My first tour of Germany was in 2017, where I visited Berlin and Munich. I had always been curious about this country and what it was like to be there. I realised I had a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about Germany because of my limited experiences with Germans and what I had received in the media about the country. 

My first stop was Berlin, and this is the first place I will put this in print – if i were to pick a European Capital city to live in – this just might be it. The city is set up for creatives with so many natural and man-made structures to inspire creativity.  Tainted with the history of The Holocaust and the two world wars, the most surprising thing for me, was how open the people were to share a part of their dark history. There are museums and galleries explaining some of the horror stories that took place in the war and Germany’s part in them. They also share openly about the Jewish experience during the war times, I loved the openness of these discussions and it not being something that was swept under the carpet.  A local explained that ‘monuments such as the Berlin Wall and the Memorial of the Murdered Jews stand as a staunch reminder to never allow history to repeat itself’. 

Like most European countries, Germany is filled with interesting architecture and lots of museums. The cultural city for Germany, is Munich which is clear to see from when you arrive due to the amount of classical architecture on display. There is an annual summer festival, as a celebration of the performance arts ,which people can attend and view shows from a combination of local and international artists. Due to the technology advancements and favourable policies the country has attracted some Australian surfers. In the middle of one of the lovely parks in Munich along the Eisbach River, Australian ingenuity meets German engineering precision to create what has been described as the most largest and most consistent river surf in the world. Therefore, never mind that there are no beaches in Munich, you can still get your surfing fix. 

German Beer is a big international export and no better place to try it than, locally. In the summer, the country also hosts the annual beer festival, Oktoberfest, that is held in the region of Bavaria and is spread over twenty days (give or take a few). The festival is known to draw up to six million local and international visitors each year with several spin off festivals scattered across the globe. Never drink on an empty stomach, feel free to try out some of the local sausages from the different regions of Germany, each with unique flavours. 

The people are very friendly and very helpful as I travelled across the country.