Reader Travel Tales

My husband and I visited Berlin in August 2006. It's really a great city to stay in. The people are very polite and helpful. We do not speak German, but everybody always tried to help us and I think this is really important when you are in a place where you don't know the language. We stayed for only three days but we intend to be back soon and stay longer. - Aurelia Cofré, Curitiba, Brazil

I went to Germany to visit the in-laws in the Siegen area in September of 2006. I had one heck of a time getting dollars changed to euros! I couldn't even find a bank in Dresden that would do it. Next time I go, I'll get more money changed at the airport before ever stepping on the plane. Thank goodness I had the sense to change $200 dollars for euros in Denver. If my niece Andrea hadn't had a friend at the local branch bank in Wilgersdorf who changed another couple hundred dollars for me as a favor to Andrea, I'd really have been in a pickle. - Laurie Kunze

Editor's tip: Getting cash straight from the ATM always has the best exchange rate, even if you have to pay a small fee.

I have visited Germany eight times and will soon make my ninth visit. I usually stay three weeks at a time, and cram as much sightseeing in as possible. I can't say which are my favorite places, because I love the whole country. I suppose my favorites would be any of the smaller villages and cities. I've been from Düsseldorf to Bavaria and everywhere in between. - Peggy Carter Adams

Once you visit Germany, you want to return again and again. I could go on and on about what I enjoy about Germany. Beginning with the delicious food, especially the breakfast, Spätzle, Nürnberger sausage, the high quality of draught beer, the Autobahn and excellent driving etiquette, polite and courteous people, beer gardens, the Black Forest, Bavaria, the history in Berlin, and lots more. I can't wait to return to Germany! - Scott M.

My pregnant wife, my daughter, my niece, her friend and I rented a home in Birkenhordt (Rheinland-Pfalz) for a week. We entered the home, laid the keys down on a table in the entranceway and began to look around. All of the ladies decided to go out into the backyard and I went out front to begin to bring in the luggage. The doors closed behind us and we didn't realize that they locked automatically. Five minutes after getting to the house, we were locked out. We then spent the next one half hour trying to explain to the older gentleman from whom we had gotten the first set of keys that the Americans had quickly locked themselves out of their own home and needed another key to get in. Despite this early setback, we all had a great time in Germany. - Woody