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You’ve finally done it. You’ve come all the way to Germany from points all over the globe. You’re excited to see its rich culture and museums, its festivals even. Oh, look, a church spire somewhere off in the distance!

Wait, that’s not a tower from a medieval church, it’s an, um, television tower… Huh? What’s going on?

Today’s society may not realize that television is a relatively new invention, not even a hundred years old. There isn’t “magic” involved in that little (or big) box you have sitting in your living rooms, bedrooms, or dens back home (or your hotel room, for that matter); it’s science.

The history of German television (and German radio) broadcasting is little different from what you’ll find in the United States, Asia, or the rest of the world. It was all about broadcasting over the airwaves to your home from the tops of huge towers, all designed to get out the programming.

Told you it was science. ;-)

And while television has changed over the decades (now everything appears to be cable or satellite), old-time regular channels do still exist, emitting their signal from atop these gigantic TV Towers found throughout Germany, called Fernsehturm or Fernmeldeturm.

Many of Germany’s TV Towers are a feat of remarkable German engineering designed from tons of concrete and steel; and some are more than just your run-of-the-mill single-purpose use.

What? There’s more to Germany’s television towers than just television?

Yeah, believe it or not. ;-)

Throughout Germany there are seventy-seven or so television towers, six of which offer folks the chance to climb high above the ground to their observation decks, maybe grab a bite to eat, or plunge excitedly to the ground. Yes, it’s very, very sad… only six remain open to the public today (it used to be many more).

The Berlin TV Tower on the Alexanderplatz is one with a revolving restaurant and observatory deck. At a height of 368 meters, it’s not only the tallest structure in Berlin, but all of Germany.

Over in Stuttgart it’s not some Baroque church or medieval castle that’s the city’s landmark. Nope, it’s the Stuttgart TV Tower. Now, what’s that tell you? The power of the pen? The power of the historic? No way, it’s the power of the airwaves. ;-)

Well yes, it’s also the power of the historic as the Stuttgart Television Tower was the first of its kind worldwide and has been the model for many other TV Towers afterwards.

Mannheim also has its own Mannheim TV Tower including the revolving Restaurant Skyline Mannheim, with views of the Palatinate Forest and Odenwald. I know this is about television towers, but give me a view of a German forest over just about anything any day of the week.

Sorry, currently no restaurant in the Florian Tower or Florianturm (the TV Tower of Dortmund); they’re looking for a new tenant though. What the Florian (as it’s also called lovely) does have is two observation decks (and it used to have a bungee jumping platform).

More than a quarter of a million people visit the Rhine Tower or Rheinturm (Düsseldorf’s TV Tower) every year. This concrete and steel tower is one of the landmarks of Düsseldorf, as it should be — since it’s also the largest digital clock in the world (according to the Guinness Book of World Records).

I saved the Munich Olympic Tower in Munich, Bavaria for last. This amazing tower has its own restaurant, a photo studio, and a Rock-n-Roll museum. It’s even been honored on a German stamp. You know you’re famous when you’re immortalized forever on postage.

Again, not all of Germany’s TV Towers are accessible to the public; and you’ll find them strewn across the country in big cities like Dresden, Cologne, and Frankfurt am Main; as well as many other smaller towns and villages.

I know, what’s the point if you can’t climb hundreds of meters above the street to see the countryside?

Well, they’re a marvel of the countless engineers, architects, and construction workers who built each Fernsehturm for our entertainment and enjoyment. So, the least you could do is snap a few photos of them. Keep these guys in mind the next time you click on the TV.

Today German television has the largest market in all of Europe. Not too bad considering when these towers first started broadcasting it was for 90 minutes a day, three days a week.

Whew, aren’t you glad there’s 24-hour, 7-day a week programming now? But, c’mon you can watch TV anytime now — wouldn’t you rather have a birds-eye view of a German forest, or bungee jump hurling yourself helplessly towards the ground?

