Travel Guide

Germany Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Germany Germany Story-book charm, cultural clout and a whole lot of gravitas. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money General RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Germany Berlin Cologne Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanover Munich Stuttgart View Map Click here Feature Attraction Goethe Haus It was here that Goethe penned his ode to suicide, The Sorrows of Young Werther , and began work on Faust . The rooms are nicely decorated ... more Germany wears its riches well: elegant big-city charm, small picture-postcard towns, pagan-inspired harvest festivals, a wealth of art and culture and the perennial pleasures of huge tracts of forest, delightful castles and fine wine and beer are all there for the savouring. Deep in the heart of Europe, Germany has had a seminal impact on Continental history. From Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire to Otto von Bismarck's German Reich, Nazism and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, no other nation has moulded Europe the way Germany has - for better or worse. When To Go Germany is a fine destination year-round, but most people visit between May and September when sunny skies are most likely and much of life moves outdoors. Beer gardens and cafes bustle at all hours; outdoor events and festivals enliven cities and villages; and hiking, cycling and swimming are popular pursuits - at least as long as the weather plays along. Remember that rain is a possibility in any month. The flipside of summer travel is, of course, larger crowds at museums and other attractions. Accommodation needn't be hard to come by unless you're drawn to beach and mountain resorts popular with German holiday-makers. The shoulder seasons (from March to May and from October to early November) bring fewer tourists and often surprisingly pleasant weather. In April and May, when flowers and fruit trees are in bloom, it can be mild and sunny. Indian summers that stretch well into autumn are not uncommon. With the exception of winter sports, activities between November and early March are likely to focus more on culture and city life. In these months, skies tend to be gloomy and the mercury often drops below freezing. On the plus side, there are fewer visitors and shorter queues (except in the winter resorts). Just pack the right clothes and keep in mind that there are only six to eight hours of daylight. In December the sun (if there is any) sets around 15:30 . Factoid Smellpol When the files of the former East German secret service, the Stasi, were opened up, they were found to contain, among other things, cotton wool swabs of dissidents' body odour, kept in bottles for use by sniffer dogs. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Spain Travelogues for Spain

Spain Travel Pictures | Spain Travel Photos Spain Travel resources, links and information for Spain. Click on the thumbnails to read stories and see travel pictures. Book your hotel Book a hotel in Spain Book a hostel Book Youth hostels in Spain Fly your way! Book your flight to Spain online - saving 40% or more! Other countries: Andorra Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Liechtenstein Lithuania Malta Monaco Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Sweden Switzerland The Netherlands Turkey United Kingdom Vatican City More than just paella and corrida de toros, Spain to me is mainly a country of fast pace in the cities and slow pace in the villages. Madrid is top of the list where it comes to night life. Barcelona boasts an authentic city centre, art in its architecture. And the South houses the most Arabian influence of Europe. Stories and pictures: Barcelona Madrid Plazas Madrid Decorations Madrid Parks Gaudí Rambla Barceloneta New Year 2002 Rastro flea market Sagrada Familia San Antonio de la Florida Montjuïc Paseo de la Castellana 11 March Girona Eixample Aranjuez Latina Sant Pere Useful travel links: Book your hotel in Spain Weather Lonely Planet Learn Spanish in Spain Travelogues for Spain Currency exchange Many more links on Spain ! Suggest a site Go directly to: Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America Join our mailinglist: If you want to be updated about developments at Around the World in 80 Clicks, subscribe! Your E-mail address: Travel Forum Join others in discussions on Europe Also on this site: read and sign the guestbook send us your suggestions ! send this site to a friend read about the background of this site publications on this site meet new friends for travel, dating or just fun! Around the World in 80 Clicks All rights reserved - www.traveladventures.org - 1999-2005 Share your comments

