First, there are the usual airline carriers. They are fast, safe, and reliable. But they are also pricey and may not always be an option. The second choice would be to go with a budget airline, but their reliability is often in question and in order to get the best deal you may have to fly on dates that do not cohere with your long anticipated travel plans. Fortunately, there are two other very good options to keep your plans afloat without sinking your wallet.

Trains

Fast, safe, and often less expensive than traditional airline carriers trains are how Europeans travel within Europe - and who better to learn from than Europeans themselves? Trains are a great option because not only do they provide an affordable way between almost all cities, but they run more frequently than planes and afford you the opportunity to see more of the countries you are visiting. In fact, an entire trip can revolve around a train trip. Perhaps you wish to retrace the path of the Orient Express. By train it's easy to get off at any stop and stay for a few hours, then hop on the next train to wherever you were going. Non-reserved tickets can be purchased for almost all trains giving the bearer an option of several months within which to travel. The flexibility and affordability are hard to beat!

So why chose anything other than trains for travel within Europe? Well, when trains are an option, you shouldn't! But sometimes towns are too small or too remote for train stations. In that case, take the bus!

Bus 

Often regarded as unsafe travel in Eastern European countries, busses - minibuses included - are safe ways to travel to areas where trains don't go. Busses are ultra affordable and occasionally good alternatives to trains when traveling on a really tight budget. Busses run very frequently and offer smooth traveling - most busses are well designed for comfort, even during extended trips. In fact, many conclude on the end of their bus journey that even Polish minibuses are superior to the Greyhound services available in the United States! The one drawback to busses is that bus drivers rarely speak English and stops are usually announced only in the native language so riding prepared is a must!

For great places to travel by train or bus within Europe check out this list of undiscovered travel destinations.

Whether by plane, train, or bus, happy travels!

Mainz Town Centre

Mainz has an up-to-date, glamorous shopping mall, including stores such as H&M. They have many food stalls, and worth mentioning are the popular Ditsch stalls, selling Pretzels and other hot foods.

Mainz also has many parts where old buildings from before the war are still standing. These are filled with boutiques, and restaurants, and there is a lovely romantic atmosphere to them.

The Rhine

The Rhine is the longest river in Europe, and stretches over 1320km. It's a very important landmark in Germany, and Mainz is situated right on it!

There are many castles situated along the bank of the Rhine, and they all have a unique history. Particularly noticeable is Stolzenfels Palace, near Koblenz.

• Loreley is a lump of slate 130m high, with a legend about a blond nymph who sat on top and lured sailors into the rocks with her siren song. It has beautiful surroundings, and it definitely photo-worthy.

Festivals

Throughout the year, over 40 festivals take place, making Mainz a brilliant centre of German culture.

Places to Visit

• The Gutenberg Museum includes a printed original of the Gutenberg Bible, a guided tour, a working model printing press, a film, an exhibition and a gift shop. It is brilliant for anybody, but is especially suited for groups.
• St. Stephens Church has stained glass windows by the renowned Marc Chagall. They are beautiful and very original, so if you're in Mainz, you should definitely take a look!

Mainz Carnival Museum is an exhibition that displays some of the remarkable and colorful history of Mainz. Like a carnival without the crowds, and will definitely color your stay!

I met a chatter whose name is Ulrich in my favourite chat channel. She was very sweet and charming girl. I spoke with her for fifteen minutes. I was stunned when she told me that she lived in small village called Fucking.For a sudden, I thought that she was joking with me. She was serious and insisted on living there. I opened my Google Earth map and searched for Fucking. She was right.There has been a village called Fucking for more than 1400 years.

Fucking: A small village in Austria

Fucking is a small village in Upper Austria. The exact location is 33 kilometers north of Salzburg and near German border. It is in the municipality of Tarsdorf.

It takes it's name from a traveller whose name is Focko. As far as I know, Focko is the name of a man who travelled this village in the 6th century. Fucking means “the place of Focko's people”.

The most surprising thing in Fucking is the traffic signs at the entrance and exit of the village. Most of the people seeing this sign stop there and take the photo of it. However, this sign has been stolen many times.

Fucking is rich in oxygen and fresh air since it is situated in the forest region. Due to it's natural beauty, it is one of the beautiful picnic areas of Tarsdorf. Even though it is a very small village and it's population is only 93, it is one of the well-known villages in Austria as a natural result of media interest.

Would you like to go Fucking and be one of the Fuckers? So, this is your guide.

Berlin also caters to each and every individual’s budget, from Designer clothing to cheaper markets and shops. Although there are hundreds of small businesses and shops located throughout Berlin, there are four main centers that provide the main retail essence of the city.

The Potsdamer Platz Arcades have been recently built at the heart of Berlin and offer a wide range of shopping needs. The Plaza contains around 120 shops that include; clothing, furniture, utensils, restaurants, wineries and many more. This Plaza has become famous for its wide range of Designer clothing with brands such as Eddie Bauer, H &M, Hallhuber, Mango, Zara and many more. When you’ve finished shopping, you can sit and relax at the many fountains spread throughout the center or sit down at one of the many restaurant areas for a meal with friends and family. Not only will you be able to search the three floored center for many great bargains, but you will also be able to see just how the ‘New Centre’ has developed and look at historical sites showing the history of the bombings that took place in the area.