Forgive me if I don’t come along… I just ate. ;-)

Surrounded by a landscape characterized by flora and fauna, German zoos offer the experience of fascination in wilderness along with the nature’s realistic splendor and vital diversity. Germany’s animal parks generally run with the motto “let nature be nature.”

A tropical ambience beside the Rhine, giraffes on the North Sea coast, dolphins in the South and pandas in Berlin — in Germany you will unearth a wonderful selection of animals from around the world, all cared for in the interest of world conservation, in some of Europe’s best wild animal parks and zoos.

Track the black woodpeckers call, enjoy the breathtaking views from dense regions, or relax at the same time in romantic stream valleys and extraordinary beech forests. German zoos offer exceptional and numerous activities addressing all ages.

With visitor centers, so called National Park-Gates, in Schleiden-Gemünd, Simmerath-Rurberg and in the train station of Heimbach, exhibit attractive exhibitions combined with comprehensive tourist information.

Comprising about 100 square kilometers, the Eifel National Park counts to the newest German zoos since it has been established on the 1st of January 2004. It is situated in the mid mountain range of the northern Eifel region. Owing to its neighboring Belgian border, it represents the most western Animal Park in Germany.

Vast areas of decidious forests with unfathomable reaching river valleys characterize the Northern part of the Park. The Eifel National Park counts about endangered animal and plant species as well as about 1.300 beetle species were discovered in its forests. Red deer, wild cats, beavers, black storchs, eagle owls and even wall–lizards live in the region’s Animal Parks.

Berlin Animal Park is the foremost example of German zoos, located in the heart of Berlin and home to added species than any other Animal Park in the world. Berlin Animal Park consists of more than 13,000 animals living in a magnificent park. You can notice extraordinary animals such as the giant panda, gorillas and kiwis in naturalistic outdoor enclosures and animal houses with exotic designs. The three-storey aquarium takes visitors on a mission from the Great Barrier Reef with its tropical reef sharks to the crocodiles of the Amazonian jungle.

Cologne Zoo in Cologne is the tropical excursion on the Rhine as here Gibbons leap proficiently from branch to branch and exotic birds flit around the dense palms and jungle ferns. Visitors to the tropical house at Cologne Zoo can envisage themselves in a Southeast Asian rainforest — and gain knowledge about saving the tropical forests. Other highlights consist of the apes’ jungle house, the bulky aquarium and the new, huge elephant park.

Opel Animal Park is one of the German zoos where you can gaze at giraffes, hippos, elephants and zebras almost as if they were in the wilderness. This landscaped Animal Park in Kronberg im Taunus near Frankfurt also has circular paths and trails, escapade playgrounds and a petting zoo. In addition, if you have always wanted to ride a camel, this is your prospect to try out one of these “ships of the desert.”

Have you ever touched a live elephant? Well, you can do so at the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg. Around 2,500 animals from all over the world subsist in that park that is also a listed site of historical interest. It is grand to get up lofty enough to look giraffes straight in the eye and to watch baby orang-utans at play. :-)

Hanover Animal Park in Hanover is generally known as “Africa and India in the heart of Germany.” At Hanover adventure zoo, you can get a thrilling boat ride where rhinos, flamingos and giraffes are close enough to touch. I addition, an underwater window gives you startling views of hippos swimming.

Or what about a trip to Leipzig to the Leipzig Zoo, where water crashes down the waterfall beside the splendid temple ruins and fallen columns. A gigantic bull elephant takes a bath a few meters away and two young elephants romp happily about. This animal park is a world full of mysteries for you to discover.

Then there is the Munich Zoo, which could easily get you around the world in a single day as you might find here Kangaroos from Australia, tigers from Siberia, and penguins and polar bears from the Polar Regions. This Animal Park in Munich gives you a mesmerizing discovery tour of animals representing every continent.