Argentina travel a few

Argentina Family Travel Recommendations 1.800.344.6118 { contact us } Argentina Tours & Travel Home · Testimonials · In the News · About Us · Once You're Booked · Lodging · e-News South America Amazon Tours Argentina Tours Bolivia Tours Chile Tours Ecuador Tours Galapagos Tours Patagonia Tours Peru Tours Central America Belize Tours Costa Rica Tours Guatemala Tours Panama Tours Antarctica Antarctica Tours Extensions Extend your Argentina travel a few more days with an Argentina extension. Argentina Tour Extensions » Buenos Aires Hospitality Packages » Icon Legend Please click to see a detailed explanation of these icons used throughout the site. Escort Escorted Unescorted Difficulty Easy Moderate Challenging When to Travel Excellent Very Good Unpredictable Unavailable Discounts Register for Adventure Weather Map of Argentina Customized Travel Articles & Information Argentina FAQs Argentina Family Travel HOME » Argentina Travel » Argentina Family Travel Supplement Country By Country Recommendations : Select a Country ------- Family Travel ------- Amazon Antarctica Argentina Belize Bolivia Chile Costa Rica Ecuador Galapagos Guatemala Panama Patagonia Peru Argentina Tours Minimum age: 6 Our Argentina tours offer a mix of dramatic landscapes, challenging treks, stunning wildlife, and unique cultural experiences. Most are recommended for older children and active families, though Iguazu Falls is sure to delight most ages. These tours generally fall into three categories- sightseeing, trekking tours, and boat-based trips. Sightseeing Tours: Minimum age = 6 Our sightseeing tours, including Iguazu Falls and Northwest Culture and Landscapes, promise dramatic nature features and breathtaking scenery. Families may particularly enjoy the Iguazu Falls tour that is based entirely out of one lodge. Jungle wildlife, short transfers, a rainforest canoe trip, and over 275 separate waterfall cascades are sure to delight children of all ages. The Northwest Culture and Landscapes tour is a better choice for older children as it includes longer transfer times, full day hikes on multiple days, and more remote/ austere scenery. Consider your own family's travel experience and preferences. Our Argentina travel coordinators would be happy to provide additional details to help you decide if these tours are right for your family. Trekking Tours: Minimum age = 12 These tours include multi-day treks, glacier walks, and our most challenging desert trek where temperatures can vary upwards of 60 degrees in a 24-hour period. They can be great choices for older children and active families. Prepare your family for trekking tours by planning weekend day hikes or overnight camping trips before you go. Keep in mind that some days the distances hiked each day may feel much further due to the rugged terrain and altitude variance. Each traveler should bring a daypack with essentials such as a camera, waterproof jacket, water bottle, and snacks. Tours with the Perito Moreno Glacier have a minimum age of 12 because ice-hiking equipment is not available for smaller children. Boat Based Tours: Minimum age = 6 Our boat based Mare Australis tour traverses Patagonia's waterways with a focus on dramatic glacial scenery and wildlife. Kids of all ages are welcome, but relatively rare. Onboard entertainment options (such as educational lectures, a library, and wildlife observation) may not hold the attention of younger children. These tours are not a good choice for children who can be easily bored, crave high intensity activities, have rigid schedules/ food preferences, are prone to motion sickness, or are not able to swim, etc. Tour Name Days Min. Age Comments Argentina Glacier Adventure 8 12 Wildlife and hiking tour. Includes glacier walk that has minimum age of 12 and multi day trek/ camping - best for older kids and active families Awesome Argentina 9 12 Wildlife and hiking tour. Includes glacier walk that has minimum age of 12 End of the World 11 12 Daily hiking combined with Mare Australis cruise - best for older kids & active families End of the World 11 12 Daily hiking combined with Mare Australis cruise - best for older kids & active families Iguazu Falls 3 10 Based out of one lodge, flexible schedule, beautiful scenery, canoe ride Iguazu Falls 5 6 A great option