Friedrichstrasse is perhaps the most beautiful and elegant of shopping centers within Berlin. It contains three sections that all incorporate into one fantastic and sublime center for the modern shopper. But be warned, these centers are for the upper end of the market, and with stores such as Gucci and Armani, it may be difficult to shop for cheaper items. Nonetheless, I suggest at least taking a look at the Plaza and enjoy the art deco atmosphere, which you can’t help but feel inspired by. The Shopping centre can be found between the two underground stations, Stadtmitte and Französische Strasse.

Kurfuerstendamm and Tauentzienstrasse are the two areas that have converged to become a ‘shopping mile’ within the Capital. This amazing stretch of shops creates the perfect family day out with goods for every member of the family. You can find an amazing diversity in styles and fashion as well as in price categories. It is in this area that the Europa centre can be found, and with it, a selection of over 100 shops to choose from. Rather than being specialised shops or large retail names, these shops focus on souvenirs and collectables with a diverse magnitude of children’s products. The famous KADEWE center can also be found here which provides a vibrant, and more importantly, tasty cuisine for all ages.

Hackescher Markt is the place to visit if you’re into the Café culture and shopping for less ‘mainstream’ products. The Market has been a developing site for new businesses and booming industries since the 50’s and is now home to the classic stalls and antique areas. The Market area is rife with Bohemian atmosphere and would appeal to the older; perhaps more intellectual person as its shopping market focuses on cultural fashion ranging from extraordinary shoes to fashion from young designers. Well known for its flair and diversity for casual items and jewellery, this area of Berlin is most certainly a place to visit. The market has its own train station so is easily accessible from all areas of central Berlin.

Other than these four main shopping areas of Berlin, you may wish to travel slightly away from the center of the city and explore other domains. In areas on the outer edge of the city, many second hand shops are located that provide very reasonable prices for a variety of clothing types. From young to old, these shops will have what you’re looking for in some shape or form.

One last area that I would advise to visit is that of Hackesche Höfe. Although this area is not as specialised for high commercial goods in Berlin, it does integrate a vibrant shopping atmosphere with many lively events during the later evening. This is a must see as there are many events that take place such as Carnivals and Market places.

The windshield of a car gives you the most revealing view of the city upon entering. It is like driving through an ocean of fog, suddenly clearing out to expose the sights of numerous church towers and the great river of the City of Hamburg. Distracted by the green meadows and the river shore, you totally seem to forget that you are in one of Germany's largest cities.

The first glimpse of urbanity I caught was the Four Seasons Hotel slowly emerging out of the horizon of the windshield. The white façade ornamented with several emblems and the traditional flags on the rooftop do not look very urban, for it reminds me rather of an old Gothic building.

Driving further down the busy street you will find yourself entering downtown, which keeps the most interesting landmark of the city. It is the “Alster” which is a great pool with a large fountain in the middle. That fountain always seems to be the loudest point of the city, because whenever an open-deck tourist boat comes along, you will see people screamingly rushing away from their seats in order not to get wet.

At that point Hamburg seemed to me like the little sister of Venice, with some channels here and there, the Alster and its smaller rivers, a couple of piazzas filled with people feeding doves and other birds. Actually everything seemed very Venetian except the romantic ambience and the people. Seeing people fighting in the middle of the streets or beggars urinating at a building does not really give you the romantic tingle.

Along the Alster is the shopping mile of Hamburg called the “Gaensemarkt,” which stretches throughout downtown. The buildings are old Victorian, yet remodeled, since nearly all parts of the city had to be rebuilt, to “fit in” the new millennium. Hamburg and her citizen were victims of the World War II bombings in 1945, destroying three fourths of the city and killing one third of Hamburg's population. The restoration period literally fused all ages together to help one another rebuilding the city. That's what I saw in the shopping mile, the fusion of the old buildings with the young fast food chains of Burger King or McDonalds. Downtown satisfies every consumer's heart from the expensive designer stores like Versace, Louis Vuitton, or Bulgari, to Calvin Klein, Diesel, or H&M. Squeezed in between all those stores you will see several cinemas and theater houses displaying the latest movies, and probably musicals and plays.

It is almost impossible to not to get distracted by the view of a large open space in the middle of the shopping mile. It is called the City-Hall market, because it is situated right in front of the City Hall of Hamburg. The City Hall itself reminds me of an old, small palace. It carries the crest of the city of Hamburg above its entrance. The market space itself displays monuments of two famous artists of Hamburg. One is a statue in memory of Thomas Mann, who was a writer and a poet. The other is a plaque on the ground honoring a famous composer; Felix Mendellsohn-Bartholdy.

