiling their pints!

Germans are very in tune with nature. It is quite common to see local residents walking along the trails on the mountainside with backpacks and walking sticks. Skiing in the German Alps is a well kept secret and actually compares very favourably with many French and Swiss regions.

Hamburg is famous for its theatre and concert venues. Also, while you are there take a boat ride on the canal to the warehouse district to see the marvelous architecture. In Cologne there is a spectacular view of the city and the Rhine River from the tower of the Cologne Cathedral. The Merienplatz in Munich will contrast the old and the new city halls side by side. Frankfurt is one of the largest cities in Germany and is also the largest financial center in Europe, housing the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the German central Bank and the European Central Bank. It is also home to culinary delights, modern night life and very pleasurable boat cruises on the Main River. Berlin is the city to visit if you want to experience some of Europe’s hottest nightlife scenes. There are venues that play music of all genres every night of the week.

For the auto enthusiast, one can tour the manufacturing facilities of Porsche, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen. Germans take pride in all that they do and these facilities are no exception.

Stay at one of the many guesthouses which are equivalent to bed and breakfasts. They are a great way to get to know the area by talking with the owner and experiencing day to day life while enjoying their home cooked meals. What a great way to prepare for the next day of your adventure. The Euro is the official currency. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted. ATMs are available everywhere. From the highest points in the Alps to the low lands of the north, the German landscape has a variety of elevations so temperatures fluctuate depending on where you are. It is generally safe to say the climate in Germany is similar to that of Canada. During summer the weather can be hot and humid and temperatures can get as high as 30 °C. Winter temperatures are cold and can often dip below zero. Frankfurt Rhein/Main (FRA) is Germany's major air transport hub and it is located 13km southwest of the city.

Berlin-Tegel (TXL) is Berlin's international airport, located 8km northwest of the city.

Munich Franz Joseph Strauss (MUC) is 28.5km northeast of the city. Germany operates at 230 V, 50 Hz. The official language of Germany is, of course, German. A flight between Toronto or Montreal and Germany would have a flying time of about 8 hours. Flying from Vancouver or Calgary would take about 10 hours. Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Germany

Address: Friedrichstrasse 95
Berlin 10117

Tel: (011 49 30) 2031 2 GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Other than a couple of weeks where Daylight Saving dates differ, Germany is six hours ahead of Montréal and Toronto, eight ahead of Calgary, and nine ahead of Vancouver.