for kids of any age with an interest in wildlife and waterfalls. M/V Mare Australis 4, 5 & 8 6 Focus on dramatic landscapes and wildlife. Limited entertainment for kids onboard. M/V Via Australis 4, 5 & 8 6 Focus on dramatic landscapes and wildlife. Limited entertainment for kids onboard. Northwest Culture & Landscapes 9 10 A remote Argentina tour with cultural and scenery focus that may not captivate the attention of younger children. Some long transfers (4 hrs or more) Northwest Trek 9 12 One of our most challenging treks because of huge temperature variance in desert. Multi day trek and camping- best for older kids and active families Patagonia Panorama 14 12 4-8 hours hiking daily & camping adventure - best for older kids & active families Mare Australis 5-8 6 Focus on dramatic landscapes and wildlife. Limited entertainment for kids onboard. Iguazu Falls 3-5 10 Based out of one lodge, flexible schedule, beautiful scenery, canoe ride Northwest Culture and Landscapes 9 10 Remote tour with cultural and scenery focus that may not captivate the attention of younger children. Some long transfers (4 hrs or more) Northwest Trek 9 12 One of our most challenging treks because of huge temperature variance in desert. Multi day trek and camping- best for older kids and active families End of the World 11 12 Multi-day trek with camping and daily hiking combined with Mare Australis cruise - best for older kids & active families Awesome Argentina 9 12 Wildlife and hiking tour. Includes glacier walk that has minimum age of 12 Argentina Glacier Adventure 8 12 Wildlife and hiking tour. Includes glacier walk that has minimum age of 12 and multi day trek/ camping - best for older kids and active families Patagonia Panorama 14 12 4-8 hours hiking daily & camping adventure - best for older kids & active families -- Family Travel Supplement | Amazon | Antarctica | Argentina | Belize | Bolivia | Chile | Costa Rica | Ecuador | Galapagos | Guatemala | Panama | Patagonia | Peru Argentina Articles & Information : Iguazu Falls + Ibera Marshlands | Patagonia - The Last Refuge of Nature | Buenos Aires | Argentina Estancias | Northwestern Argentina | The Southern Most Point in the World the international ecotourism society international mountain explorers connection america outdoors international association of antarctica tour operators leave no trace international galapagos tour operators association Adventure Life • 1655 S 3rd St. W, Suite 1 • Missoula, MT 59801 • 1-800-344-6118 :: Site Map ::

golf vacations in Arizona

Las Vegas Golf, Golf Courses and Golf Packages Las Vegas Golf Specialists! Golf Reviews Group Golf Hotels Golf Courses Golf Packages Golf Package Quote Search: Golf Packages Golf Reviews Las Vegas Hotels Golf Courses Destinations Arizona Cabo San Lucas Golf Adventures About Us Contact Us Client Comments Site Map Resources Sign up for our free newsletter! Enter your email address below: Select your Course Aliante Golf Club Angel Park Mountain Angel Park Palm Badlands Golf Club Bears Best Golf Club Black Mountain Country Club Boulder Creek Golf Club Cascata Dragon Ridge Country Club Falls @ Lake Las Vegas Highland Falls Golf Club Las Vegas National Golf Club Las Vegas Paiute Snow Las Vegas Paiute Sun Las Vegas Paiute Wolf Legacy Golf Club Painted Desert Golf Club Palm Valley Golf Club Primm Valley Desert Primm Valley Lakes Red Rock Country Club Reflection Bay Golf Club Revere @ Anthem Concord Revere @ Anthem Lexington Rhodes Ranch Golf Club Rio Secco Golf Club Siena Golf Club SilverStone Golf Club TPC Canyons Tuscany Golf Club Wolf Creek Golf Club Las Vegas Golf current happenings! Las Vegas Golf Packages Spring golf packages now available! Vacation Home Golf Packages Why you should choose Las Vegas Golf Adventures Over 550,000 Satisfied golfers like yourself, world-wide We offer over 10 Years in Las Vegas golf packaging experience We hire only the best for you, our staff includes PGA Golf Professionals Over 150 Golf Courses in Nevada, Arizona and Mexico that you can choose from. Over 150 Partner Hotels and Resorts ready to host you and your golf buddies. Golf in Las Vegas We also offer you golf vacations in Arizona , including Scottsdale, Arizona. Golf in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico if you're looking for something different, golf Mexico! Group Golf If you have a large group, corporate group or tournament, we can help you! Exlusive Golf Packages just for you. Las Vegas for Golf! For over 10 years now, customers like yourself have placedtheir trust