As soon as you position yourself to the back of the City Hall, you will see several new clubs, playing R&B music all night long. Near dusk you would see the young fashionable people gather around such places and drink a few drops of liquor always within the reach of the policemen patrolling nearby. Old people would complain about how violent and rotten the youth is, which would always cause some “Fights of Generations” here and there. Those fights though are still more common in the harbor region, which is just several minutes by foot. This is the place where every sort of entertainment can be found, from the sultry red light district to the rave clubs and musical theatres of the city. With its blinding neon lights and blinking signs, the entertainment district invites its costumers, sometimes luring them into the unknown. Once inside a club you are very prone to dance away the night until you are not aware of time anymore, which you also do not need to be, since discos and clubs do not have a closing time in Hamburg City.

This part of the city is plastered with stands and kiosks selling Frankfurter Wurst and French fries, always surrounded by doves and seagulls picking up the leftovers. Another attraction Hamburg has to offer are her several casinos, inviting players from all parts of the city to join the big game. I was denied access to the big house of game. I didn't own an ID that said I was 18 years old.

No one who ever visited Hamburg said no to a walk along the pier and its great river called “the Elbe”. The pier was packed with luxurious ferries and old sail boats. There were a couple of little fisher boats trying to sell their fresh fish to whoever came along.

From the pier you have the best view over all the churches that are situated in the city. Hamburg is famous for its numerous churches, and of course its towers. From Gothic to Baroque, every style of architecture is present. St. Micheal, probably the most popular and the only church in the city known for its constant reconstruction, is a tall church and stands highly visible throughout Hamburg City. It has a green colored tower and a grey façade body. Upon entering you find yourself in a great hall with all the usual wooden seats, yet if you look at the ceiling, you will be able to see charming paintings of angels. Three organs manifest the sound in the St. Michael church. As mentioned earlier it has been rebuilt after it burned down, and was hit by a bomb in the Second World War. A five minute walk away is another church that is known as the St. Nikolai church. It is the black gothic church of Hamburg. It reminded me of a “villain-headquarter,” because it is sinister and dark. It is impassable, for its hazardous and vulnerable walls. It is said that several relics are displayed inside, yet no one I know has ever seen them. Hamburg has its numerous mysteries and the St. Nikolai church is definitely one of them. Aside from the mystery, Hamburg was sleek, elegant, chic, and yet mature. Everything seemed to be united; old and new, the latest fashion and “so-last-season,”

It was all there, everything in one place, all in one city. The fusion; the syncretism of Hamburg's different ages and ethnicities living together, was what showed me that we can live in harmony despite gaps and differences.

Next take the elevator in the concrete wall just round the corner from the cinema (where incidentally for whatever reason Marburg get premiers of not yet released films, the bigger of which are shown in English.) This lift takes you into the old town, where you can eat Auflauf to your heart content and when the Christmas Markets arrive, between November and Christmas indulge in as much Gluehwein as possible while you wait for the cockerel to spring out of the Town Hall every hour - this gets more exciting as the day wears on until you find yourself racing from Pegasus or the cellar pub in the Marketplace to witness it yet again!

The Gluehwein and cinnamon biscuits can also be found at the Church near Christmas and are definitely worth trying and will warm you up after you have inevitably been pelted with snowballs by the local children.

In summer time, give the water park near the Youth Hostel a try - with a number of slides and an outdoor plunge pool, this will keep many a student tourist occupied.

The Brauhaus restaurant is excellent for traditional German fayre - give the Spaetzle (a Southern pasta/dumplingesque dish) a try. Also try the numerous bistro-style restaurants around the marketplace or Henry's behind the cinema for happy hour cocktails and good food on Wednesday evenings. The Chinese restaurant by the station, previously called Phuket, and the Indian on Universitaetstrasse are also worth a try if you don't fancy something different.

The shops and supermarkets as in most small German towns seem to have been slightly left behind, however Ahrens is worth a look (if only for the delicious deserts you can get on the top floor!)

Malaysia

Like other parts of the world, Malaysia too, celebrates the New Year's Day with great excitement and joyful. Malaysians prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve with much merry-making at public squares like Dataran Merdeka, hotels and restaurants. Though Malaysia is a multi-racial country with races includes Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Eurasians, Portuguese, indigenous people and other minority races, we are here celebrated the New Year's celebration in harmonious and tranquility, regardless of religions, customs, languages and races. This unity spirit marks the strong unity among the citizens of Malaysians without bios and racism, which highlights the beauty of Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysians gather one hour earlier at the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. Dataran Merdeka is just like the Times Square of New York. Almost all the restaurants and shops have their premises decorated with colorful bulbs, balloons and steamers. The Malaysian flag or “Jalur Gemilang” and the state's flags are swinging gracefully on top of the premises. People prefer to come out in the streets and stay until daybreak to cheer for the arrival of New Year rather than sit in front of the television, as they want to capture the full excitement moment in the mood of New Year's celebration. People will gather at stadiums, coffee shops, café, restaurants, KLCC, Genting Highlands and all parts of states in Malaysia shouting Happy New Year or “Selamat Tahun Baru” to each other when the clock strikes 12 at midnight.

The unique of Malaysians here are unity and family oriented. A day before the New Year in Malaysia, all family members from far of places return to their hometowns for the reunion dinners. We are proud to be Malaysians!

China

In the early morning on January 1, 2008, the Beijing Tiananmen held a grand flag-raising ceremony.