One could easily claim it is one of the most special German zoos. Beside many other animals, Molli, the kissing sea lioness, and Porgy, the impressive silverback gorilla, can be seen as if in the wild, rather than behind railings.

World War II was arguably the largest world scale conflict the world has ever seen. During the period of 1939 to 1945, World War II was centered towards stopping the aggression of the Axis Powers known as Japan, Italy and Germany.

It all began with the rise of Nazi Germany that started towards the end of World War I, where Germany’s economy was in ruins. The World War I Treaty of Versailles threw all of the blame on Germany, who has to pay some heavy reparations to the countries involves. In addition to paying reparations, Germany was forced to rebuild itself from the bottom up.

In the late 1920’s, the Great Depression worsened Germany’s satiation even more.

A declining Germany caused lots of radical political parties to burst into the scene. Communists, right wing nationalists, and an extremist movement called the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (also known as the Nazi Party) began to move in. The Nazi Party held more than 100,000 members and began to win elections with ease. In 1933, Adolf Hitler was named the German chancellor.

During this pre-World War II period, Germany began to reject the Treaty of Versailles and oppose its restrictions. Hitler promised a sad people rebuilding and taking over of other territories. After attacking Poland in 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany and the war began.

Japan joined Germany as its closest ally in World War II after a rearrangement of priorities. Also hit by the Great Depression, Japan needed more land to help its population and saw territorial expansion as a legit way out. This caused them to start occupying other lands and create a plan to establish a new order where Western influence was no longer needed.

In 1940, Japan signed an agreement with Germany and Italy to become allies. This caused the United States to place a trade embargo on Japan which caused Japan to hit the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Springing to action, the United States joined World War II and joined the epic battle told on text books today.

In the end, the United States spent the most money on the war, clocking in at $341 billion. Germany spent $272 billion and Japan $56 billion. Even worse, many estimate human losses to be at 44 million for the Allies and 11 million or the Axis! This number also includes the number of civilians killed during the Holocaust.

When it came to power, there was a tremendous shift in the world balance with the United States and the Soviet Union retaining power with Britain, France, Japan, and Germany left in the wayside.

Fortunately, this time is over and we enjoy a much more peaceful time.

Every year, German Christmas markets explode onto the holiday scene right before Christmas, marking the beginning of Advent. These Christmas markets are the product of a centuries-old, rich German Christmas traditions where regular markets were active throughout the year.

In the face of long winter nights, old Christmas markets lasted a couple of days with traders peddling their wares to passersby. A lot of these products include nutcrackers, delicacies, handicrafts and other products like ornaments and decorations.

Today’s German Christmas markets also perform the same function of selling spectacular pieces of art from glass balls to wooden figures. And, depending on the city or town, a Weihnachtsmarkt or Christkindlmarkt can last up to four weeks.

One of the oldest German Christmas markets is the market of Dresden, also known as the Striezelmarkt. It is especially known for its bakery products and is named after the Stollen, a piece of sweetcake bread popular around Christmas.

Another popular Christkindlmarkt is the one in Berlin, which attracts more than four million visitors every year. The Berlin market crafts its niche through its innovative products on top of the traditional gifts and decorations that have made small town markets famous.

Christmas markets in Berlin also shine through with window displays at famous department stores and the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche church which forms the backdrop to many of the Berlin markets.

Another German Christmas market worth mentioning is the one in Munich. Munich markets date back to the 14th century, with the first recorded market in the 1640s outside the Frauenkirche church.

Dubbed the “Nikolausmarkt,” the Munich Christmas market specializes in the Bavarian delicacies that feed the region, along with other specialties from nearby states. A sampling of delicacies includes pancakes, roasted chestnuts, and spicy wine. Added to the Christmas market is the Krippenmuseum which is one of Munich’s largest nativity museums that re-enacts the Nativity scenes with neat precision.