in us to provide you and themselves with quality Las Vegas golf packages complete with Hotel and Golf. 550,000 golfers can't be wrong! Our committment to you is that we will provide you the best golf experience, from helping youchoose the best golf courses and hotel to placing you right on the green! We make all the arrangements...all you have to do is Golf! Anybody can book a tee time or a hotel, but not everybodycan provide the knowledge and experience that is the forefrontof our golf packaging business today. We take pride in our knowledge of all Las Vegas golf courses, from the desert courses to the rolling canyon golf courses, we know, based on our own golfing experience, what golf courses are right for you, our customer. We only provide the highest standard of service, and we back that upwith the highest standards in our staff. We hire experiencedgolfers, our staff includes several PGA Professionals who are waiting to assist you with your golf needs in Las Vegas. From online tee-time bookings to Tournaments, Corporate outingsand Corporate Event Marketing, we do it all... Golf in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fall Golf Package in Las Vegas Dates: September 10 - December 29, 2005 Enjoy 3 Nights /3 Rounds of golf at Angel Park Mountain, Angel Park Palm and Legacy Golf Club, and choose from our list of Hotels starting at $499. Price Range: $499 - $1199. For more information, please call 1-800-841-6570 click here . Cascata joins the Las Vegas golf course offerings at Golf Adventures Golf Adventures is pleased to announce that we have brought Cascata into our stable of courses that we may provide to you, our clients. Cascata is a world class golf club developed to cater to the elite golfer with superior course conditions, unmatched service and privacy to make for an unforgettable experience! [ ...read more... ] Las Vegas Paiute Resort - Golf Review by Uncle Harry. Exlusive Vacation Home for golf enthusiasts Bear's Best Golf Club - a Golf Review by Scott Bowles The Falls Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas A golf course review Red Rock Country Club - A Golf Review by Scott Bowles Introducing another Las Vegas destination, Lake Las Vegas Book tee times for all golf courses in Las Vegas! Select your Golf Course Golf Course Aliante Golf Club Angel Park Mountain Angel Park Palm Badlands Golf Club Bears Best Golf Club Black Mountain Country Club Boulder Creek Golf Club Dragon Ridge Country Club Falls @ Lake Las Vegas Highland Falls Golf Club Las Vegas National Golf Club Las Vegas Paiute Snow Las Vegas Paiute Sun Las Vegas Paiute Wolf Legacy Golf Club Painted Desert Golf Club Palm Valley Golf Club Primm Valley Desert Primm Valley Lakes Red Rock Country Club Reflection Bay Golf Club Revere @ Anthem Concord Revere @ Anthem Lexington Rhodes Ranch Golf Club Rio Secco Golf Club Siena Golf Club SilverStone Golf Club TPC Canyons Tuscany Golf Club Wolf Creek Golf Club Select your Golf Date Month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Day: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Year: 2005 2006 2007 Tee Time: 6 AM - 7 AM 7 AM - 8 AM 8 AM - 9 AM 9 AM - 10 AM 10 AM - 11 AM 11 AM - 12 PM 1 PM - 2 PM 2 PM - 3 PM # of Golfers: Las Vegas Golf Packages New Vacation Home Package Dates: Nov. 21 - Jan. 29, 2006 Enjoy 3 nights and 3 rounds of Golf atAngel Park Mountain, Painted Desert and LasVegas National Golf Club Price Range: $499 - $699 must have 4 Golfers Call 1-877-841-6570 to book this package or click here for more Exclusive Vacation Home Packages FEATURED GOLF COURSE The Falls at Lake Las Vegas The Falls at Lake Las Vegas, designed by Tom Weiskopf is the newest golf course at the popular Lake Las Vegas Resorts. The golf course challenges golfers with a variety of terrain, from mountainous to desert floor landscapes. Cascading waterfalls add to the spectacular scenery and challenging hazards found at the Falls at Lake Las Vegas. Visit Lake Las Vegas MUST PLAY GOLF COURSES Las Vegas Golf Courses Bears Best Golf Club Dragon Ridge Country Club Revere @ Anthem Concord Revere @ Anthem Lexington

Germany Travel Guides ,

