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meininki
20 Apr 2006, 01:19 PM
German magazine Der Spiegel (http://www.spiegel.de/)is putting together a Germany Survival Guide (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,411291,00.html) for the World Cup. Some of the articles are rather informative, some merely entertaining.
Either way, I highly recommend it. Here's a little selection. :D

Beer, Brewskies and Liquid Bread (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,406529,00.html)

The Gummy Bear Obsession (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,407043,00.html)

Visa Won't Get you Far at the World Cup (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408249,00.html)

Forget the "Mett", Try a "Frikadelle" (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408475,00.html)

An Introduction to Germany's Real Fast Food Joints (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,409007,00.html)

No Blood, No Entschuldigung (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,406544,00.html)

Stay Off the Bike Path! (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,406543,00.html)

Who Says Germans Aren't Funny? (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408450,00.html)
bltleo
20 Apr 2006, 01:32 PM
the best way to enjoy world cup is to have a fun, to find new german friends.
I think if you spend time with german friends, you will know much more about Germany and us Germans than only from travelling books, internet-websites etc.

Just find a german friend.

They will surely help you

Have some drinks with german friends. It does not matter you speak different language.

bltleo
GERMANY
QuakesPaPa
20 Apr 2006, 06:46 PM
the best way to enjoy world cup is to have a fun, to find new german friends.
I think if you spend time with german friends, you will know much more about Germany and us Germans than only from travelling books, internet-websites etc.

Just find a german friend.

They will surely help you

Have some drinks with german friends. It does not matter you speak different language.

bltleo
GERMANY

I found that to be very true when I visited Germany a few years back. BTW, is it still true that many German resturaunts and other business don't accept MC and VISA?
justscore
20 Apr 2006, 06:54 PM
Speaking of MC..............we found out the hard way that our MC charges extra for all items charged in Euros. Kinda SUX! Check out your CC company to see if it applies to you!

Good ques about who/what takes MC or Visa!
roadkit
20 Apr 2006, 08:28 PM
Risk of waking up in a ditch with a massive headache: High

Classic. :D
Alex_K
21 Apr 2006, 06:25 AM
[/URL]

[URL="http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408475,00.html"]Forget the "Mett", Try a "Frikadelle" (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408249,00.html)



This guy has obviously no idea what he's talking about. This can be seen especially in his description of a Currywurst, as he talks about the blasphemous, bastardizied version they eat in some of the less sophisticated parts of the country. A Bratwurst with bread? That ain't no Currywurst, ffs. And it's Bulette. Boulette is for wanna-be French Berliners, and calling it Frikadelle is for suckers anyway. I have eaten Mett that was at least a week old and I'm still alive. General rule: if it hasn't turned green yet, you'll be fine. Ignoring some further misspelling in the article I'll end this post by mentioning that a Frankfurter is actually a Wiener and you shouldn't make the mistake of pronouncing Pommes Frites correctly. It's best to just call it Fritten anyway. [/rant]
Alex_K
21 Apr 2006, 06:34 AM
[/URL]

[URL="http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,408450,00.html"]Who Says Germans Aren't Funny? (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,406543,00.html)

Bernd das Brot ********ing rules.
AGF Aarhus
21 Apr 2006, 06:45 AM
Speaking of MC..............we found out the hard way that our MC charges extra for all items charged in Euros. Kinda SUX! Check out your CC company to see if it applies to you!

Good ques about who/what takes MC or Visa!
Most banks issuing credit cards (it has nothing to do with it being a Visa or Master Card or anything else. It's your bank that sets the conditions) now charge for foreign currency purcahses. I pay 1%, which considering the great exchange rate you get, is still much better than any other option of payment.

For the other question, though, yes, a lot of restaurants and stores, and virtually all bars, still do not accept credit cards. It's pretty annoying sometimes.
bltleo
21 Apr 2006, 09:37 AM
Most banks issuing credit cards (it has nothing to do with it being a Visa or Master Card or anything else. It's your bank that sets the conditions) now charge for foreign currency purcahses. I pay 1%, which considering the great exchange rate you get, is still much better than any other option of payment.