One final German Christmas market is the one in Augsburg, which has a special event attached to it unlike any other with its “Angel Play” program that features a play performed by some of the town’s residents. The town selects participants out of a pool of young women that are judged based on their gracefulness and artistic tendencies.

Another special thing about the Augsburg market is that it has its own Christmas pyramid that feeds Glühwein spice wine to its residents.

Other Christmas markets worth mentioning are in Nuremberg, Cologne, and many other major German cities. You will also find some neat little and cozy markets in towns and villages throughout Germany, some of which have their own unique flair.

All in all, German Christmas markets are festive occasions that hold the unique traditions of the towns they are in. From nutcrackers to bakery goods, all of that feel-good stuff can be had at these markets. And…

Remember to drink the infamous Glühwein when you’re there. It is THE Christmas drink and therefore shouldn’t be missed. ;-)

The idea of the German cuckoo clock began in the famed Black Forest area of southwest Germany in the 18th century, started by a man named Franz Anton Ketterer. He created the first masterpiece entirely out of wood, including the intricate detailed plate and gear mechanisms that spun the clock to life.

In the beginning, Black Forest farmers would collaborate during the cold months to make these clocks out of environmental materials and sold during the Spring as art. With ongoing development came innovative methods of material design, with more complicated inner decorations and workings.

The German cuckoo clock began to appear “life-like,” with birds’ wings that moved and feathers that fluttered. In the 1730’s, cuckoo clocks were all handmade out of wood. After a few tears, metal gears and plates became the norm.

The German cuckoo clock is special for its customized features. The finest woodwork contains hunting scenes, family scenarios, and military gatherings. Most notably, the German cuckoo clock would come equipped with a “cuckoo” call (sounded by bellows and whistles) that rang either every 30 minutes or every hour.

In addition, people began to focus on different aspects of clock making by learning how to carve, make cases, and paint. They recognized other ways to improve the German cuckoo clock craft, such as running weights under clocks instead of spring driven types. Many clock designers began to carve their own niches within the industries, adding moving parts as needed to address growing trends while trying to find the big idea in the process.

Today, the German cuckoo clock’s hallmark feature is a conventional design as well as traditional — many times in the shape of a small birdhouse.

US households hold them as a permanent fixture on walls in particular. Decorative elements today continue to be wild in nature with animals, hunting scenes, and more. In addition, other Black Forest scenes may be there like spinning mill wheels and dancing couples swaying to music. Some cuckoo clocks even have birds popping out through a small trap door whenever the clock strikes and disappears after the gong stops ringing.

Despite its traditional past consisting of intricately carved wood, the German cuckoo clock continues to grace homes today. They are in high demand and represent a rooted past, a guarded present, and a fantastic future.

It remains a hand carved masterpiece free from the clutches of being labeled a mass produced item and will continue to be cherished for generations to come. ;-)

To most in the international scene, German food conjures up images of fresh, mouth watering Sauerkraut, foot long sausages, and German beer steins holding some of the “foamiest” brews in the world. Although these foods are Germany’s hallmarks, they do not tell the whole story of this part of the German cuisine.

For starters, Germany is a cuisine enthusiast’s paradise, with a diverse selection of foreign restaurants stretching from Munich to Berlin including Thai, Greek, and Turkish restaurants with their patented Döner Kebabs and Falafel sandwiches. In addition, major cities like Berlin hold street stalls which serve fast food like fried sausages served around the clock.

Lighter, spicier foods in Germany have taken a backseat to preserved smoked and marinated food as a result of its interactions with Northern Europe and the abundance of fertile land along with a consistent climate that promotes meat and dairy products.

German food also comes with a neat eating regimen as well, with meals served three times a day consisting of a hearty breakfast (known as Frühstück) with bread and rolls along with cereal, fruit, and cream cheese plus strong coffee, lunch, and dinner.

Lunch (Mittagessen) is Germany’s main meal, and usually consists of anywhere from two to seven courses including hot soups, appetizers, and a main dish that incorporates meat and vegetables.

