photo credit: m.prinke

So you want to tell your foreign visitor something about German traditions at Christmas time.  How would you explalin what a ‘Weihnachtspyramide’ is?  Deutsche Welle can help you …

photo credit: imcountingufoz

I’m not a beer drinker myself, but this illustrated history of English beer taught me a lot of interesting facts.  For example, beer was considered far safer to drink than dirty water in the Middle Ages and from the early 18th century, its main rival was gin, would you believe!

Hops became a vital ingredient in the brewing of beer and were mainly grown in Kent and dried in oast houses (barns with round or square towers).  I stayed in one overnight some years ago.  That was quite an experience.

photo credit: rubu74

Do you want to read about the history of the Oktoberfest in Germany?  Or learn what to expect at the Oktoberfest in Munich?    Did you know that you shouldn’t eat your Weisswurst with a knife and fork, but with your fingers?   So you might need this guide for non-Bavarians.  It’s a must-read before you make your way to the beer tents to enjoy German Gemuetlichkeit  …  Oh, and if you are not sure what to wear, get some ideas here!