http://mygermanyonline.com An insider's look at travel, work and play in Germany. Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:52:38 +0000 en © tauralstravels@gmail.com () tauralstravels@gmail.com() 1440 An insider's look at travel, work and play in Germany. tauralstravels@gmail.com No no http://mygermanyonline.com/wp-content/podcasts/profile.jpg http://mygermanyonline.com 144 144 http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-18-nudity-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-18-nudity-in-germany/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:39:26 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/?p=152 http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-18-nudity-in-germany/feed/ 12:21 18_Episode_18.mp3 You voted for it and here it is, a podcast about nudity in Germany. In this episode, I'll be talking about how the German sensibilities regarding ... 18_Episode_18.mp3 You voted for it and here it is, a podcast about nudity in Germany. In this episode, I'll be talking about how the German sensibilities regarding the naked body as well as in what situations and circumstances where it might confront you in your visit to Germany. I do not take a moral stand here, as I think that is the purview of others, but I do try to sensitize you to the fact that perceptions are different in Germany as compared to yours. Here are a few interesting articles that give you some of the historical-cultural background to the German predilection for nudity: Nude in Germany, a brief discussion of German nudist beaches and the nudist movement Why German Nudists are Worried, an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about the East German Nudist Clubs, yesterday and today. Get Naked with the Germans, an articel by der Spiegel, one of German's widely read weekly magazines Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podacast-european-cup-special-edition/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podacast-european-cup-special-edition/#comments Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:00:44 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podacast-european-cup-special-edition/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podacast-european-cup-special-edition/feed/ 10:34 The European Cup is in full swing in Austria and Switzerland and the German national team has made it into the semi-finals. The mood is ... The European Cup is in full swing in Austria and Switzerland and the German national team has made it into the semi-finals. The mood is reminiscent of the World Cup, which Germany hosted just two years ago. With the Germany National team doing so well the public viewing areas in most cities are starting to become more well visited and in little towns like mine, neighbors are gathering together every night to grill and watch the games together.? It's a special time, quite apart from the football (or soccer, as we Americans call it) and is this podcast I just wanted to give you a small idea of what's going on. For the next podcast I'm taking a poll about the topic, either NUDITY IN GERMANY or NATIONALISM/NAZIS IN GERMANY. It's your choice, so please vote. VOTING IS CLOSED And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. #60;A href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822#38;MarketPlace=US#38;ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fprofesspowerp-20%2F8010%2F033b01f5-a1c7-4331-aa0c-975f43ebe832#38;Operation=NoScript" mce_href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822#38;amp;MarketPlace=US#38;amp;ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fprofesspowerp-20%2F8010%2F033b01f5-a1c7-4331-aa0c-975f43ebe832#38;amp;Operation=NoScript"#62;Amazon.com Widgets#60;/A#62; Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-17-german-names/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-17-german-names/#comments Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:14:01 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-17-german-names/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-17-german-names/feed/ 27:30 In this episode I talk about German names, some of which can sound very unusual to a native English speaker. You'll get a chance to ... In this episode I talk about German names, some of which can sound very unusual to a native English speaker. You'll get a chance to hear about some of the most popular boy's and girls names over the past few years and I talk about German laws and practices regarding the naming of your children. It's been a long while since I put out a fresh podcast, but I've been surprised to see my subscriber stats go up rather than down. Just goes to show you, the less I say, the more popular I am :-) I'd like to especially thank Sigrun Bjork from Iceland for sending me a very nice e-mail! As always, I'm very keen to hear about your thoughts, comments, corrections and questions about the topics I've covered as well as anything that you may be interested in learning about Germany? You can contact me here or add me on skype: tauralstravles .And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. Amazon.com Widgets Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-16-reflections-on-going-back-to-the-us-and-overnight-train-trips-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-16-reflections-on-going-back-to-the-us-and-overnight-train-trips-in-germany/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:40:29 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-16-reflections-on-going-back-to-the-us-and-overnight-train-trips-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-16-reflections-on-going-back-to-the-us-and-overnight-train-trips-in-germany/feed/ 22:30 Yes it's been awhile, but I'm glad to finally be able to bring you another episode of