What to expect from a trip to Germany and Austria?
- Grupo de Folclore Germânico Immer Lustig - GFGIL
- 25 de abr. de 2019
- 5 min de leitura
With great pleasure we publish the travel account of our member Frederico Grohe Schirmer. Read in this note the brief stories of places that Fred visited in February of this year;)!
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Travel report
To travel is to live an immensity of sensations, experiences and emotions.
In February of this year, 2019, I had the opportunity to travel for the first time to Europe, with Germany and Austria as a destination. In particular, I think the journey begins when you decide what your destination will be, when you begin to read about the places, talk to people who have been there, and can help us make a legal road map.
In this sense, I was fortunate enough to meet in GFGIL Thomas and Mireli, who already knew Germany and gave me many legal tips, which helped me a lot in choosing my script.
I decided to start my adventure on European soil through the German capital, Berlin. Soon after landing I had the first challenge, my luggage had been lost. The airline sent my backpack to Paris. I have a basic knowledge of the German language, but after some time and with the help of a German family who also had the baggage lost, I was able to explain in the responsible sector of Tegel airport my situation. I point out that the KLM airline was always in touch with me through Messenger and the next morning my backpack had already been delivered to the Hostel in Berlin where I was staying.
Usually the big cities in Europe have a card for tourists, they are valid for 24, 48, 72hs up to 6 days, give right to use public transport during that period and discounts on the sights, it is worth it.
Around Berlim
In Berlin I started my tour of the city center, getting to know the museum island. Next to the museum island is the Berliner Dom, Berlin's cathedral, it is the most beautiful church I have ever met, the internal architecture of it is of a wealth of impressive detail, it is possible to climb up to the dome and underground are the crypts where they were buried all members of the royal family of the German Empire.
The Fernsehturm (TV tower) is one of the most visited tourist spots in the German capital, it rises above 200 meters of altitude by one of the fastest elevators in the world and from there is a 360º view of the city.
Berlin was one of the most bombed cities during World War II, you can see marks of shots on the walls of your buildings. The Memorial of the Wall has in its collection a rich history of the whole period when the wall was erected dividing Berlin into two cities, it is possible to see photos, stories and reports of the people, besides having a part of the wall that was not overthrown.
I think the place I liked to meet in Berlin was the Museum für Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History), when you enter the building the first room you have access to is the dinosaur world room, come across the skeleton of a Brachiosaurus brancai of 13.27m mounted.
Other sights visited in the German capital were: Reichstag, Brandenburger Tor, Holocaust Memorial, Alexanderplatz, Tiergarten, Siegessäule, Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, Olympiastadion and the city of Potsdam.
In Austria
Leaving Berlin, I went to the capital of Austria, Vienna, a beautiful city, besides being considered the safest capital in the world.
The main sights of the city are the Palaces of Schönbrunn, Hofburg and Belvedere, where various items (porcelain, paintings, clothes, silverware etc) that belonged to the Austrian Imperial family are exhibited, including the ascendant family of the Imperial Brazilian family.
In the square opposite the Rathaus (city hall) was a large structure known as "Wiener Eistraum", or "Vienna dream ice". During the winter this event takes place, where several stalls with food and drinks are placed, but the main attraction is the ice skating rink. Yes, I took the risk and it falls. But it's a lot of fun.
Vienna is also known for its concerts, there are several options, I had the opportunity to go to one where they played Mozart and Strauss songs, I recommend.
From Vienna I went to Salzburg, a town that is in the Austrian Alps region and is known for being the birthplace of Mozart, and where it was filmed "The Rebellious Novitiate". I visited the house where Mozart was born, where today a museum dedicated to him works. But the coolest ride in Salzburg was climbing up to the top of the Untersberg mountain, my first contact with snow, and the view from above the Alps is incredible, where one can observe the snow-capped mountains.
In Munich Area
I returned to Germany, this time to the south, Munich. Here I was met by Denis, Lisi and Claudia, incredible people I met at the Porto Alegre meeting of Tanz Mit On. The first night they took me to Tanzboden at the Hofbräuhaus, Munich's best known brewery. Tanzboden is an event that occurs a few times during the year, which is a typical German dance, where a dance teacher teaches some folk dances and a band plays live music. Staff crowded the hall, all suitably dressed with their Lederhosens and Dirndls.
In Munich the main attractions I visited were the Rathaus, FrauenKirche, BMW Museum, Olympiapark (seat of the 1972 Olympics), Theresienwiese, Englisch Garten and the Residenz (huge palace with a large collection which was the official residence of King of Bavaria).
From Munich, I set out to do a slamming and return the same day to some nearby cities, such as Füssen, where Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau are located. Neuschwanstein is the most visited place in Germany and one of the most visited of all Europe. It is located in a beautiful region of mountains and was designed by King Ludwig II who built it to be only his, did not want the castle to be visited. Two weeks after his death, the castle was opened for visitation and now has more than 1.3 million annual visitors.
Another hit and turn I made was to the town of Garmisch-Partenkirche, a small town very close to the Austrian border where the highest point of Germany, the Zugspitze mountain, is located. The highest point is at 2992 meters of altitude and the ascent is through a cable car that has an incredible sight during the ascent. In winter there is a ski resort there and it is much visited by snow sports. The day I was there, the temperature at the top was -11ºc.
The cities of Munich, Füssen and Garmisch-Partenkirche are part of the roadmap of the Brazil-Germany cultural exchange that GFGIL is proposing to do. In these cities I found a number of costume shops, many varieties of Lederhosen and Dirndls, and anyone who is on the group trip and wants to bring a typical costume there will have a great opportunity for it, prices vary a lot, but by searching well you can find a costume with very attractive price.
Text by Frederico Grohe Schirmer
Edition Dener Hartmann da Silva
April 25, 2019.
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