Visited Germany for the first time and stayed in Limburgerhof, the city closest to my hotel was Mannheim. Here are street scenes from the fresh eyes of a visitor. You'll also find some travel tips and insights from the very friendly people. 
A grand church building in Mannheim. One of many you will see around Germany.
Mannheim is the biggest city or town in the area, other than going to Frankfurt. You get the feel of an upscale European town, with a light surface train going around the main square that is paved with cobblestones, with nice shops and department stores and cafes and bake shops and no huge malls. There are lots of sights that draw many visitors on a weekend, so the streets are busy with people walking and this makes for a lively atmosphere.
The art gallery museum in Mannheim. There are many museums in Germany including weapons museums that showcase knight armies, and technical museums one of which is also in Mannheim. 
The centuries-old water tower in Mannheim, a landmark in the area that draws Germans and foreigners alike. 
The area around the water tower. There are huge amounts of open space in Germany, making for a lot of peace and quiet. So different from Asian big cities that are bustling with people almost everywhere.
I found the people in Germany very friendly, and this was positively refreshing. It was March when I visited so the air was chilly even in the afternoon, good reason to enjoy a hot coffee to take a break from walking.
The main shopping street in Mannheim.
I thought it curious that I didn't see any Mont Blanc boutique in Mannheim, nor a Rimowa shop. I did see one shop selling Faber Castell pens and Lamy pens, and some Mont Blanc models, but it's not like Singapore where Mont Blanc and Rimowa specialty shops could be seen almost everywhere.
The Mannheim castle, the second largest Baroque castle in the world. It is huge! Sprawling! Today the building is a private university, which makes sense as the size makes it difficult to imagine it being filled with artefacts for use as a museum.
Tips on traveling around Germany. Mannheim is easily reachable from the main train system. Happily, Google Maps works well in Germany. You get full functionality, including train routes and details on train times and stops. Of course you need data roaming to access it while on the go. One alternative is to search your destination and check train routes while in your hotel so you can use free wifi. Then take a photo of the route (on iPhones, just press the Home and Power buttons simultaneously to take a screen shot) and also explore the area in Google maps to load them into your phone memory. Then you'll be able to view them without a data connection. This is a trick I just discovered in Germany, so I can get by without purchasing an offline map. Of course having Sygic is still a good idea at about an SGD 50 price. Before boarding a train, check the train schedules and the track numbers on the posted schedules at the train station. And check the final train destination shown on the front of the train. These will ensure you don't board the wrong train, and will give you confidence to move around on your own. Another tip is that when you have a train ticket, you can take the local busses in your destination without purchasing another ticket. The are included in your train fare. And never board a train without first purchasing your ticket. They are sold in vending machines at the train stations that are easy to operate.
Evening soon descends on Mannheim. The city is quiet after 7 PM, and most shops are closed by 8 PM. No late night shopping here! Time to head back on get to a resto for dinner.
Hope to share more of my Germany visits in future blogs! Take care!
A selfie in front of my hotel in Limburgerhof before going to Mannheim. March weather is cold but beautiful.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Mannheim is the biggest city or town in the area, other than going to Frankfurt. You get the feel of an upscale European town, with a light surface train going around the main square that is paved with cobblestones, with nice shops and department stores and cafes and bake shops and no huge malls. There are lots of sights that draw many visitors on a weekend, so the streets are busy with people walking and this makes for a lively atmosphere.
I found the people in Germany very friendly, and this was positively refreshing. It was March when I visited so the air was chilly even in the afternoon, good reason to enjoy a hot coffee to take a break from walking.
I thought it curious that I didn't see any Mont Blanc boutique in Mannheim, nor a Rimowa shop. I did see one shop selling Faber Castell pens and Lamy pens, and some Mont Blanc models, but it's not like Singapore where Mont Blanc and Rimowa specialty shops could be seen almost everywhere.
The intricacy of details on the palace facade and the master craftsmanship displayed is inspiring, and this skill is displayed in much of Germany.
Evening soon descends on Mannheim. The city is quiet after 7 PM, and most shops are closed by 8 PM. No late night shopping here! Time to head back on get to a resto for dinner.
Hope to share more of my Germany visits in future blogs! Take care!
A selfie in front of my hotel in Limburgerhof before going to Mannheim. March weather is cold but beautiful.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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