phjardas

Literally, it’s a high-ranking town in Germany’s most-beautiful-town-contest. Lots of timbered houses and grand landscape.

Coming from Europe and especially from Germany I have – for obvious reasons – a rather reserved opinion on the United States. If you feel the same and are visiting the U.S. for the first time, like I was a few weeks ago, go to New York. From what I have heard and experienced this is the one place that is so typical American on one hand and so European on the other. Sidewalks full of walking people, rather “small” (2-4 lanes in Manhattan) streets, very friendly and willing-to-help people, hundreds of skin colors: it feels like “home”. =) Yet, there is this always present feeling that everything is different. I really recommend visiting this great city, and take your time. I’ve been there for a week which I personally felt far to little time to experience the city.

Do take the Circle Line boat tour, the full one around Manhattan. Three hours worth the money.

Sorry to have to dissapoint you, but I didn’t like the story all to much. However, despite the writing and the story – which is a matter of taste and thus non-arguable – I still have a curious after taste of the author’s theology and pedagogics. I’m not a Christian myself, but I do realize and have heard from many a friend that a lot of European Christians dissent with the naive approaches to the salvific story of Christ. However, leaving theology, I don’t really like the idea of children becoming warriors and heroes.

Don’t do it, just don’t. Egypt is a great country and offers so many places more interesting in concerns of antique relics and ruins. But the moment you exit your bus/car at the pyramid’s parking lot you will be overrun by natives trying to sell souvenirs or offering horse rides and by millions of tourists. Honestly, I have never seen so many ugly, smelling, sun-burnt, noise-making and uninterested tourists in one place. Go to Luxor, Abu Simble or the museum in Cairo, these are the places to visit if you are really interested in Egyptian history. Anyway, everything you can possibly know about the pyramids you will learn from books, there’s nothing you might find in situ. Just don’t do it.

What can I say, it’s my country and I really, really love it. I’ve been to many other places and always enjoy coming back to my crib…

... and I must say, it’s not quite the most bodacious city I’ve ever been to. Nice weather though. =)

Living in Berlin is soooo nice. =)