Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
Page 98
Time Differences
Germany is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and observe Daylight Saving Time. This means that they are is six hours ahead of New York City, 9 hours ahead of Los Angeles, one hour ahead of the British Isles, 9 hours behind Sydney, and 10 hours behind New Zealand.
MONEY
Getting Money from Home
Stuff happens. When stuff happens, you might need some money. When you need some money, the easiest and cheapest solution is to have someone back home make a deposit to your bank account. Otherwise, consider one of the following options.
Wiring Money
Arranging a bank money transfer means asking a bank back home to wire money to a bank in Germany. This is the cheapest way to transfer cash, but it’s also the slowest and most agonizing, usually taking several days or more. Note that some banks may only release your funds in local currency, potentially sticking you with a poor exchange rate; inquire about this in advance. Money transfer services like Western Union are faster and more convenient than bank transfers—but also much pricier. Western Union has many locations worldwide. To find one, visit www.westernunion.com or call the appropriate number: in Australia 1800 173 833, in Canada and the US 800-325-6000, in the UK 0800 735 1815, in Germany 0800 180 7732 or in Austria 0800 29 6544. To wire money using a credit card in Canada and the US, call 800-CALL-CASH; in the UK, 0800 833 833. Money transfer services are also available to American Express cardholders and at selected Thomas Cook offices.
US State Department (US Citizens only)
In serious emergencies only, the US State Department will forward money within hours to the nearest consular office, which will then disburse it according to instructions for a US$30 fee. If you wish to use this service, you must contact the Overseas Citizens Services division of the US State Department. (+1-202-501-4444, from US 888-407-4747)
TIPPING AND BARGAINING
Service staff is paid by the hour, and a service charge is included in an item’s unit price. Cheap customers typically just round up to the nearest whole Euro, but it’s customary and polite to tip 5-10% if you are satisfied with the service. If the service was poor, you don’t have to tip at all. To tip, mention the total to your waiter while paying. If he states that the bill is €20, respond “€22,” and he will include the tip. Do not leave the tip on the table; hand it directly to the server. It is standard to tip a taxi driver at least €1, housekeepers €1-2 a day, bellhops €1 per piece of luggage, and public toilet attendants around €.50. Germans rarely barter, except at flea markets.
Taxes
Most goods in Germany are subject to a Value-Added Tax—or mehrwertsteuer (MwSt)—of 19% (a reduced tax of 7% is applied to books and magazines, foods, and agricultural products). Ask for a MwSt return form at points of purchase to enjoy tax-free shopping. Present it at customs upon leaving the country, along with your receipts and the unused goods. Refunds can be claimed at Tax Free Shopping Offices, found at most airports, road borders, and ferry stations, or by mail (Tax-Free Shopping Processing Center, Trubelgasse 19, 1030 Vienna Austria). For more information, contact the German VAT refund hotline (0228 406 2880; www.bzst.de).
SAFETY AND HEALTH
General Advice
In any type of crisis, the most important thing to do is stay calm. Your country’s embassy abroad is usually your best resource in an emergency; registering with that embassy upon arrival in the country is a good idea.
Local Laws and Police
Certain regulations might seem harsh and unusual (practice some self-control city-slickers, jaywalking is a €5 fine), but abide by all local laws while in Germany; your respective embassy will not necessarily get you off the hook. Always be sure to carry a valid passport as police have the right to ask for identification.
Drugs and Alcohol
The drinking age in Germany is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for spirits. The maximum blood alcohol content level for drivers is 0.05%. Avoid public drunkenness: it can jeopardize your safety and earn the disdain of locals.
If you use insulin, syringes, or any perscription drugs, carry a copy of the prescriptions and a doctor’s note. Needless to say, illegal drugs are best avoided. While possession of marijuana or hashish is illegal, possession of small quantities for personal consumption is decriminalized in Germany. Each region has interpreted “small quantities” differently (anywhere from 5 to 30 grams). Carrying drugs across an international border—considered to be drug trafficking—is a serious offense that could land you in prison.
Specific Concerns
Natural Disasters
Relatively weak earthquakes occur regularly in Germany, primarily in the seismically active Rhein Rift Valley or in coal mining areas where blasting can set them off. In the event of an earthquake, drop and take cover if indoors. If outside, move away from buildings and utility wires.
Pre-Departure Health
Matching a prescription to a foreign equivalent is not always easy, safe, or possible, so if you take prescription drugs, carry up-to-date prescriptions or a statement from your doctor stating the medications’ trade names, manufacturers, chemical names, and dosages. Be sure to keep all medication with you in your carry-on luggage.
