Following the Equator

Friday Fun Fact: 2009 anniversaries

Happy New Year!

The year 2009 includes several major anniversaries, including the 10th anniversary of the euro, the 250th anniversary of Kew Gardens in London and the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII taking the throne as King of England.

Most notably, though, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Germany is planning events throughout the year, but the main celebration will be the "Festival of Freedom" at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on November 7-9, culminating with a multimedia re-creation of the wall crashing down.

For other major events around the world this year, check out this roundup from the Times Online.

Photo: gavinandrewstewart via Flickr

Europeans and authenticity

A few weeks back, I wrote triumphantly about my 9-foot Christmas tree. I didn't get into the guilt I felt over the fact that the tree was artificial—i.e., not authentic ("That's another post," I thought at the time—voilà). The Europeans I lived among in my time abroad would have taken one look at that plastic monstrosity and been mortified. In fact, a visiting European friend had just that reaction.

Europe specializes in authentic, as I discovered during my eight years there. Household coffee is made in old-fashioned stove-top Bialetti contraptions; no plugs to plug in or clocks to set. A Coca-Cola ordered at a table comes in a glass bottle, not in a plastic bottle, or from a syrup/water mix sprayed into a paper cup. Shoppers crowd outdoor streets lined with centuries-old storefronts, rather than admittedly spectacular but inescapably faux enclosed shopping malls. Building materials used on homes are still primarily stone, brick and mortar, wood and slate; vinyl siding has thankfully yet to become popular.

Mom and Pop have run off to Europe

Europeans can take old-world charm and quaintness a bit too far sometimes. Little mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall hardware stores come to mind. There are still lots of them.

The size of these places really only allows you unhindered access to the few items arranged in front of the counter. Anything and everything else is in a labyrinth of stocked shelves behind the counter. Standing between you and the desired item is your ability to effectively describe it to the counter attendant—try asking for a washer without knowing the word for washer in the local language; I have. He or she will then disappear to fetch an item that may or may not be a washer, and certainly not a washer on the first attempt.

Photo of the Week: View from Neuschwanstein

We've seen lots of photos of Neuschwanstein, the picturesque castle in Bavaria, Germany. But we haven't seen too many photos from Neuschwanstein.

I like this one from soccercoachgriffin, who submitted it to the EF Tours group on Flickr. The surrounding trees beautifully frame the view to the bridge in the distance.

If you have a shot for Photo of the Week, add your travel photos to the EF pool on Flickr. We select a new one every Thursday.

Photo: soccercoachgriffin via Flickr

Friday Fun Fact: German states

The federal states of Germany are popularly referred to as the Bundesländer, although that is technically incorrect. The German constitution, the Grundgesetz, refers to individual states as Länder, which literally means "countries."

There are 16 German states, including the three city-states of Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg. The other area states are Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.

By the way, today is the Day of Germany Unity, Germany's lone national holiday commemorating the reunification of Germany, which occurred October 3, 1990.

Photo: Julius! via Flickr

The Spain Train to Boston

I've lived in Spain for the past two years, and I'm about to move back home to the United States. I'll be leaving behind the sun-baked terracotta roof over my head, and in exchange, I'll get snow-dusted asphalt shingles. 

I'll be leaving behind the local southern Spain accent (drops "s" wherever possible), and in exchange, I'll get Bostonian (drops "r" wherever possible).

I'll leave behind olive oil, and in exchange, I'll get … well, thankfully I'll still get olive oil.  My wife, who is Spanish, would likely cook with motor oil before accepting a can of Pam cooking spray.

But there's one thing I'll be leaving behind that may surprise you: some of the sleekest high-speed trains in the world. And in exchange I'll get this.

Transatlantic Time Travel: 2007

This is the final edition in the Transatlantic Time Travel series.

Last week, in Transatlantic Time Travel: 1994, I wrote about my perspective as an 18-year-old student on tour and in Europe for the first time.

In 2007, I was on tour in Europe again—as a 31-year-old EF Tour Director. Below is my perspective 13 years on from my first landing.

Friday Fun Fact: Statue of Victoria

The Statue of Victoria, which sits atop Berlin's Victory Column (Siegessäule), was inspired by a trio of prominent Prussian military victories that led to the unification of Germany.

The bronze statue is nicknamed Goldelse, or "Golden Lizzy," and was featured in U2's music video for "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"

The Victory Column itself was the site of Barack Obama's speech in Berlin last week.

Photo: anders.rasmussen via Flickr

Friday Fun Fact: Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle, the famed Bavarian castle near Hohenschwangau, is the most  photographed building in Germany even though public photography is not permitted inside the castle.

The castle was built by King Ludwig II, who was known for his eccentricities. He was sometimes referred to as der Märchenkönig ("the fairy-tale king"), which is quite appropriate considering that Neuschwanstein served as the inspiration for several Disney castles—including the Cinderella Castle at Disney World in Florida and the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California.

Photo: storem via Flickr

Friday Fun Fact: European density

Photo: Brapke via Flickr

With a population of 82 million, Germany has more people than any other European Union nation. Not a shabby total by any means—that's roughly the equivalent of a quarter of the U.S. population. And yet, area-wise, Germany is only a little bit bigger than New Mexico and a little smaller than Montana.

No Big Sky here: Germany has 596 people per square mile, compared with 80 in the United States and just eight in Canada. And that only earns Germany the 56th spot on the list of most densely populated countries, and sixth among European countries (Gibraltar, Malta, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom are, so to speak, denser).

The place on earth with least space between you and your neighbor? Macau (Special Administrative Region of China) with more than 40,000 people per square mile.