Flag-raising ceremony in China

People from all parts of China gathered here to watch the ceremony while greeting the arrival of 2008.

A child was sitting on the adult's shoulder while watching the flag-raising ceremony.

Japan

Every year on 1 January, Japanese celebrate their New Year or also known as Oshiogatsu or shogatsu. In general, the New Year in Japan commences on 31 December and lasts until 3 January. On every 31 December at the midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells for 108 times on the last night of the passing year all over Japan. This event is also another major attraction called The Watched night bell held every year in Tokyo during the New Year's Day. The night bell is stricken 108 times symbolizes the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief and get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese nation. Japanese believe that the tolling of the bells can get rid off their sins of the previous year.

Dezomenshiki in Japan

In Tokyo, the capital of Japan, people bid farewell to the past year and welcome the New Year by undertaking some activities such as Dezomeshiki (New Year's parade of firefighters. Traditional acrobatic stunts are performed by the firefighters of Tokyo in the parade during the New Year's Day in Tokyo) and Special Opening of the Imperial Palace Grounds.

Tokyo, Japan

Japanese eat Herring roe or fish egg (symbolizing fertility), black beans (symbolizing health), dried chestnuts (symbolizing success) and prawns as omens (symbolizing happiness) on the mood of celebrating the arrival of New Year. They also have their traditional mouthwatering delicacies called mochi or white rice cake breakfast called zouni.

Before the New Year's day, they sent cards to their relatives and friends but the postmen will keep them and only deliver the New Year's greeting cards or nengajo at one time on 1 January. All Japanese put on beautiful and finely knitted Japanese traditional costumes to greet their guests. Females will wear Kimono or Yugata on this day.

Japanese children play karuta or a card game, some play hanetsuki or a badminton type of game, and some have takoage or kite flying during New Year's Day. Parents give their children money or otoshidama on New Year's Day. In Japan, Japanese will do hatsu-mode by paying holly visits to Shinto temples and shrines to pray for a healthy and Happy New Year. They put decorations outside their house with pine and bamboo or Kado-matsu to celebrate New Year. They display a large steamed rice cake or Kagami-mochi in a place of importance in the house until 11 January.

South Korea

On 1 January, Korean people rush to sunrise sites in the eastern Gangwon Province and Southern city of Busan (the largest port city in the South Korea) to see the first sunrise of the New Year. Some gather at the east coast cities of Gangneung and Donghae to make wishes as the sun rose on the New Year. Korean Folk Village features at hosting some traditional games and events all over the Korea on New Year's Day. The festival mood of New Year's Eve Celebration includes a series of Korean cultural performances in central Seoul.

Watching sunrise in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

On New Year's Eve, more than 150-thousand Korean people gather in Jongno district to witness the striking of an old temple bell at the Bosingak (Bonshingak, made in 1468,is the largest pavilion among the Korea's national treasures) pavilion. The bell rings 33 times to greet the coming of New Year. As the festive mood in Korea mounted, Korean people attend a variety of ceremonies and events, including parades, fireworks and traditional cultural performances till the end of the New Year's Day on 1 January every year.

United States of America

One of the unique and unusual New Year's celebrations in United States is the Mummer's Parade (This custom is brought to Philadephia by European settlers and dates back to medieval England, where troupes of costumed performers went house from house presenting a folk drama or Mummer's play at Christmas time. “Mummer” in German refers to a mask. The earliest known Mummer's club was formed in the 1840s and the first official "Mummer's Parade" was held in Philadelphia in 1901) held in Philadelphia on 1 January every year. This parade features at elaborating costumes with ornate costumes that rival those in Mardi Gras parades, comedy and string bands of accordions, saxes, drums, violins, banjos, bass fiddles, glockenspiels, and clarinets. A slide show of the parade is available from Mummer's museum while its photographs are available from Mummer's Picture Gallery.

New York Times Square, U.S.A

The New Year's celebration at Time Square, New York was the ball drop, and its streaming video clips are available at EarthCam.com. The first Ball lowering celebration held on headquarters in Times Square, New York on December 31, 1907 and has proceeded for the past 100 years.

The Waterford Ball is a geodesic sphere with six feet in diameter, and weighing approximately 1,070 pounds. During the New Year at Time Square, New York every year, people there lower the ball. There are 504 Waterford crystal triangles engraved with the names of those lost in the World Trade Center on the ball, with the decoration of 696 multicolored light bulbs, 96 high-density strobe lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, the Bow Tie of Time Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway and 7th Ave.) was unavailable to traffic. After lighting the New Year's Eve ball, city officials and guests at the Countdown Stage in the center of Times Square will ring a commemorative bell. By pushing the Waterford crystal button, it marked the final sixty-second countdown prior to the Ball Lowering. The numerals of the New Year “2008” shone high above Times Square, with the light bulbs on the New Year's Eve Ball turned off. A two-minute pyrotechnic display illuminated and glistered with the bursts of custom-mixed colors in the sky above One Times Square accompanying with special effects of computer. The release of the world-famous New Year's Eve confetti from the rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square marking the start of New Year and the people cheered happily and contentedly in the mood of New Year's celebration.