Common drugs such as aspirin (Kopfschmerztablette or Aspirin), acetaminophen or Tylenol (Paracetamol), ibuprofen or Advil, antihistamines (Antihistaminika ), and penicillin (Penizillin) are available at German pharmacies. Some drugs—like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl)—are not available in Germany, or are only available with a perscription, so plan accordingly.
Immunizations and Precautions
Travelers over two years old should make sure that the following vaccines are up to date: MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella); DTaP or Td (for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis); IPV (for polio); Hib (for Haemophilus influenzae B); and HepB (for Hepatitis B). For recommendations on immunizations and prophylaxis, check with a doctor and consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US or the equivalent in your home country. (+1-800-CDC-INFO/232-4636 www.cdc.gov/travel).
germany 101
ETIQUETTE AND CUSTOMS
Dining
Traditionally, German restaurants allow self-seating if no host is present. Water with your meal is on request and you must specify if you want tap water. Otherwise, the restaurant will rack up your bill by bringing you expensive bottled water. Also, before you satiate a ravenous appetite with a fluffy roll, consider the unfortunate extra charge for rolls or bread.
Gratuity
At the end of the meal, the bill includes gratuity. However, it is appropriate to add a 5% tip for good service, and a 10% tip for exceptional service.
facts and figures
• POPULATION: 82,140,043
• AREA: 357,021 sq. km
• BEER BREWERIES: 1234
• NATIONAL PARKS: 14
• DRINKING AGE FOR BEER: 16
• DAILY BEER CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA: .32L
• AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY: 79 years
Meet and Greet
Unlike workaholics in the United States, Germans look down upon working after hours as evidence of poor planning. Germans face tasks at work and in their personal life with an approach of careful scheduling and organization.
When entering a room, shake hands with everyone in the room individually, including children. Until you are told otherwise, address a person with their official title and surname. When entering a store, always greet with a “Guten Tag.” Upon leaving the store, even if you did not buy anything, it is polite to say goodbye, or, “auf Wiedersehen.”
So You Want to Meet the Parents...
If you are invited to a German home, it is best to bring chocolates or flowers as a gift. Since many flowers carry particular stigmas, it is safest to bring yellow roses or tea roses. After all, you don’t want to give funeral flowers to your kind host.
Germans eat meals with forks in the left hand and the knives in the right hand. German etiquette req
uires keeping elbows off the table, although hands should always be visible on the table. Sorry, no under the table deals. When you are finished (try to finish everything on your plate), lay your knife and fork parallel to each other on the right side of the plate. Finally, for all salad lovers out there, always fold your lettuce with your knife, instead of cutting it.
HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS
DATE NAME DESCRIPTION
January 6 Three Kings Day Children dress up as kings and participate in parades
42 days before Easter Fasching A Carnival similar to Mardi Gras, celebrated the week of Lent.
Friday before Easter Good Friday Shops closed all day
late March/early April Easter Shops closed all day
late September/early October Oktoberfest Beer festival with tasting tents and events
October 3 Unity Day Celebration of the reunification of East and West Germany
December 5 St. Nicolas Day On the eve of December 6th, children leave their shoes outside for Saint Nick to fill with treats
December 21 St. Thomas Day People late to work have to wear a cardboard donkey all day. Don’t be a slow ass on this day!
December 24 Christmas Eve Shops close early today
December 25 Christmas Day Shops closed all day
Karneval
Colorful costumes, blaring pop music, and uninhibited dancing take over Germany during Carnival, also called Karneval, Fastnacht, or Fasching. The Carnival officially starts on November 11th at 11:11 am, but the festivities don’t commence until February, coinciding with the start of Lent. A myriad of masquerades and costume parties cumulate with grand parades on the 42nd day before Easter, Rosenmontag (known as Rose Monday in the U.S.). In some cities, such as Munich, the wild celebrations hit on Tuesday, when dance parties overflow blocked off streets. The best festivities are found in Munich, Muenster, Aachen, Köln, and Mainz.
Oktoberfest
Where can you drink a one-liter beer at 9 am and with a million people doing the exact same thing? Only at Oktoberfest. Every year, from late September to early October, you can be drunk in Munich for 16 straight days, surviving on enormous pretzels and even larger mugs of beer. Oktoberfest starts with the official tapping of the first barrel of beer at the Schottenhamel tent. For the following two weeks, over six million people attend the festival to pay patronage to beer tents. Beer tents are exactly what they sound like: Massive tents filled with tables, where attendees can settle down and get down to the business of beer. The tents open at 10 am on weekdays and 9 am on the weekends, and close at 11:30 pm. Tents only serve beer until 10:30 pm, although you may be passed out on the tent floor by then. If you remain conscious, just remember to bring cash only. Always tip the waitresses (usually a euro per beer), otherwise you might not get seconds. Or thirds. Most importantly, it is difficult to get into a tent without a reservation. One must make reservations directly through the landlord of each tent. Often, a reservation requires a minimum group of 6 to 8 people. If you do not have a reservation, arrive at the tents by 12 pm on weekdays or by 10 am on the weekends. For landlords’ contact information, go to www.oktoberfest.eu.