the myGermany podcast. This time I'll be reflecting ... Yes it's been awhile, but I'm glad to finally be able to bring you another episode of the myGermany podcast. This time I'll be reflecting on my experiences of being back in the States for the first time in more than 3 years. Sometimes it's the not so obvious things which can sneak up on you and make you realize that "you're not in Kansas anymore,Toto" to paraphrase Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz. Also wanted to let you know about the overnight sleepers that the German train company (Deutsche Bahn) has in operation. These are a great alternative to the typical train services and can really be quite comfortable and pleasant way to travel...you also save on hotel costs :-) ! And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. Amazon.com Widgets And for those of you interested in finding out a little more about what it's like moving to Germany for the first time, check out NewFrank's blog. There's lots of good articles and it is most certainly well worth a visit. Big thanks to Haywood and Vanessa for the recent comments! Culture,,Podcasts,,Travel tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-15-celebrating-the-new-year-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-15-celebrating-the-new-year-in-germany/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:00:08 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-15-celebrating-the-new-year-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-15-celebrating-the-new-year-in-germany/feed/ 24:42 My Brother Nathan , recently of Dubai - soon to be of Thailand, sits in with me on this one. We discuss and describe some ... My Brother Nathan , recently of Dubai - soon to be of Thailand, sits in with me on this one. We discuss and describe some of the German New Year's (or Sylverster) traditions as we've experienced them over the years. One of the first things that Nathan remarked upon, when recalling his times celebrating Sylvester in Germany, was the abundance of Fireworks. Indeed, Fireworks are widely available in Germany, as the days count down to the new year. One can even find fireworks for sale in the local supermarket. Of course, Sylversterabend (New Year's Eve) in Germany wouldn't be the same without the ubiquitous viewing of Freddy Frinton's "Dinner For One", a black and white comedy sketch from the 50's about an elderly woman and her butler who continue to celebrate her birthday every year in the "same procedure as every year" despite the fact that all her guests have long since passed away. I did forget to mention in the podcast the traditional "Bleigeissen" which one usually does in order to have the year ahead predicted - similar to tea-leave reading or tarot cards. The twist with Bleigeissen (literally "pouring/melting lead") is that each person gets a lead figurine which is them melted in a spoon over a candle's fire. Once the metal is completely fluid, it is rapidly pored into cold water and the resulting shape is then analysed, with the help of a book, in order to predict how the year ahead will progress. I hope that you enjoy this podcast and hope that you will also have the tie to enjoy your New Year's celebration wherever you are! Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-14-christmas-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-14-christmas-in-germany/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:46:05 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-14-christmas-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-14-christmas-in-germany/feed/ 24:42 With the holidays coming so fast I thought that I'd better take some time to get out another episode to you right away. I love ... With the holidays coming so fast I thought that I'd better take some time to get out another episode to you right away. I love the winter holidays and I especially love them in Germany, where a lot of tradition, good food and a cozy atmosphere are always on hand. There is always something tasty to eat, some lovely wine to enjoy and lots and lots of family when it comes to Christmas at our house. In order to give you a feel of some of the? traditions which are recognized here in Germany? (as well as to tell you about some o the food and drink that you should be on the look-out for) I've recorded this 14th episode for you. All the best to you and yours for his holiday season from me and mine. I look forward to putting out a final episode for this year which should similarly inform you about the new year's celebrations. Keep your eyes out for that one! Frohe Weinachten! Merry Christmas! Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-13-superstitions-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-13-superstitions-in-germany/#comments Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:37:04 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-13-superstitions-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-13-superstitions-in-germany/feed/ 13:30 in recognition of this 13th episode I thought that it might be fun to talk a bit about some common superstitions in Germany. I wouldn't ... in recognition of this 13th episode I thought that it might be fun to talk a bit about some common superstitions in Germany. I wouldn't really consider Germans more superstitious than any other nationality, indeed many of the same superstitions about good and bad luck that we English speakers have are to be found in Germany. There are, however, several which are particular to Germany and you can hear all about them (some of them) here. Hope you enjoy the podcast and I look forward to your comments! And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. Amazon.com Widgets