United Kingdom, U.K.

New Year in Britain is a time to drink, eat and dance either at homes or with friends in a club or pub when clock strikes 12 at midnight. Different countries and cities in Britain have their own unique ways to welcome the New Year but the spirit to celebrate the New Year in each person's heart is the same all over the Britain.

The other main feature of New Year in Britain is the tradition custom of “First Footers”, which believes that the first person over the threshold on the New Year's Day will dictate the luck to bring to the particular house on 1 January. Scotland and Northern Ireland had followed this tradition with the first footers bringing in a piece of coal, bread and whisky while crossing the threshold.

London, England

Chinese New Year's Day Parade, London

London's New Year's Day Parade, also known as Hogmanay is famous all over the world. Over thousands of people, more than 10,000 musicians, dancers, clowns and acrobats gather and feast at Trafalgar Square while waiting eagerly for the arrival of New Year. London is by far the best city to be on the New Year's Eve for some of its excellent bars and clubs. Last but not the least, is the traditional dragon dancing, music and entertainment at London's Chinatown.

Scotland

People celebrate Hogmanay (Hogmanay's culture roots back to the pagan practice of sun and fire worship in the deep mid-winter. This fire symbolizes how the light of the knowledge to be handed over from one year to the next, which carries forward the light of hope to a better world) or Scottish New Year on 31 December every year. It has become a great festive season at the large city of Glasgow and Edinburgh. To view “1000 pipers” gathered at Edinburg castle and piping their way down to Holyrood palace, go to Homnanay.com and click some of the video clips.

Fireworks display, Hogmanay's Street Party, Dornoch, Scotland

When the bells of Big Ben chimed at the midnight, everyone sang Auld Lang Syne with lots of kisses. The words to this song are as follows:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o'kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

Scotland “Firstfooting,” (Each year, groups of friends or families do a tour to each others' houses and each family takes turn to provide the meal for the group) and Ceilidhs (Scottish dances) took place in the most remote parts of Scotland. The children in Scotland went from house to house collecting oatcakes. Grand parties were held everywhere at this night, and people celebrated the arrival of New Year with Scottish dances or Ceilidhs.

Spain

Eating 12 grapes is a custom that makes New Year celebrations in Spain unique and New Year in Spain is worth visiting for his nightlife. The night view during the New Year's celebration is amazing, so make sure to be a part of the New Year in Madrid. Spanish people keep 12 grapes ready at the beginning of the New Year and eat one with each chime of the clock symbolizing the 12 months of the year. The grape eating custom dates back to the King of Spain, who gave grapes to everybody to eat on the New Year's Eve with jest and enthusiasm.

As soon as the clock strikes 12, people gather at the Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid cheered happily for the entry of the New Year. New Year in Spain indeed enchants the visitors with the atmosphere dipped in true festive mood, atmosphere and decorations all over the Spain.

In Barcelona, people also participate in 12 grapes eating tradition when clock strikes at 12 midnight. People here are having party, dance, music, drinking and feasting with great enjoyment, enlightening the New Year's atmosphere. Visitors may come to experience countless surprises while having rock band performances to salsa, and from ballroom dance to gourmet delights. Another feature of New Year celebrations include the arrival of Magos who distribute candies and lollipops to all in The Procession of the Three Kings, bottle rockets and other aerial fireworks are being shot off all over the city particularly in Barcelona, furnishing Spain with an aura of jollity and festive atmosphere.

Spanish people celebrated the arrival of the New Year or Año nuevo

A buffoon shakes his hands during a New Year's celebration in Spain's Madrid on December 31, 2007

Germany

In German language, “Silvester” refers to New Year's Eve as the name suggests that a pope who lived in the fourth century has his feast day of Saint Sylvester on 31 December. People here celebrate New Year by dancing, singing, drinking and getting merry. Many Germans prefer playing games to foretell the future of the arrival of the New Year. Dropping molten lead into cold water is one of the famous games that predicting the future according to the shapes it takes in the cold water. Some prefer to share this special moment with their friends and loved ones.

When the clock strikes at 12 midnight, Germans hug and wish each other Happy New Year. To celebrate New Year's Eve, Germans usually splash a bottle of fine champagne, burn eye-catching fireworks and party hard.

Germany Brandenburg Gate

In Frankfurt, a city rich in culture and tradition, the sky is dazzling with brilliant firework display. On the New Year's Eve, in almost all the pubs and clubs in Frankfurt, one cannot stop from munching the delicious almond cookies called Brenten, Bethmännchen and drinks like Kinderpunch and Apfelwein. On every 1 January, the traditional New Year's concert is held annually at Alte Oper with performances include Maurice Ravel's Alborada del Cracioso, Klavierkonzert G-Dur, Boris Blacher's Orchestervariationen über ein Thema von Paganini and Mazeppa. Meanwhile in Hamburg, as soon as the clock strikes 12 at midnight, the church bells toll and ships sound their horns, which marks the merriment of the New Year. New Year is a gala event where dance, party and usher in the New Year bidding adieu to the old in the stylist city of Germany has become an important festival in Hamburg, Germany.