FOOD AND DRINK
Prepare for the Wurst
Carnivores look no further. Germany beckons your presence with a cornucopia of processed pork and meat, placed under the umbrella term wurst. Know how to deal with the wurst when venturing through restaurants and street vendors.
An Apple a Day
The other main food groups in Germany include bread, cheese, and alcohol. If you crave produce to balance your meals, head to the weekly Wochenmarkt. The Wochenmarkt opens one to two times a week in most towns and suburbs. Although slightly pricier than the grocery store, the market is always abundant with ripe, local harvest. When shopping at the grocery store, bring your own bag or money to buy them at checkout. Don’t look for a bagger either, since you must bag your own groceries.
We Love Our Bread, We Love Our Butter
Breakfast, or Fruhstuck, is typically consists of buttered bread with a topping of cheese, jam, or some variety of pork. Don’t look for hot pancakes or crispy hash-browns here; cooked breakfasts are rare in Germany.
Lunch, or Mittagessen, is the main meal, typically served between 12 and 2 pm. This one to three course meal starts with everyone proclaiming, “Guten Appetit.”
From 3 to 5 pm is afternoon teatime. Indulge in desserts like Black Forest cake, marble cake, firm pudding molds, or the infamous Berliners.
Dinner, or Abendessen, is from 6 to 8 pm. Dinner is ordinarily another carb loaded meal, featuring buttered bread topped with deli meat. At this point, it may be time to consider the Atkins diet.
Shots, Shots, Shots, Everybody
Yes, it is true that Germany is second in the world for beer consumption. But, you will not be zealously chugging from Das Boot every time yo enter a bar. Normally, Kleines Bier is a quarter-liter of beer while Grosses Bier is a half-liter. In Bavaria, many places serve a mass of beer, which equals one liter.
Germans might be famous for their over 1200 breweries, but there are also plenty of other spirits available. Many Germans enjoy a shot of Schnapps, called Korn, with their beer. If you are looking to cut back on sugar, steer clear of liqueurs, which (by law) must contain 100 grams of sugar per liter.
GREECE
athens
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ARTS AND CULTURE
SHOPPING
ESSENTIALS
mykonos
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ESSENTIALS
delos
SIGHTS
ESSENTIALS
batsi
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ESSENTIALS
naxos
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ESSENTIALS
ios
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
BEACHES
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ARTS AND CULTURE
ESSENTIALS
santorini
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
BEACHES
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
ESSENTIALS
milos
ORIENTATION
ACCOMMODATIONS
SIGHTS
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
FOOD
NIGHTLIFE
BEACHES
ESSENTIALS
essentials
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
MONEY
SAFETY AND HEALTH
SPECIFIC CONCERNS
greece 101
CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE
FOOD AND DRINK
In any history or philosophy class, chances are Athens came up more than a few times. Democracy, theater, and the foundations of Western thought all began in this beautiful polis. Socrates, Plato, and Herodotus called this city home, and architectural wonders like the Parthenon, Dionysus’s Theater, and the Ancient Agora still stand after thousands of years. By all accounts, Athens is a city for the ages. However, even today life goes on in this capital. Athens’ modern age has its own angsty populace, financial burdens, nightlife, and transit system. Though much of what is worth seeing in Athens is from thousands of years ago, getting to the ancient ruins requires navigating through a city of winding streets and tons of people living daily life—drink some ouzo and munch on souvlaki while you take it all in. The Cyclades in the Greek isles are storied sites of ancient marauders, Greek gods, and modern fishing enclaves that have embraced tourism who
leheartedly.
greatest hits
• ACROPOLIS MUSEUM: You’ll probably be disappointed by some of the ruins in Athens (understandable, since they’ve been around for almost 3000 years), but this museum has the best of the best—don’t miss it ( ACROPOLIS MUSEUM).
• BUST OUT YOUR HIKING BOOTS: Hike up the hill on the uninhabited island of Delos to see all of the excavated sites of this UNESCO World Heritage Site ( HIKE UP THE HILL).