Germany Sight-Seeing, Tours and Travel GERMANY Places to Stay in Germany Germany Tours & Travel Attractions, Culture, and more... GERMANY HOME GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL Berlin , though not as dominant in Germany as London in England or Paris in France , has been touted as one of the world's coolest big cities since the early 90s. The world's most famous beer culture is centered around Southern Germany's leading city ( Munich ), where beer is traditionally served in 1 liter mugs; Munich is also the site of the annual Oktoberfest , Europe's most visited festival. GERMANY TOURS: Berlin Tours , Bonn Tours , Cologne Tours , Dusseldorf Tours , Frankfurt Tours , Koblenz Tours , Mainz Tours , Frankfurt Tours , Koblenz Tours , Mainz Tours , Munich Tours , GERMANY TOURS & TRAVEL Berlin Tours and Travel Even though Berlin does have a number of impressive buildings from earlier centuries, the city's appearance today is mainly shaped by the key role it played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments which had their seat in Berlin initiated ambitious construction programs, each with its own character ... BERLIN TOURS: Berlin Sight-Seeing Tours , Day Trips from Berlin , Cologne Tours and Travel Cologne is one German city that has a very distinctive flavor to it. Most inhabitants take an exorbitant amount of pride in their city and the local language, resulting in sayings like Wo mir sin, is Koelle (Cologne is where we are). Cologne is a very friendly place, and the people are in general very friendly and open ... COLOGNE TOURS: Cologne Cruises , Cologne Transfers , Munich Tours and Travel Munich is a popular tourist destination and has been described as Germany's secret capital. Center of the city is the Marienplatz with the Old and the New Townhall, its tower contains as attraction the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, an ornate clock with almost life-sized moving figures that show scenes from a medieval jousting tournament ... MUNICH TOURS: Sight-Seeing Tours , Night Tours , Day Tours , TOURS & TRAVEL IN OTHER AREAS OF GERMANY BONN, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Bonn 1 day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops... DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL Advent Afternoon Cruise - Dusseldorf 2 hours - A wonderful way to see pre-Christmas Dusseldorf! Enjoy afternoon tea onboard MS Warsteiner as you listen to music and watch the world go by! An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers ... Christmas Lunch Time Cruise - Dusseldorf 2 hours - Sail through the city with the sounds of music in your ears and the aroma of a festive lunch floating through the air! Take the opportunity of this fantastic cruise onboard the MS Warsteiner, to take panoramic photographs of beautiful Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf is the bustling Rhine metropolis right in the heart of Europe... Romantic Evening Cruise - Dusseldorf 3 hours - Sail the beautiful Rhine around Christmas-time Dusseldorf as you enjoy live music and dancing! A wonderful way to see the city of Dusseldorf, from it's most attractive angle!A festive and romantic atmosphere with live music and dancing. Relax against the backdrop of Dusseldorf's Christmas-time panorama... FRANKFURT, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL Christmas Delight 4 days / 3 nights - Enjoy the festive feeling of German Christmas as you travel through the Christmas Markets of this wonderful region! Enjoy a trip to the Erzgebirge region, to the ancient miner villages of Annaberg and Scheenberg, the home of the German tradition of woodcarving and Christmas Pyramids ... Private Frankfurt Arrival Transfer Varies, subject to traffic - Pre-organising transfers is now the norm for many travellers. Secure not only a great rate by locking in today's price, but secure peace of mind also. Leave the worrying for the birds and travel knowing your transfer is waiting for you at the airport! Why worry about catching a taxi ... Private Frankfurt Departure Transfer Varies, subject to traffic - Prebook your transfer from the comfort of your computer desk! Let your fingers do the hard work - all you do is click away! Print your voucher and present it at your hotel upon pickup, and the rest is history! Why worry about the inconvenience of calling and waiting for a cab? Don't go to the discomfort ... KOBLENZ, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Nostalgic Route 1 Day - The good old days of steamship travel are back! Take advantage of this unique nostalgic highlight and experience the best known sights on the steamship GOETHE on the romantic Middle Rhine. This fabulous boat-trip invites you to dream of castles, fairy tales and the good old days. Book now to experience this ... KD Rhine Pass - Koblenz 1 Day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops ... MAINZ, GERMANY, TOURS & TRAVEL KD Rhine