France

The French celebrate New Year on 1 January by exchanging gifts, cards and goodies as if Americans celebrate Christmas. Initially, people celebrated the New Year's Day known as “La Saint Sylyestre” in France since 1582.

Paris, France

During the French New Year's Eve, people celebrate with grand pomp and show. Various cultural programs too, take place during the New Year's Day. French make every moment approaching New Year by partying hard with family and dear ones, and bid a joyful farewell to the past year while welcoming the New Year with sparkling success, glorious and excitement. The New Year's holidays in France ends on 6 January with a tradition of cutting cake and types of cakes are in varieties depends on the place where you are in France.

Australia

During New Year in Australia, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is dazzling with more than 80,000 fireworks lit at the Circular Quay in vicinity to the Sydney Opera House. During the New Year's Eve, from a 16km radius around Sydney, one can see the fireworks sparkling with glorious, joyful, and more than 300,000 tourists from all over the world who want to capture the glimpse of the famous fireworks set their legs in Sydney. Everyone set eyes on the clock waiting eagerly for the arrival of the New Year.

Sydney, Australia

Australians prefer to go on picnics, outing and camping on beaches as ways to bid farewell to the past year and at the same time welcoming the arrival of the New Year. Meanwhile, people enjoy themselves by having New Year Party, camping and enjoying bonfires in Sydney. As soon as the clock strikes at sharp 12 at midnight, they ring the Church bells with excitement. People there make loud noises, blow car horns, whistles and shouting Happy New Year to each other. The spirit to celebrate the New Year is the same no matter whether they are at the seaside, in a dance club, at home, in the shopping complex, in a hotel and any other places all over the Australia.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, people have party along with their beloved family, relatives and friends in Melbourne accompanying with the hottest rock bands performing on Melbourne beaches. For the community of Chinese-Australia, spectacular Great Dragon appears in the streets of Melbourne, marking the arrival of the New Year.

Good-bye 2007, welcome 2008!

Should you be fortunate enough to be visiting Germany in late September or early October then you will have the opportunity to experience one of the world's largest and greatest festivals - the Munich Oktoberfest. For any beer connoisseur this has to be on your list of 101 things to do before you die!

Before you read on let me give a couple of interesting facts

• The Oktoberfest starts in September and not in October, as its name suggests
• The Oktoberfest is also about wine and good food, not only beer
• The Oktoberfest is about having fun with all the family

When Does It Take Place?

This fall the Oktoberfest opens its doors on Saturday September 22nd and lasts until Sunday October 7th, 2007. A full two weeks of fun, food and flowing beer! The festival is opened with a twelve gun salute and grand ceremony at noon, where the Lord Mayor of Munich "taps" the first keg of beer. After that it is a free for all and the festivities begin!

Festival Times Are:

• 10am-10.30pm on weekdays.
• 9am-10.30pm on weekends and holidays.

What To Do

The Oktoberfest is not only about drinking, it is a family affair. Until the hours of 6pm everyday, experience a "Quiet Oktoberfest" where the beer tents play only low level piped music and the general atmosphere is geared towards older people and families. There is something for everybody at the festival. Music, songs, entertainment, souvenir shopping and funfair style rides. Children are allowed to enter the beer tents in the company of their parents, but must leave the tents at 8pm if they are under 6 years of age. There are also special family days - every Tuesday from 12pm to 6pm with discounted rides and entrance fees.

As you would expect, given an event of this scale there are the inevitable problems with drunkenness and general over exuberance, especially with the younger crowd. The Germans jokingly refer to them as “Bierleichen”, (beer corpses) and the quiet time set aside until 6pm is aimed to minimize an excess of "partying" and preserve the traditional atmosphere, at least during the daylight hours.

What To Drink

In addition to the many local beers available the festival has its own special brew. A special Oktoberfest beer is served in a one liter Maß (tankard) which is darker and stronger in taste and alcohol, than the traditional brews. The Oktoberfest is not only for the beer drinker however, although of course that is what earns its name. A wide range of wine is available, along with a mouth watering selection of traditional style Bavarian dishes such as käsespätzle (cheese noodles), sausages and sauerkraut, roast chicken and ox tails.

Where To Go - The Beer Tents

The festival is based around the huge beer tents, constructed purely for the celebration. There are 14 in all, each having their own particular appeal. The tents are large enough to seat thousands in some cases but make sure you get there early. Reservations can be made for a particular tent (contact them direct), but if you are going "on spec" then be sure to get there before 2.30pm on a weekday and in the morning on a weekend. If you don't, the tents are likely to be full and you won't find a seat. No seat, no service, no drink - that's the policy!

Here's The Low-Down On Some Of The Most Popular Tents:

For singles and the young crowd The Hippodrum is a truly "hip" place. It is frequented by a stylish set with a high flirt factor! Celebrities also flock to this venue so you are likely to rub shoulders with some of the elite. Get there early, it's smaller than most tents!

For party animals, try The Schottenhamel, a key tent in the festival as it is one of the most traditional, and where all the opening festivities begin. Popular with the young as a party hang out!