Unlike South American countries, German dinners are almost always cold and served towards the evening with six o’clock being the norm.

It is important to note that breakfast remains important to us, although Continental breakfasts have blazed trails in the past few years.

As I mentioned, the German diet consists of plenty of sausage varieties including Wiener Wurst (beer and pork mixed with garlic), the original Frankfurter, Bierwurst, and Bratwurst with ginger and pork.

Bread is also another German staple with thousands of different varieties like the basic pretzel, farm bread, and sunflower. German bread is something I miss the most whenever I’m out of the country.

German food also incorporates hearty drinks like its world renowned German beer varieties. Local and regional breweries produce foamy masterpieces consistent with the tradition of a particular region.

For example, the popular Altbier brand is popular around the Rhine River (especially in Düsseldorf) while Lager (wheat beer) and Weizenbier is prevalent in Munich.

Wine also prevails, with consumption revolving mainly in the south given the northern part’s resistance to grape vine growth.

For a national celebration, join the Oktoberfest festivities in Munich in September where people from across the globe gather for one all-out drinking party complete with music and games.

All in all, German food is sure to capture your fancy. ;-)

Without a doubt, German beer is amongst the most renowned in the world.

The largest market of its kind in the world, it is rated consistently by drinking aficionados as amongst the top beer drinkers with more than 3 billion liters of beer consumed annual (a little more than 300 liters, capita — amazing!)

The variety of German beer extends through the whole spectrum, from Dunkles to Helles to draft and Flasche (bottled beer), some of the current favorites include Lager, Hell, Weizenbier, Pils, Alt, and Kölsch (in Cologne).

Today, non alcoholic beer has climbed the social ranks, although light beers have yet to make a serious impact on the economy. Today, Pilsner is the No. 1 selling beer followed by Export.

From the well-known Kölsch brand to Dunkel, German’s hold multiple beers as its national identity representatives with not one beer being above all, given the different regions throughout the country.

German beer has a long standing quality tradition, with purity laws stating that it may contain no ingredients other than the trademark water, barley, hops and yeast. Even rice and maize could not be substituted as part of the raw cereal for barley, since law prohibits these ingredients to maintain its integrity.

They vary in alcoholic content as well, from the relatively light Clausthaler brand to the high octane Warsteiner beer. Corporate and civil life holds a special place for beer, with entry into contracts allowing for its consumption during break hours and even on the job!

Today, German breweries extend their influence internationally, with industries established in the United States, China, and others. The German formula of malt, yeast, water, and hops are experimented with to include other ingredients like fruit juices and chemicals to match a national taste and represent a region.

In addition to German beer, the country is known for its wine trade with excellent German wines being produced in wine regions such as the Moselle and Franconia regions, which are known for its Weinstuben, or wine rooms.

Although Germans love a tall glass of wine, beer remains the No. 1 beverage. And more often than not, you will find people who love to drink beer but avoid drinking wine in the German cuisine.

Either way, next time you visit Germany, make sure to brush up on beer vocabulary! Here is a mini-primer: :-)

A Small German Beer Vocabulary

Generally, ein Bier simply means a beer. So going forward, the word ein is the equivalent for ordering “a” or “one.”

Ein Helles — This is a light beer that is usually served with a pint.

Ein Pils — Also known as Pilsner beer, it holds a more bitter taste.

Ein Dunkeles — This is a dark beer. Surprisingly to many, it does not hold the most alcohol. That distinction belongs to Weissbier (white beer) which holds the most alcohol of all German beers and comes with a light taste.

Ein Kölsch — Drink this when you visit Cologne. It’s the only language that you can drink (because the language of Cologne’s people is called Kölsch, too. ;-)

Ein Weizen — Without a doubt, the national drink for Bavarians. When you visited Bavaria but haven’t drunken their Weizen, you haven’t really been to Bavaria. ;-)