After 14 years living in Berlin, I joked that our summer vacation plans are the true sign we have fully integrated into German culture. We were finally going to Mallorca. We had never heard of Mallorca before moving to Germany. It is simply not on most North...
The GW Expat Blog
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Travel and transportation
Day Trip to Wittenberg, Germany
Coming out of the pandemic, my family limited our long-distance travel and started exploring places closer to home. These day trips from Berlin are some of my favorite places and we have re-visited often. But I am always looking for somewhere new. Enter the...
What and Where to Eat in Vienna
In my last post I exulted on the loveliness that is Vienna. The grand architecture, regal attractions like performances at the Spanish Riding School and the palaces (plural). This small city is packed with elegance and charm. But that is only the half of it as I have...
Guide to Vienna
When I was last on the job hunt, I had two interesting opportunities. The jobs had some important differences, including different locations. One was in Cologne, the other in Vienna. This caught my attention as both options were remote so I could happily work from my...
Guide to Salzburg
A perk of my new job is that the headquarters is in Vienna. While I usually work remote from Berlin, there have already been a few opportunities to visit the team in office, as well as combine work and pleasure by taking some days to explore other places in Austria....
Weekend in Hamburg
Last November I was in a funk. I had found myself in visa limbo after living in Germany for many years, newly laid off, and facing a big decade birthday. I kept telling myself it would all work out, but the anxiety was eating me alive and an impending birthday...
The “New” City of Dresden
It feels like every year at about this time I hear rumbles of dissatisfaction with Berlin. Sometimes they are coming directly from me, but this year I've noticed more online posts than usual complaining about the rising costs of the city, the dismal winter weather,...
Guide to Rostock and Warnemünde
The Deutschlandticket has been an absolute boon to my travel within Germany. With the tantalizing offer of low-cost air travel I have taken to sort jaunts around Europe from London to Naples. But as my family multiplies and travel costs rise, train travel has swung...
The Rising Costs for Tourists in Germany
Room Taxes, Spa Taxes, and ETIAS Traveling in Europe or anywhere else has always involved spending a certain amount of money. But over the past decade or so a new kind of travel expense has arisen in Europe, including the German-speaking countries. And yet another, if...
What Not to Do at Oktoberfest
If you missed it, this weekend kicked off Okoberfest in Munich. With the tapping of the keg and the magical words of “O'zapft is” (“It's tapped”), the biggest beer festival in the world has begun. Last year was the first year after the pandemic that the event was held...
Reverse Culture Shock – An American in Berlin Back in the USA
I have spent the last 5 weeks back "home" in the USA after over a decade living in Berlin. This is far from my first visit back. Typically I close down my German household and go back to my home state of Washington every year and a half, with parents visiting in...
Yes, There’s Uber in Germany, but…
Uber and Its Competitors in Germany Ride-hailing and ride-sharing services in Germany and most of Europe have had a far more difficult time than in North America. While Uber plays a limited role in Germany, Lyft can't be found anywhere in Europe. And Uber had to wage...
Adventures on a First Class ICE to Munich
My last post was about revisiting Berlin after a five-year pandemic-related pause. In that post I promised to later write about Munich, our next destination, and I will. But today my subject is Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the "adventure" of rail travel in Germany these...
Applying for first U.S. passport from Germany
I recently made the trek to Clayallee in Dahlem, near the border with Brandenburg, to register my new baby as an American born abroad and apply for a passport. Considering this is my third child born in Berlin you would expect I would be better prepared, but I am...
Lost Luggage in Germany
This summer people were ready to forget they ever heard of the Coronavirus and get back to travel. Everyone I knew had travel plans whether it was by train (many via the brilliant 9 euro ticket plan), by car, or by air. But no sooner were tickets booked than reports...
Road trip from Berlin to Austria
As we near the summer season, I am still thinking fondly of a trip I took this winter. After two plus years or restricted travel, we have kicked 2022 off strong with a visit to our family in the USA, a week in Austria, and 10-days in Andalusia. It has been amazing to...
Quirks of Vacation Days in Germany
It is the day after Ostern (Easter) when this post goes up, so still a holiday in most European countries. As I am on vacation in Spain, I was pleased I wouldn't have to take Friday or Monday as vacation days as they are public holidays throughout Germany. That isn't...
The True Cost of Gasoline in the USA and Germany
Gaining a Better Perspective on the Cost of Gasoline and Diesel Today You may have noticed the recent spike in gasoline and diesel prices caused by Adolf Putin's little war in Ukraine. But it's not the first time world events have made motor fuel prices fluctuate...
Winterferien in the Austrian Alps
Since my daughter started Grundschule (elementary school), we have come to the grim realization that we are tied to the school schedule. While schools in Germany have many extended breaks throughout the year, they have traditionally been inflexible about vacation days...
Comparing the Covid Response of the USA and Germany
After 2 years of not seeing my family, I was back in the USA twice at the end of last year. In October we booked emergency tickets and were back visiting a sick family member within 72 hours. A Christmas trip was planned. Both trips were a low-key shock to the system....
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