A family friendly tent with a great atmosphere is The Augustiner-Fethalle. Families feel very comfortable in this venue and on "kids days" (Tuesdays) they offer very low prices. This is considered by many elderly locals to be a favorite tent it sells Augustiner, a popular local brew.

If you are into music then The Hacker-Festzelt offers a break from the traditional brass band music with an evening Rock'n Roll band to get the party swinging. Things get into gear from 5.30pm.

For traditional Bavarian sing-alongs then The Winzerer Fähndl provides a great atmosphere, as does The Braeurosl. This tent also has live musicians pumping up the heat, and during lunchtime and 6pm-7pm has a group from the South Tyrol performing, providing a burst of traditional song and yodeling!

For Wine drinkers there is the popular WeinZelt tent which offers more than 15 different wines in addition to a variety of sparkling wines and champagnes.

Finally, the most popular tent with Americans is The Hofbrau Festzelt. Due to its atmosphere and familiar beer, here you'll find a mix of Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and Brits, rubbing shoulders with the locals.

What To Eat

When you wish to sample some of the traditional Bavarian fare that the Oktoberfest is famous for, then make your way to The Arbrustschützen to partake of the roast chicken, knuckle of pork or German sausages with sauerkraut. They also have a "crossbow" competition which is considered one of the main attractions of the festival. The suckling pig at The Schützen-Festzelt is prepared in malt beer and served with coleslaw, and is so tender it melts in your mouth.

For true gourmets there is Käfers Wies'n-Schänke for the roasted duck, something that should not be missed. The Ochsenbraterei offers a wide variety of oxen dishes and if it's fish you fancy then The Fischer Vroni can tempt you with a huge selection from its menu - salmon, pike, you name it - all are skewered and grilled in a 15 meter long row.

How To Get There

You can image the congestion around the festival area so if you are thinking about taking your own car the advice is don't! If you insist on going by car, however, then the main highways are likely to be constantly clogged so taking smaller "B" roads would be an alternative (if not longer) route.

Park and Ride facilities are available and many have subway access, allowing you to avoid the main congestion in the center of the city. Another alternative would be to travel by train using the special weekend "Schönes-Wochenede-Ticket". The Oktoberfest is a ten minute walk from the main Hauptbahnhof station or a short bus or taxi ride.

Where To Stay

If you are going it alone you will need to book early if you want accommodation close to the festival, also it goes without saying that prices are higher during this time. Outside of Munich your chances of finding more reasonable, suitable accommodation are greater or you can book one of the many organized package tours to be found on the net or through a US travel agent. There are also two camping grounds close to the site. The Munich Tourist office is happy to provide you with a wealth of information. More information can be found at muenchen-tourist.de. You'll also find a full Oktoberfest program and map of the area.

The History

So how did the world's biggest beer festival begin?

The first Munich beer festival took place on October 12, 1810 to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (Kind Ludwig I) and the Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festival is held in an area called "Theresienwiese", (meadow of Therese), named after the Princess.

Over the next hundred years its fate waxed and waned, through the Napoleonic Wars and the Austro-Prussian War and a cholera epidemic. By the end of the 19th century the festival had started to evolve into what we know today, with beer halls, musicians and games. During the I and II World War years (1914 - 1945) the Oktoberfest was also badly affected and was canceled 24 times in all, since it's inception in 1810.

1950 saw the introduction of the traditional festival opening with a twelve gun salute and the tapping of the first beer keg by the Lord Mayor of Munich, Thomas Winner. Thus started the first of many traditions that exist today and by the 1960's the Oktoberfest was fast becoming the Largest People's Fair in the World, attracting visitors from around the globe.

Dates For Your Diary

Future Dates:

• September 22 - October 7 2007
• September 20 - October 5 2008
• September 19 - October 4 2009

Have Your Own Oktoberfest

Should you not be fortunate enough to experience this spectacle for yourself then there is no reason why you cannot celebrate it locally. This popular German festival has become a major celebration in some American cities, where a limited amount of dark beers are brewed for the occasion.

Alternatively this fall, have your own "Oktoberfest" bash by stocking up on some traditional German food and imported German beers. Put on your Lederhosen and your Dirndl skirts, stick on some Bavarian brass band music to give it a real flavor and rejoice along with your counterparts across the pond.

Cheers!

Those who appreciate art and music can visit the Kulturforum. This city also has many special events that are held annually such as the Berlin Film Festival, the Jazz Fest and the Christmas markets.

Those who love nature can visit Bavaria. This city which is near Austria has the Neuschwanstein castle which is like one of those only heard of in fairy tales. Those who love to drink should drop by in October for the beer fest.

There are many activities to do such as hiking and climbing the Zugspitze which is known as the tallest mountain in Germany. This place has lakes for fishing and swimming that can really make the person fall in love with the countryside.

Much of classical music comes from people like Johann Bach. The person can learn more about the artist by visiting the city of Leipzig. German culture has brought some of the greatest artists in the 20th century such as Mr. Hans Zimmer who is the composer of many successful films such as Rain Man which won an Oscar and one that children love. The Lion King.

