Planning a Trip to Nordrhein-Westfalen Region

I was in Köln during carneval time, it was great and funny :). The best thing is Köln´s cathedral!!!

Best time to visit is definitely in October around the 18th.
Around that time Bocholter Kirmes takes place. It's sort of a fair which takes over the entire town, with rides, food and drink stands and music tents.
This year it's held from17.10. to 20.10.2008.

Wednesday night is the best time to hit the old town part of the city.

Be respectful at the Holocaust Memorial Park in Berlin. This sounds obvious...however, most people don't even realize what the park is. Most just see the acres of 2,700-something concrete blocks, which are great for climbing and photo opportunities. Each pillar block represents the lives of the 10-million dead from the Holocaust, so climbing, even innocently, can be seen as rude.

when looking for a nice italian icecream....go to Wolbeckerstrasse "Ice Cafe Grava"

ok, for every sane individual who finds themselves in Dusseldorf, there's 4 or 5 newbies who end up blowing all their wages in one night. Believe me, I know... my advise - try not to be too drunk till you get a feel for the place. Like any large city, keep your friends close and your enemies closer... if you do however find yourself in some crap, "Stop, Drop n Roll" seems to work best. If you still get covered in lava, it's god's way of sayin "You really shouldn't have gone to Germany..."

Dont go drinking with british soldiers

In Koln we discovered that the shops close at 14:00 on Christmas Eve so don't be caught out without having finished your Christmas Shopping in time!

Take your umbrella with you! It's a rainy city.