Where is Germany?

Courtesy of CountryReports.org

Germany is located in the heart of Europe and borders the following countries:

1. Holland
2. Belgium
3. Luxembourg
4. France
5. Switzerland
6. Austria
7. CzechRepublic
8. Poland
9. Denmark

Germans and their beer:

There's just one beer missing there. Although rated in only the 16th percentile on ratebeer.com, I keep hearing Germans rave about their Beck's. However, keep in mind that even a low-scoring German beer will beat out our King of Beers here in the States, rated in only the 1st percentile. It's only the king because kings aren't elected.

Other interesting facts:

  • The German motorways (Autobahns), which were constructed in the 1930’s, were the first motorways in Europe.
  • A German invented the car (Karl Benz) in 1888.The company that he founded with his partner still exists today (Mercedes Benz).
  • Instead of crossing their fingers for good luck, Germans press their thumb.
  • Germany’s rivers and canals are as busy with traffic as their roads!
  • The Munich Oktoberfest (known by locals as the "Wiesn") is the largest public festival in the world and is attended by approximately 6 million visitors annually, who drink more than 5 million liters of beer!
  • Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientific thinkers, was born in Ulm, Germany.Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1921.
  • There are 1250 breweries in Germany and Becks produced the most beer in 2002 with an unbelievable 551 billion liters.
  • The largest pub in the world can be found in Munich, the Mathäser has space for 5500 people. The largest public beer garden is also located in Munich; the AugustinerGarden has space for 5200 people.
  • In Germany you can buy more than 300 sorts of bread and more than 1500 types of sausages and cold meats.
  • Germans are formal. Address people you meet as Herr (Mr.) and Frau (Mrs.) followed by their last name until the person invites you to use their first name.
  • Germans have a reputation for being punctual. “Fashionably late” doesn’t go over well in German culture. On the other hand, being more than a few minutes early may also put your host in an uncomfortable position—8 o’clock means 8 o’clock.
  • Bid other diners Guten Appetit before you eat, and wish others Prost before drinking beer and Zum wohl before drinking wine. Know that in Germany, an empty glass begs to be filled. Put on the brakes by leaving your beer or wine glass full.
  • As with most languages, German has different dialects. “Standard German” is the norm; this dialect is based on the “High German” spoken in southern Germany, Austria and Bavaria. “Middle German” is spoken in central Germany, and “Low German” is common in northern regions. There are a few vowel and vocabulary differences between the dialects. Beginners don’t need to worry about these details, but if you’re a pro and want a new challenge, try learning a local dialect.
  • If you have the opportunity to travel Germany extensively, you’ll see culture differences, too. The north is more industrial, the south more rural. The west is more modern, while the reunited eastern portion of Germany is still struggling to catch up. This means that travel and services in eastern Germany may not be as convenient.

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