Düsseldorf, Part One

If Düsseldorf looks cold in these photos, it’s because it was. But even on a dreary day the city is magnetic. This diverse city along the Rhine River is an international business/financial center with beautiful modern architecture, but its Altstad (Old Town) is a must see for all visitors: This charming one-square kilometer block is chock full of buildings that …

Marché de Noël, Dortmund

I’ve been to Germany a few times and have always loved the fact that even if I fell from a plane with no clue of where I am exactly, I can always tell I am in Germany just by looking at the distinctive architecture. I also love that the German people are generally very direct and cordial, and you can …

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Aching all over in Aachen

  Today my appointment finds me in Aachen, one of the high-tech centers of Germany (RWTH Aachen University is a prominent technology research institution). University life spills over into its economy and spurs cultural diversity. Like several other European cities, Aachen has been through medieval ups and downs, survived a great fire, suffered through severe WWII bombings, and now reclaims …

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Keep on Walking

It may be easy to cross international borders in the EU, but it doesn’t change the fact that there are definitely big cultural gaps between one nation and the next. When I’m in Germany–in this case in the city of Koln–the differences are palpable, from the architecture to the food, to people’s body language, and even to rules of the …