Germany has many festivals throughout the year and makes it a very good travel destination. The best time to visit this country is between May and October and since it is still cold here compared to other parts of Europe, it will be a good idea to bring a lot of warm clothes when seeing the sights.

Given there many sights to see in this country, it will really be a good idea to bring a camera and a lot of film. This will be handy when traveling on the train which is one of the country's most popular forms of transportation.

Germany has so much to offer to anyone who has not been there. This is home to Volkswagen and Mercedes. Two of the world's greatest car manufacturers.

The person can do some research on the internet or contact the travel agent to get some good rates. Some airline companies give good packages making the person visit more than one city. Before leaving, it will be best to check the weather and prepare all the important documents.

Germany is truly a place to visit. To make it fun, it is best to bring friends or join a travel group. Given that there are many things to see, it will be a good idea to pack a lot of clothes for the person to enjoy the trip.

A vacation is never complete without seeing the sights and listening to the sounds of Germany.

It was late at night but as the jet began to taxi down the runway I was wide awake. The second I left the ground I felt as if a part of me were missing; like I had left something behind in America. It is difficult to describe the emotion that results inside you when sadness and anxiety mixes with happiness and anticipation. I wanted to go to Germany and at the same time wanting to stay where I knew it was safe. I looked through the window and saw the last flicker of lights from America that I would see in nearly three weeks. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep.

The moment we touched down I felt foreign. I was so excited to see what Germany would be like and I began to realize just how different everything was. Because of the time difference, we arrived in Germany sometime around eleven o'clock in the Morning. To me and my brother it felt like eight o'clock at night. We left the plane and went through the German immigration system and then customs. After getting our baggage, we saw grandma and grandpa. It was so good to see them. They had been gone for quite a while serving as representative for our church in Germany. It was interesting to see how they felt right at home in the midst of things that were so different.

We hopped in their car and drove to their home. There I found a happy fact: Grandma's house feels like Grandma's house no matter which country it's in. It's a warm, happy place now matter where it's at. She had decorated their home for Christmas and it brought me back to all the Christmases we had spent together.

My brother and I were tired so we both went directly to bed. The next day we began our adventure in Germany.

We woke up and ate breakfast. I noticed how different their food was. Their juice was much stronger than ours in America. Bacon was thinner, egg yolks were orange not yellow. Everything was different but it tasted good all the same.

That day we toured downtown Frankfurt, Germany. It looked like an ordinary modern city. Most of the cars there were amazing though. Everyone drove a BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, or other expensive car. We saw very few cars that you would see in America.

The next day we drove on the Autobahn. That in and of itself was a neat experience. There was one lane designated only for semi trucks, one lane for slow cars, one lane for regular speed cars, and one lane that no one wanted to go in. Cars that entered the last lane were cruising around one-hundred and forty miles an hour. Every once in a while you would see a streaking blur along side of your car. By the time that you realized a car had passed you it was on the horizon.

We spend the day in the city of Mainz. This is where Johannes Guttenberg invented the process of moveable type that allowed people to share information more easily.

Christmas is a big holiday for all Germans. It is a time to be with friends and family; a time for great food and fun with those you care most about. All but the biggest shops close for Christmas. Everyone stays home with their families; except for at the weihnacts markt. In most of the cities in Germany cities there are places called the Weihnachts markt, or Christmas market. These are places to buy great food and treats and trinkets and toys. We went to the Weihnachts markt in Mainz. The smell of bratwurst, hot roasted chestnuts, and hot wine filled the air. Small shops filled with all the good things you can only find during Christmas time were gathered into a cobblestone plaza. Some stores sold nativity scenes, some sold food, and some sold little wooden toy men. The Christmas spirit filled the atmosphere. During December the Market is a mingling place for everyone in town. Everyone in Mainz was gathered to the Weihnachts Markt. The town felt like it had come straight from a storybook.

We pulled ourselves away from the Christmas Market and returned home for the evening.

The following day we drove to a famous river called the Rhein. In the day when kings and princes still ruled over Germany, the Rhein was a major trading river. Many of the princes, in order to grow richer, build castles on this river and charged the sailors a toll for their safety. As we wound our way along the edge of this river we saw castle after castle. They lined both sides of the river. Most were in ruin because of the war but some of them were in amazing condition.

The next day was one of the most amazing days of our journey. We drove to the southern state of Bavaria where we visited the castle of Neuschwanstein. You probably know more about castle of Neuschwanstein better than you think. It is the castle that Disney Land and Disney World use as a model. Every part of the building was ornate. The King who designed the castle was named Ludwig II. After erecting such a palace and neglecting the kingdom, he was declared mentally unfit to rule. His death remains a mystery. His body and the body of his psychiatrist were recovered from a nearby lake. No one knows if his death was an unfortunate mistake, suicide, or murder. The castle that he left to us was incredible. The high towers that rose above the forest that engulfed it, the fairytale-like fog that hung over the castle, the massive iron doors that were opened to welcome you into the castles courtyard all added to the splendor of the castle.

After Neuschwanstein we journeyed to Salzburg, Austria. I can now see how Rodgers and Hammerstein found the inspiration to write, “The hills are alive with the sound of music”. