Recently in Germany Category

From savage lions to monstrous gorillas, elegant animals are exceptionally crafted like an Audubon ibis. But look how graciously rendered these lovely watercolors are. Don't let Walton Ford's 19th century elegance fool you. Look closer and you'll be pleasantly disturbed. A master of natural-history illustration, the Berkshire-based artist's very first European show opened last month at Berlin's Hamburger Bahnhof. "Bestiarium," which runs through May 24, includes a series of 25 large-scale works created over the past two decades. A plume of smoke billows from the charred tail feathers of a gorgeous peacock in "Eothen." White wolves surround a blood-thirsty buffalo in "Le Jardin," based on one of American Indian painter George Caitlin's sketches. Each image is the result of extensive research, and each one tells a detailed narrative usually involving allegory and commentary on colonialism.

Take a journey through Ford's weird, wonderful world during your visit to the German capital. Housed in a former train station, the Hamburger Bahnhof is one of Europe's most exciting contemporary art museums. It's within walking distance of The Westin Grand, Berlin, and a quintessential stop on your Berlin itinerary. On your way back to the hotel, take a stroll through the Tiergarten, a former royal hunting ground, and look at the pigeons and squirrels in a whole new light.

Christmas is a magical time, and where there's magic, fairy tales are not far away. This is especially true in Cologne, where a traditional German Christmas market, which runs trough December 23, combines the spirit of the holidays with the enchantment of the Brothers Grimm.

The Fairytale Christmas Market at Rudolfplatz charms with its delightful old fashioned atmosphere. Set up like a woodland village, the market features dozens of little wooden huts illuminated with tiny white lights. Vendors and local artisans offer everything from sheepskin rugs, to lace tablecloths, hand-carved wooden ornaments, fine chocolates, and giant gingerbread hearts that say "I love you" in German.

Let you nose be your guide and indulge on a rostbratwurst in a little round bun, warm German pretzels, and steaming mugs of mulled wine. Images of Hansel and Gretel, an oversized Santa Claus statue, and an afternoon story time held most every day at four, sets this Christmas market apart from the city's six others. Once the kids are all tuckered out from too many turns on the carousel, stroll back to your room at the Dom Hotel where visions of sugar plums will be dancing through their heads in no time.

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur.

I have always visited Berlin in the winter.  This year, I was lucky enough to explore the city during summer which allowed me to walk around in a little more comfort (warmth) and as such, I discovered The East Side Gallery - the world's largest open air gallery - is an ideal and very easy outdoor walk along a 1.3KM section of the Berlin Wall. 
 
The gallery highlights an original part of the Berlin Wall or "Iron Curtain" which divided the city in two for over 28 years.  This section of the wall, in the former East Berlin, was in pristine condition prior to 1989 as GDR government officials and their guests drove along this road between Berlin's Schonefeld Airport to the city centre.
 
In 1989, this section of the wall became famous due to the artwork painted by artists from all over the world at the time of the fall of the wall.  The gallery was given government protection in 1990 and shows more the euphoria that engulfed Berlin at the time of the wall falling than the terror that surrounds the history of the wall.  Today, twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, more than 100 artists from 21 countries have restored or repainted their former artwork to its original glory.  The Westin Grand Berlin is within walking distance of U-Bahn & S-Bahn train stations, which provide access to the East Side Gallery.

Germany has long been associated with high performance cars, with brands like BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche among the country's biggest exports, so it makes sense that it would have a test track worthy of its vehicles. Enter the Nürburgring, the ultimate test track where Germans and visitors can feel the need for speed in a safe and controlled environment. Located 70 kilometers south of Cologne and 120 kilometers northwest of Frankfurt, the Nürburgring is, among other things, a 28-kilometer racetrack, a public toll road, and a testing center for new cars. What this means to the casual visitor (and secret racecar driver) is that you can buckle yourself in and put the pedal to the metal like a Formula 1 driver without worrying about getting a speeding ticket. So if you're wondering just how fast your car can go, you can pay a small fee and drive a lap of your own at racing speeds. And if you want to experience the thrill of racing without having to drive yourself, you can take a ride in a BMW Ring-Taxi. Up to three people can ride in a BMW M5 with a professional race car driver at triple-digit speeds through the "Green Hell," as it's known. One word of warning: every car ride you take after that will seem awfully slow. Starwood has hotels in both Cologne and Frankfurt, including the Dom Hotel and the Westin Grand Frankfurt.

[image via caradvice.com.au]

Ever since Carrie Bradshaw sunk her teeth into that pink buttercream cupcake, Magnolia Bakery has been the number one spot for cupcakes in New York. In Los Angeles, everyone from Tom Cruise to "Gossip Girl" Blake Lively has been spotted queuing up for the sweet treats at Sprinkles Cupcakes. But where do you go in Europe, for that little round handful of deliciousness? Cupcakes are hardly known on the Continent, and in the UK they call them "fairy cakes." Um... cute, but uh, kinda cheesy.

Now here's a place that might not immediately come to mind when dreaming about cupcakes, but during the two years I spent living in Berlin, I discovered two of the most adorable little places ever. Picture the ideal spot for your little girl's fifth birthday, and you've got the Cupcake Bakery in Prenzlauerberg. Vintage teapots, tons of doilies, and a waitress with rosy cheeks and braids set the scene, while an assortment of double chocolate, carrot cake, and vanilla buttercream cupcakes get the taste buds running. Over in Friedrichshain, Cupcake Cafe is equally cute, but has more of a hip, 1950s soda parlour slash rockabilly vibe. In the delightful display case, tiny deer figurines stand guard beneath porcelain cake stands brimming with fluffy pink, green, and baby blue-topped cupcakes.

Both spots serve light lunch offerings in addition to their delicious desserts, and are easy to get to from the The Westin Grand, Berlin. Where in Europe do you visit to get a really good American style cupcake?