Frankfurt’s most famous tower, the Henninger Turm, will be torn town and replaced by a modern one. Time has taken its toll on the tower – it is over fifty years old and getting morose. The former silo of the Henninger brewery is getting readied for a modification.

Plans are to rebuild the tower in a greener way, but also a bit wider and deeper, as well as keeping its keg restaurant on the top. Up to 130 apartments are in the designing stage for this cubist Passivhaus, with each square meter at a cost of € 4.000,–

To see the changes the tower has gone through, visit the photo gallery of the Henninger Turm (1962 – present).

Until 1974, the Henninger Turm was the tallest building in the city of Frankfurt.

In the early 70s, I took a bus trip with my aunt to see Frankfurt. The highlights were the Frankfurt Airport and the Henninger Turm. I remember pressing my nose against the windows at the airport to see an airplane take off and we all went ooh and aah. The next stop was the restaurant on the top of the tower – again, we country folks went ooh and aah – with the restaurant turning. 

Living in Germany and speaking English, we sometimes get inquiries from friends, family, and friends of friends on what to see in Germany.

German Autobahn signs

The latest one was this: I have a colleague who is asking for travel suggestions in Germany. I have no idea what they are looking for, but do you have any global suggestions?

This answer I had sent by e-mail, and thought it worth sharing now and for future reference as well:

I sometimes travel the world, but when it comes to Germany, I have not been to many places as we tend to visit family here  when we are free. But my traveling students have come back with the following recommendations.

Leipzig and Dresden are worth visiting. Others have claimed the Starnberger See (near Munich) and Munich are worthwhile. Schloss Neuschwanstein is a must for Asians, but a bit kitschig, IMO.

I think I would like the Black Forest and I have been to the Bodensee/Lake Constance (recommendable).

Hamburg has a great night-life from what little I remember from a trip taken there more than 25 years ago.

Berlin… visited twice, but could not really warm up to this city.

Frankfurt is great for being in the center of Germany and allows for many places to travel to by rental car or train.
Some foreigners also enjoy taking a Rhine river cruise. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few interesting places, all in the distance of one hour by car (Bingen, Heidelberg, Marburg, etc.)

Augsburg, so my friends say, is full of history. Also known for its witch hunt in the Middle Ages.

And there are so many nice places, unknown and inexpensive, off the beaten track.

I have always wanted to the visit the volcanic park in the Eiffel (bordering France and Luxembourg).

Tell your friends, wherever they stay, they can also get some recommendations locally. Ask your hotel and tourism office.

Last night, my husband and I went out for our not so regular Friday Night Out. We went to a local pub where they serve typical German dishes, and among them, being a Friday, is a fish dish.

Herring with apples and cream

While we discussed the difference of Matjes Salat and Hering Salat, I noted that the Matjes (white Herring) is saltier than the regular herring.

Matjes Filet is also referred to as Hering Bonne Femme. There seems to be a big difference between Matjes and Hering, and the explanation is, quoting from Leo Dictionary:

A Herring is not a Matjes, because a Matjes is a Hering without fully developed genitals.  Matjes have a higher concentration of fat than normal herrings.

So it seems that Matjes are chubby prepubescent herrings, with a salty taste. Guten Appetit!

The town of Amberg, located in the eastern part of Germany near Nürnberg/Nuremberg (view map of Germany), has the smallest hotel in the world. There is no receptionist and your room is spread over seven floors. But be aware, that each room only measures 2.5 meters in width.

To view the hotel’s website in English, click here on Eh’ Häusl (Marriage House). To get the historical facts behind the hotel’s unusual name, visit here.

For being the smallest hotel in the world, it does come with a big price tag at € 240 a night for two people. But if I had some extra money to spend, I would love to stay in this place once. It does come with breakfast, in case you wonder. At € 240 a night, it should.

For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.

- Steve Jobs -

No matter what the season, many Germans love to sit outdoors, eating and drinking all the while.

The photo was taken on 22 February at the Biergarten at the Viktualienmarkt in Munich in the early afternoon.

This is winter, but we just bundle up and do what other nationalities might only do in warmer temperatures. Germans are hardcore when it comes to eating, drinking, and having a good time – outdoors.

There is an old saying Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung (There is no bad weather, just insufficient clothing).

München Viktualienmarkt in February 2012

 With friendly permission from Margit Appleton, a Munich resident, and an avid photographer.

More about Margit on:

http://lifeinmunich.posterous.com/

http://interculturalmusings.blogspot.com/