Leah is an avid solo traveller
from Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria in Australia. She loves
architecture and street art and went on a three week long trip to Germany this
summer. She can confirm that they do eat a lot of sausages and cabbage and
drink beer everywhere in this country. She noticed that each region has its own
speciality sausage and way of preparing the cabbage, and she found herself
ordering it over and over to compare which is best. Follow Leah's adventures on Instagram.
Leah’s Germany trip makes
her the ideal candidate for the What’s happening in Europe – Eyewitness Series. It is important to me that all
publications are the full version of each eyewitness’s own feelings and
observations. And here Leah tells us how it feels to travel in Europe these
days.
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I've recently returned from a three week trip to Germany, and have definitely marked it as a country I wish to revisit and spend more time exploring.
When I told friends and family
I'd booked a trip there - the reactions I received were 50/50. Some comments
were very positive “it seems like a great country” and “you'll have a fantastic
time,” whilst others were more interesting, “what made you book there, is it
safe to travel to Germany?” and “there are lots of refugees there- be careful,
there could be more terrorist attacks, like the Christmas Market attack in
Berlin”. My response to the latter comments was that something unpleasant could
just as likely happen in Melbourne, Australia where I live, and that I'd remain
alert to my surrounds - which I have always done as a female traveling solo.
I myself was purely excited to be
going to Europe, to see Germany, its countryside and its architecture, and was
happy to reserve my own judgement until after I'd been. I arrived into Berlin,
which was such a surprise, and so much greener than I had imagined. Tree lined
streets and great swathes of parkland to the West of town where I was staying.
I spent three days exploring on my own, caught numerous U-Bahn trains back and
forth across town, and to be honest, never felt unsafe, although I was
conscious of keeping my bag secure around busy areas such as Zoo Station. I
never gave much consideration to the ‘refugee issue’ - as I honestly didn't
notice any people who ‘stood out’ in Berlin, and instead spent most of my time
there marvelling at the architecture around Museum Island, and trying to
comprehend the Berlin Wall, and how it managed to stand until 1989.
From Berlin, I did a ten day
guided tour, through Dresden, Rothenburg, Nuremberg, to Munich. Out to
Hohenschwangau to see the beautiful Bavarian countryside and the fairytale
Neuschwanstein Castle, and also to Dachau concentration camp, to reflect on the
atrocities of the past. From there, we continued across the Black Forest and
Titisee, then up to Heidelberg and Mainz, the Rhine River Valley, and finishing
the tour in Frankfurt.
Munich was the first city that I
really noticed immigrants or refugees- in that I saw a few small groups of
women wearing burkas and hijab’s in the very crowded Marienplatz. Considering
the crowds there - the Marienplatz was by no means over-run by them, although
their choice of dress did make them stand out in the multitudes. After my tour
ended, I spent just over a week in Cologne, where once again, I noticed the
occasional immigrant in my wandering, but no more what I'd see in my own
hometown of Melbourne.
People may ponder Angela Merkel’s
decision to open the German borders to refugees in 2015 during the height of
the Syrian refugee crisis, but I think the country has done well to absorb
them. I never got the impression that it was being overrun by immigrants. I got
the sense that most German people are conscious of the atrocities committed
during WW2, and as a result are now very accepting and tolerant of those who
might not look or dress the same, and to give them a fair go. This does not
make them tolerant of terrorism, just willing to accept and judge people by
each one's action, rather than by stereotypes. And this makes Germany a great
place to visit.
If you’ve considered a trip to
Germany but were unsure, my advice is to not hesitate, go! It isn't overrun
with immigrants, and I, as a solo female traveller did not feel unsafe there.
Sure, you should be aware of what's going on around you, especially in crowded
areas, but that can be said of anywhere in the world.
Did I mention that everyone
speaks English? Which makes it super-easy for non-German speaking people,
although I think it's respectful to try and learn at least a few simple words
of greeting, please and thank you etc. before you go. And most of all, if you
do go, have fun and enjoy! It's a wonderful country to visit!
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More eyewitness’s experiences
More about Europe
I wrote this at the end of
last year. Travel: This is the truth and nothing else. For more about
Europe please also read Travel France. Strasbourg off the beaten track. The European
Quarter - the Spirit of Europe. Follow me on Instagram to see my recent and
ongoing European adventures.
From Berlin with
love