cheers, Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-11-starting-school-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-11-starting-school-in-germany/#comments Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:26:10 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-11-starting-school-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-11-starting-school-in-germany/feed/ 29:49 The first day of school is a big deal for any family, I'm sure. I was surprised, however, at the amount of tradition and effort ... The first day of school is a big deal for any family, I'm sure. I was surprised, however, at the amount of tradition and effort that went into the first day of school in Germany when my son Simon started school a few weeks back. It seems that no longer how long I live here, there are always new things to learn about. Hope you enjoy this episode. Many thanks are in order to: Jim Hassler for his nice comments on episode 10. (Jim did you get your chocolate?) Tom, my little brother for being my most faithful and vocal listener (if your family doesn't listen, you might as well just give up) Daniela for her nice comments on episode 10 and corrections to my short list of German beer phrases (my German grammar is horrible!) Celeste Neumann for taking time to send me her excellent feedback about German stereotypes Amy Read my most positive listener, who always has something nice and constructive to say about the episodes Simon's first day at school was certainly very interesting. How was your first day at school? Send me your comments! Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com clean No http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-10-the-german-beer-episode/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-10-the-german-beer-episode/#comments Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:11:59 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-10-the-german-beer-episode/ http://mygermanyonline.com/episode-10-the-german-beer-episode/feed/ 34:05 Featuring music by the Beatsteaks Episode 10 is here! I'm really proud to have made it this long, since so many folks pod-fade once they realize ... Featuring music by the Beatsteaks Episode 10 is here! I'm really proud to have made it this long, since so many folks pod-fade once they realize how much work is involved. I don't pod-fade, baby, I procrastinate! So, yeah, it took a few weeks to get it together but I was sick, had vacation, the dog ate it, there was this big monster and...well, let's keep looking forward, shall we? This episode is about GERMAN BEER after all! #160; In this episode you'll learn all about: -What makes German beer so special (Rheinheitsgebot) -What are the differences between German Ales and Lagers -Some of the most popular types of German Ales and Largers -German Beer Culture -All the most important German Beer lingo I also wanted to give a special "thank you" to the following folks who have been kind enough to leave comments and to contact me by e-mail. Thanks you guys: #160; Dean Hunt : who has a killer blog about internet marketing D'Arcy Drury: a wonderful listener in Dubai Jim Hassler: a brand new listener from St. Louis Martin Lees: who has an excellent website about his travels and Geocaching #160; ...and last but not least, here is the German Beer Drinker's mini survival dictionary: #160; eins, zwei, drei = one, two, three Bier = Beer von Fass = from the tap, as in tap-beer Flasche = bottle Dose = can - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ich moechte ein Bier bitte. = I would like a beer please. Zwei Bier von Fass bitte. = two tap beers please. Keine Dosenbier! = no canned beer! #160; So, I hope you folks find this one useful. Don't forget to check out the Beatsteaks homepage. Cheers! #160; #160; #160; Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/german-stereotypes/ http://mygermanyonline.com/german-stereotypes/#comments Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:56:21 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/german-stereotypes/ http://mygermanyonline.com/german-stereotypes/feed/ 33:00 In this episode I am joined by one of my brothers, Tom (just back from Thailand via Dubai), and together we tackle the topic of ... In this episode I am joined by one of my brothers, Tom (just back from Thailand via Dubai), and together we tackle the topic of German stereotypes. Tom has lived and worked in Germany before as well as in Asia, so he brings a unique view to the subject. The stereotypes about Germans that we discuss (to debunk or justify) are: points 1 - 3 were originally discussed in the first episode of the myGermany Podcast Do Germans really stare more aggressively than others? Are Germans rude and much more blunt than English speakers are used to? Is Germany a pessimistic society? Are most German men really fat and have beer guts? Is the bureaucracy in Germany that overwhelming? Does the German diet consist mainly of Sauerkraut and Wurst? Are Lederhosen the ultimate in German fashion? Is Germany a more orderly and tidy society than most others? Are Germans arrogant? Do Germans have a sense of humor at all? Do you really have to shake everyone's hand all the time? What is with all the German tourists? wearing sandals with black socks? Here are two of the links we talk about in this episode: List of German Stereotypes from the German and British Cultural Studies program at the Technical University of Dresden A really great blog called GermanyLive by an expat student from Singapore who has recently come to Germany for the first time. I hope to meet up with hi soon and to perhaps interview him and his fellow students for this podcast. No music this time but I promise to rectify that in the next podcast. And last but not least, I want to send a BIG THANKS to my new listeners in Korea and Taiwan!! It's great that you guys are