For the other question, though, yes, a lot of restaurants and stores, and virtually all bars, still do not accept credit cards. It's pretty annoying sometimes.

well in good restaraunts you can pay with Visa or MC...in restaraunts that
are famous for tourists and restaraunts with good names accept credit cards of course.

but i agree with AGF in lot of restaraunts and bars you can not pay with credit cards. So anyone should have always money with, not just credit card.
IASocFan
21 Apr 2006, 09:41 AM
DEBIT CARDS are great. There are ATMs all over the place, and the usual conversion cost is minimal. Probably better than the $2 or $2.50 that some banks charge here.
AGF Aarhus
21 Apr 2006, 09:49 AM
DEBIT CARDS are great. There are ATMs all over the place, and the usual conversion cost is minimal. Probably better than the $2 or $2.50 that some banks charge here.
You pay a converstion fee (comparable to what you pay for using your credit card, 1% is hardly a massive charge) AND the bank ATM fees that both the bank that owns the machine AND your home bank normally charge, so it does actually end up being a little more expensive than using a credit card. But yes, after using a credit card, ATM withdrawls are the best way to go.

Converting cash or traveller's checks is like burning money.
nowherenova
21 Apr 2006, 09:49 AM
DEBIT CARDS are great. There are ATMs all over the place, and the usual conversion cost is minimal. Probably better than the $2 or $2.50 that some banks charge here.

What he said.:cool:
AGF Aarhus
21 Apr 2006, 09:53 AM
well in good restaraunts you can pay with Visa or MC...in restaraunts that
are famous for tourists and restaraunts with good names accept credit cards of course.
A minor difference, but expensive, not necessarily good, restaurants always take credit cards.

I would argue that most restaurants that are famous for tourists are not actually very good, and that many restaurants that are very good are not famous for tourists, and do not take credit cards.
bltleo
21 Apr 2006, 09:59 AM
A minor difference, but expensive, not necessarily good, restaurants always take credit cards.

I would argue that most restaurants that are famous for tourists are not actually very good, and that many restaurants that are very good are not famous for tourists, and do not take credit cards.

yes thatīs true....but many Americans usually buy their travelling books and read recommendation about best restaraunts...but mostly in these books are only restaraunts for tourists....but the best restaraunts are really not the restaraunts that are for tourists...I agree on this with you...for example in Cologne I never go out in Old Town, but in other parts of city to have great dinner....but I donīt know why but many Americans still rely on their travellings books:)...when I visit foreign country and have friends there, I try to go out with them...if i donīt have friends there, I "risk" and go to restaraunts that looks good (but I donīt rely only on travelling books)

of course expansive restaraunts are not necessarily good...

very good point from you!
Magpie Maniac
21 Apr 2006, 10:23 AM
You pay a converstion fee (comparable to what you pay for using your credit card, 1% is hardly a massive charge) AND the bank ATM fees that both the bank that owns the machine AND your home bank normally charge, so it does actually end up being a little more expensive than using a credit card. But yes, after using a credit card, ATM withdrawls are the best way to go.

Converting cash or traveller's checks is like burning money.

Helpful hint to Yanks in Germany: Check to see if your bank has a reciprocal ATM agreement with a German bank.

For those of us who are Bank of America customers, we can use Deutsche Bank ATMs for no fees. The conversion rate is pretty competitive.
F96
21 Apr 2006, 11:41 AM
General rule: if it hasn't turned green yet, you'll be fine.

Ahaha. Classic! :D
bltleo
21 Apr 2006, 01:07 PM
Helpful hint to Yanks in Germany: Check to see if your bank has a reciprocal ATM agreement with a German bank.

For those of us who are Bank of America customers, we can use Deutsche Bank ATMs for no fees. The conversion rate is pretty competitive.


yes Bank of America is accepted by Deutche Bank...as a customer of Deutsche bank I know it:)
meininki
21 Apr 2006, 06:49 PM
you shouldn't make the mistake of pronouncing Pommes Frites correctly. It's best to just call it Fritten anyway. [/rant]

That depends on the region though. Where I come from, we just say Pommes (Pom-Mess), nobody says Fritten... ;)
Alex_K
22 Apr 2006, 02:52 AM
We call them Pommes here as well - I still say Fritten :D.