Germany (France/Czech Republic) 2020

[Emmela]

I love Germany. My ancestors come from there, and I have visited this country several times.  There is a lot to see and to try there. One day I think I will move there. It will be easier for me because I am a German by birth. I have been to so many places in Germany and cannot even choose one of them. My favorite one so far was the Neuschwanstein castle. There is also this famous super cheap train ticker for 9 euros. You can go to the most distant corners of the country and enjoy the beautiful scenery in most cases. 

Edited June 21, 2022 by disturbman

[chadbag]

Alas due to Covid, this particular trip didn't happen.

 

ETA:  as clarification, we didn't get Covid (at this time) but all the flights were canceled and other festivities that were the reason for the trip were canceled due to the 2020 Covid reactions worldwide.

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by chadbag

[weignar]

I would personally take more time to visit each of the destinations. In just a few days, you won't manage to see much. Both Germany and France are countries with a rich history and plenty of wonderful places to go. I lived in Germany for about 2 years and still didn't manage to see more than 20% of it. The best thing about Europe and Germany specifically is how well developed their railway systems are. I used to travel only by train back in Germany. It is affordable, and it takes you anywhere you need.

Edited June 21, 2022 by disturbman

[chadbag]

On 6/21/2022 at 2:38 AM, weignar said:

I would personally take more time to visit each of the destinations. In just a few days, you won't manage to see much. Both Germany and France are countries with a rich history and plenty of wonderful places to go. I lived in Germany for about 2 years and still didn't manage to see more than 20% of it. The best thing about Europe and Germany specifically is how well developed their railway systems are. I used to travel only by train back in Germany. It is affordable, and it takes you anywhere you need.

 

I've lived in Germany twice, for a total of about 3 1/2 years (non military, non government).  We rode the trains all the time the first two years (86-87).  When I lived there the second time I had a car and didn't ride much.

 

This trip in 2020 that ended up not happening due to all flights etc being canceled due to the pandemic, was for me to go to a reunion with some folks in Munich.  We had really good round trip to Paris flights ($490 including taxes from LAX and free point based flights form Utah to LAX) and I've only ever been in the airport in France (except for a few hour stay in Strasbourg/Straßburg and then the train in France from Strasbourg to Basel when I was on a 3 week tour of Europe by Eurail pass in between my stays of living there).  So we decided to stay a few days in Paris to see a few things and then take the train to Munich.  In Munich we'd have had a car so I could go visit people I knew from when I lived there etc.  Places not really train accessible [small rural villages etc]. Then train to Salzburg and then Prague for 4 days or so and then train back to Paris. The goal was to ride a lot of trains.  Salzburg was more just an overnight stay on the way to Prague since we couldn't leave Munich until afternoon and the train to Prague would have gotten in at or after midnight.  So we decided to go to Salzburg and stay the night.  I've been there once before and wanted to show my daughter a few things.  Never been to Prague so we planned 4 days not including the arrival and leaving day.

 

The goal wasn't to see all of Europe, but to go to this reunion and see a few things on the way.  I've been a few other times myself though I've only been to Europe once since 2000 (which was end of 2000), and when in 2016 we picked up a Volvo in Sweden and visited Sweden, Norway, and the train to Denmark.

Alas, the 2020 trip didn't happen.  I'll get the family to Germany and Scandinavia (my heritage) at a minimum before I die, and hopefully a few other places.  Since 2000, except for a week with the new wife in Munich and Salzburg as mentioned at the end of 2000, all our travels have been to Japan (about 10 times as I went in 2000 by myself for a trade show in Tokyo before I got married).  (I did make side trips to Korea with my son and Taiwan by myself during some of our Japan trips.  Just short 3-4 days jaunts since the time and cost to go to those places from Japan is not great.

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by chadbag

[Wolf]

On 6/21/2022 at 10:38 AM, weignar said:

and Germany specifically is how well developed their railway systems are

OT:

As a German, I am puzzled if you mean a different Germany. XD
 

[Giugiaro]

2 hours ago, Wolf said:

I am puzzled if you mean a different Germany. XD

 

Point of view. Compared to Portugal, any part of the German railway network is much more delevoped.