interested in Germany and I hope to hear again from you very soon: tauralstravels (at) gmail.com And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. Amazon.com Widgets Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-episode-8-eating-out-in-germany-featuring-music-by-die-wallerts/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-episode-8-eating-out-in-germany-featuring-music-by-die-wallerts/#comments Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:46:27 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-episode-8-eating-out-in-germany-featuring-music-by-die-wallerts/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-episode-8-eating-out-in-germany-featuring-music-by-die-wallerts/feed/ 25:37 Sorry for the long wait folks. We've had a full house for several weeks now and I've been doing some serious business traveling. But here ... Sorry for the long wait folks. We've had a full house for several weeks now and I've been doing some serious business traveling. But here we are, back for another episode! This time we are talking about eating out in Germany. Yes, there are fantastic restaurants to enjoy in Germany, and yes, there are a few things you should be aware of when visiting them. By the time you have listened to the podcast you should be able to answer the following questions with no problem what-so-ever: it is polite to keep your hands in your lap when dining in Germany. TRUE or FALSE you must wait to be seated at most German restaurants. TRUE or FALSE you can expect to get as many free refills of water and coffee as you want. TRUE or FALSE The "Stammtisch" is the perfect place to sit when no other tables are free. TRUE or FALSE Music for this episode has kindly been provided by an awesome band out of Berlin, die Wallerts! These guys play an eccentric mix of hopped-up Polka which thy call HUMPA. It's great party music and if you are going to be in Berlin anytime soon, check their calender to see if you can catch a live show.Fun music and some outrageously silly text make die Wallerts a must-hear band in my book! AND if you can guess the where the tune of the last song played by die Wallerts in this podcast comes from, I'll send you some free German chocolate! (hint: it comes form a Monthy Python movie). Keep on eye on this site for more changes coming soon...and for some useful tips to the German language! Thoughts Aside: A flight tracker can not only be used to track flights to canada, but find you favorable flights to rome as well. However if it is flights to thailand you are looking for, better try a flight simulator for a long flight. Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/german-school-german-news-headlines-german-music-spherical/ http://mygermanyonline.com/german-school-german-news-headlines-german-music-spherical/#comments Sun, 20 May 2007 13:12:00 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/german-school-german-news-headlines-german-music-spherical/ http://mygermanyonline.com/german-school-german-news-headlines-german-music-spherical/feed/ 00:01:01 myGermany podcast episode 7 features music by the excellent German band Spherical who are based in Hamburg. Spherical's Oliver Fischer was kind enough to allow ... myGermany podcast episode 7 features music by the excellent German band Spherical who are based in Hamburg. Spherical's Oliver Fischer was kind enough to allow me to play three of their songs for this podcast: "decision", "feeling everything" and "I wonder". OLIVER FISCHER is the composer, plays Keyboards and adds atmospheric guitar licks to the music while HANNS CLASEN focuses entirely on his funky bass. Mr. Groove himself is the excellent MICHAEL MAY on drums and the charismatic lead singer is CLAUDIA VALTIERRA. Atmospheric Trip Hop and warm-hearted electronic-sounds are the trademark of Spherical. Cool and attractive, especially playing live, they develop immense improvisational qualities. This band is taking the Germany's club scene by storm. 'Spherical hypnotize with a melange of Drum and Bass, Trip Hop and Big Beat that show the future of this genre. "tomorrow's electronic, here today" is their tagline. I can't recommend them highly enough! Do check out their website and if you myspace, check out their page for more music and videos. I recently subscribed to the FAZ, one of the best known and highly respected Germany-language newspapers and have been enjoying getting to know more about the German perspective on news stories. So, in order to give you a taste of what the German press is like, I briefly review some of the top news stories being covered in four German newspapers and magazines: Der Spiegel is probably the most well respected German weekly news magazine, the Mirror, as it is called when you translate it into English, also offers a great English language website as well as streaming video and a podcast. It is well worth a look, if you want to get your finger on the pulse of the German press. Focus is another German weekly news magazine which enjoys a good reputation and high readership. It is not as high-brow perhaps as der Spiegel and they do not offer any content in English. The FAZ or Frankfurter Allgemeiner Zeitung as I mentioned above is the premier newspaper in Germany. They do offer once weekly an English language section but don't have any English language content on their website. Der Bild Zeitung, is a daily newspaper that you will find pretty much everywhere in Germany. It has the reputation of being the working man's paper and as such, it features a large sports section. It is also know for the bombastic titles that it uses as well as featuring headline stories about the latest celebrity gossip. The daily page 1 girl is prominently featured daily, except Sunday. I also give a brief introduction to the German school system in this