Pass - Koblenz 1 Day - An easy way to start your romantic day on the Rhine: Present your KD ticket onboard any KD ship and enjoy all scheduled day cruises on the Rhine and Moselle rivers for one whole day. The extensive and reliable timetable enables you to disembark as often as you like at the many interesting stops ... GERMANY HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION GERMANY HOME GERMANY TOURS AND TRAVEL SEE ALSO FOR GERMANY: PLACES TO STAY: ALL HOTELS , Berlin , Bonn , Cologne , Dresden , Dusseldorf , Frankfurt , Hamburg , Hanover , Heidelberg , Leipzig , Munich , Niedersachsen , Stuttgart , TOURS & TRAVEL: ALL TOURS , Berlin Tours , Bonn , Cologne Tours , Dusseldorf , Frankfurt , Koblenz , Mainz , Munich Tours , ATTRACTIONS, CULTURE & MORE: BERLIN: Brandenburg Gate , Potsdamer Platz , FESTIVALS & EVENTS: Christmas Markets , Oktoberfest , World Cup 2006 , SHOP: Germany Posters and Prints , Germany Travel Guides , Images of Germany CULTURE OF GERMANY: Unlike the citizens of virtually all surrounding countries, most Germans are insecure and uneasy about their cultural heritage. They feel that German culture has been deeply compromised, even tainted by the Nazis who abused it to demonstrate German superiority. As a result, in Germany its frequent to find people - especially young people - openly declaring that theyd rather be not German and that there are many foreign places theyd prefer to live in. Part of this attitude comes from the German self perception as being fiercely individualistic. Identifying oneself as part of a group, an idea or a religion is often seen as uncool. This said, Germans have a strong sense of German culture and civilization as such. Theres a couple of names that you will come across over and over again: Goethe, Schiller, Beethoven, Wagner, Nietzsche, Kant, Mann, Brecht, Klee and many more are authors, composers and philosophers of the 19th and 20th century who are profoundly admired, though only a minority will actually be familiar with their works. Germans like to think that in the 19th century, Germany was the one "Land der Dichter und Denker" - the land of poets and thinkers - in the world. And to an extent theres truth to that. Obviously, there have been significant German artists for many centuries - just think of Albrecht Drer in the 15th and the towering figure of Johann Sebastian Bach in the 17th century. But most notably in the short timespan between the foundation of the German Empire in 1871 and its end in 1918, prolonged until 1933, Germany experienced something like a cultural outburst. It created a treasure of modern philosophy and science, understanding of the world, artistical expression in painting, sculpturing and music, literature and architecture, world-conquering products and Nobel prize-winning innovations that had no rival in its time. While you will find that a large part of German museum buildings and its contents come from that period - an era when politicians sought to symbolically create a culturally united Germany by commissioning monumental "temples" of culture -, its this ideal that Germans hold the present against. And obviously, the present doesnt fare too well with that. When asked for their favourite authors or artists, a majority of Germans will put forward names from the past, while contemporary authors and artists are often perceived as lightweight and insignificant by comparison. Not only in this respect Germans are deeply nostalgic. Another reason for many Germans perceiving that culturally the good times are long gone might be the love/hate relationship with post-war US-American anglicized culture. You will notice how many billboards, shop windows and media spaces carry English phrases and expressions though theyre clearly not directed at foreigners. In public communications, advertising and media, English many times is preferred from German. Profoundly German companies like mobile network operator T-Mobile, part of telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom, carry English claims (currently "For a better world for you"). Until recently, virtually all German pop musicians sang in English which is felt to be more modern and precise - only recently there has been a revival of German pop and rock music. Top of Page | Places to Stay in Germany | Things to Do in Germany | Links , Site Map | Contact Us GERMANY Places to Stay in Germany Germany Tours & Travel Attractions, Culture, and more... Germany Travel Guides Germany Posters See Also: Austria Netherlands Switzerland