GERMANY - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 210

GERMANY
Germany's reunification, symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989, had
a great impact on the overall German economy and way of life; it also opened new
doors to tourism. Of course unifying public transportation systems of the East and
West played a major role in the total reunification process.
Germany is a land based on a rich, complex history on track to a vibrant future.
In recent years Germany has seen an influx of refugees and foreigners that has
fostered a political culture more tolerant of the customs and traditions of others.
Located in the heart of Europe, Germany makes a convenient starting point for
travel, especially by rail, to nearly anywhere in Europe. Major airports for North
Americans are Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich, each of which
is connected by rapid transit (S-Bahn) to the city's center.
The Germans are famous for brewing some of the tastiest beer in the world, and
they love celebrating dozens of national, regional, and local holidays, holy or other-
wise, with great passion, beer and wine tents, pageants, beer and wine, parades,
beer and wine, festivals, beer and wine, markets, and lots of beer and wine.
The most well-known festivals include the German Mardi Gras, also known as
Fasching, Fastnacht, or Fastnet, which includes masked balls; Munich's October-
fest, which attracts people from all over the world; and the Hamburg Dom, Nurem-
berg's Christ Child's Market at Christmas, and the Onion Market in Weimar.
Don't let the guttural German language frighten you; many Germans, particularly
tourism and train personnel, are multilingual. It's the majority of Americans who are
“unilingual.”
For more information on delightful Germany, contact the German Tourist Offices
in North America: www.germany-tourism.de or www.cometogermany.com .
New York: 122 East 42nd Street, 52nd Floor, Suite 2000, New York, NY
10168-0072; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; E-mail: gntonyc@d-z-
t.com
Chicago: P.O. Box 59594, Chicago, IL 60659-9594; Tel: [phone]; Fax:
[phone]; E-mail: [e-mail]