podcast. After Kindergarten, which children attend between the ages of 3 and 5, children start Grundschule or elementary school. Grundschule goes from grades 1 to 4, usually with the same teacher accompanying the same class through all four years. Afterwards, children are separated and sent into one of three types of schools: Gymnasium, grades 5 through 13 ending with the degree Abitur which is the equivellent of the British A-levels and the American Associate' s degree, given in Junior Colleges. Only students with an Abitur are allowed to go to University. Realschule, grades 5 through 10 ending with a Realschule degree. Children leaving the Realschule can either go on to the Gymnasium, if they have taken the necessary subjects and achieved satisfactory grades, or they go on to technical schools. Hauptschule, grades 5 through 10 ending with a Hauptschule degree. Gradutes from the Hauptschule generally compete for places to learn a specific trade like plumber, painter, builder, etc. Lerning a trade usually takes several additional years where they are apprenticed to a master craftsman. Oftentimes, however, such trade-apprenticeships are scarce and graduates end up unemployed. This introduction to the school system is to serve as a basis for the next podcast where I have an interview with a school teacher in which we discuss some of the a Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-6-mayday-in-germany-an-intro-to-hamburg-music-by-fettes-brot/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-6-mayday-in-germany-an-intro-to-hamburg-music-by-fettes-brot/#comments Sat, 05 May 2007 14:15:06 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/?p=26 http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-6-mayday-in-germany-an-intro-to-hamburg-music-by-fettes-brot/feed/ 00:01:01 This episode of the myGermany podcast deals with my recent experiences in celebrating Mayday in Germany as well as giving you a taste of Hamburg. The ... This episode of the myGermany podcast deals with my recent experiences in celebrating Mayday in Germany as well as giving you a taste of Hamburg. The coat of arms forthe city-state of Hamburg The City of Hamburg is a very exciting place to visit, with lots of nordic and nautical charm. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and with Hamburg Harbour, its principal port, Hamburg is also the second largest port city in Europe, no. 9 in the world-ranking of ports and the largest city in the European Union which is not a national capital. The city of Hamburg lies at the junction of the river Elbe with the rivers Alster and Bille and the city centre is beautifully set around two lakes, the Binnenalster ("Inner Alster") and the Aussenalster ("Outer Alster"). Three Places to vist whilst in the city of Hamburg: The "Speicherstadt" (Storehouse City) was built in 1885-88, as part of Hamburg's newly created freeport. All storehouses here have direct access to transport barges approaching on the channels at their waterfront side and land street access at their other side. The "Speicherstadt" also houses many museums and event locations: the "German Customs Museum", the "Speicherstadt Museum", the "Spice Museum", the "Afghanistan Museum", the "HafenCity InfoCenter", the "Miniature Wonderland" with the largest model railroad layout in the world and the "HamburgDungeon" with its historic reenactment adventures. Location: south of Hamburg's town center, opposite of the "Zollkanal" Hamburg's "HafenCity" (Port City), with its modern building lines and historical ships, its pontoons and walkways at the "Sandtorhafen" and a buzzing cosmopolitan street life, is a shining beacon of international urban development. Efforts to revitalize derelict port areas are undertaken in quite a number of towns all over the world: e.g. London, Rotterdam or San Francisco. Nevertheless, Hamburg's "HafenCity" project is quite unique. Location: The "HafenCity" InfoCenter (Accessibility) lies on the route of the Hamburg City Walk "Storehouse City Promenade". The "Reeperbahn" is Hamburg's most famous street. It derives its name from the "ReepschlAtilde;curren;ger", who between 1600 and 1880 used the erstwhile tree-covered area north of the present street to manufacture long ship ropes made of hemp, so-called "Reep", on long-stretched tracks called "Reeperbahn". In the 1960s, the "Reeperbahn" and the adjacent "GroAtilde;?e Freiheit" streets became the mecca of rock music. In clubs like the "Top Ten" or "Starclub", the Beatles or the Searchers and many more famous rock bands from all around the world were performing. In the 1970s and 1980s, brothels, striptease clubs and peep shows dominated the red-light district. Nowadays, many "normal" restaurants, music clubs and theaters, such as the "Schmidt" or the "Operettenhaus", have made the "Reeperbahn" once again a popular attraction for the average Hamburg citizen and tourist, too. Location: south of the "Speicherstadt" (Storehouse City), which lies south of Hamburg's town center. Also, we rasied the Maypole this year in our village and it was a lot of fun. Though I was aware of many of the political implications of Mayday, I had never really had the chance to experience some of the more rural traditions. Our Maypole and the village festivities Send me a mail and let me know if you have any ideas for shows or if there is anything in particular that you would like to hear about. The featured German band in this episode is Fettes Brot from Hamburg, one of the first German pseudo-rap bands to have some success in the 90's. Fettes Brot Now-a-days, German rap has definitely followed in the footsteps of their American gangster rap breathern, but Fettes Brot never went that way. Always fun and most certainly a party band, they never went for that image. The song is called "Schwule Maedchen" and it was a big hit a few year back. Hope you enjoy it! Thoughts Aside: A flight centre is the b... Culture,,Podcasts,,Travel tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/may-day-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/may-day-in-germany/#comments Wed, 02 May 2007 15:30:49 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/?p=25 http://mygermanyonline.com/may-day-in-germany/feed/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-5-six-odd-things-about-living-and-studying-in-germany/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-5-six-odd-things-about-living-and-studying-in-germany/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:28:43 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/?p=22 http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-5-six-odd-things-about-living-and-studying-in-germany/feed/ 00:01:01 In this episode, which I've subtitled "Random Musings", I give you the top 6 list of odd things you notice when you live, work or ... In this episode, which I've subtitled "Random Musings", I give you the top 6 list of odd things you notice when you live, work or study in Germany. Having done all three over the past 12+ years, I've been able to gather up a list of the weird, the odd and the randomness one finds in Germany. This is a short one, I hope you enjoy it! Music this time is by the best band in Germany, the Beatsteaks! Check them out and buy their new CD! (BTW: I recorded this one at work and the sound quality suffers on one or two parts. Please bear with me!) Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-3-working-with-the-germans-and-an-introduction-to-the-state-of-baden-wuerttemburg/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-3-working-with-the-germans-and-an-introduction-to-the-state-of-baden-wuerttemburg/#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:18:35 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/?p=12 http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-3-working-with-the-germans-and-an-introduction-to-the-state-of-baden-wuerttemburg/feed/ 27:28 Three Tips for Working Successfully with Germans, Travel to Baden Wuertemberg, Music by the Boss Hoss In this episode of the myGermany ... Three Tips for Working Successfully with Germans, Travel to Baden Wuertemberg, Music by the Boss Hoss In this episode of the myGermany podcast, I will be discussing a business topic, working with the Germans and I will give you three business characteristics that you should be aware of and know how to deal with if you want to be successful in working with them. #160; #160; The Crest of Arms for Baden Wuerttemburg And for all you travelers or students of Germany, I will also be starting the first of 18 installments describing the 18 Federal German states. In each upcoming episode of the myGermany podcast we will be talking about one of these states. Today's State is Baden Wuerttemberg home to the well-known cities of Stuttgart, Baden Baden and Heidelberg as well as the Black Forest Region of Germany. If you would like to read more about this state, have a look at the state government's website. Today we are featuring music by the one and only, the Boss Hoss! #160; the Boss Hoss It is a rare sort of band that can cover songs by rappers (like Eminem and Nelly) and pop-icons (like Brittney Spears) and turn them into something new. The catch here is that the Boss Hoss is a German band that covers such songs in an old school country-western style that you'd expect to hear in a spaghetti western film. Sounds weird? Yeah, maybe a bit, but they are really really good! Listen in to hear why this is one of Germany's hottest indie bands. Thoughts Aside: Getting reservations on flights to germany is so much more complicated than for flights to india. Even the fact that the latter constitute international flights, does not change anything. You will find this much and more from the flight center. They also have information on the latest flight arrivals as well as departures. Culture,,Podcasts,,Travel tauralstravels@gmail.com no No http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-1-stereotypes-about-germans-music-by-leave-earth/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-1-stereotypes-about-germans-music-by-leave-earth/#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:36:27 +0000 Taural http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-1-stereotypes-about-germans-music-by-leave-earth/ http://mygermanyonline.com/mygermany-podcast-episode-1-stereotypes-about-germans-music-by-leave-earth/feed/ 20:16 Stereotypes about Germans, Music by Leave Earth #160; the typical German? This is our first episode of the myGermany Podcast. In this episode I discuss some cultural facts ... Stereotypes about Germans, Music by Leave Earth #160; the typical German? This is our first episode of the myGermany Podcast. In this episode I discuss some cultural facts about Germans which account (partially) for some of the stereotypes that we English speakers have about them. Also, I talk about some of the stereotypes that the Germans have about American and the British...and no, they are not always pretty! Here is a nice resource for understanding a bit more about Germans, have a look at the very comprehensive online guide the Germany Survival Bibel published by der Speigel Leave Earth And I was going through Amazon and found some cool stuff that you might like to have. Just browse the carousel and if you're interested, click on the product. Amazon.com Widgets Last but not least, this episode features a lovely and atmospheric song called Too Fast by the German band Leave Earth. Hope you enjoy it and please do check out their website. As always, I look forward to your comments. Culture,,Podcasts tauralstravels@gmail.com no No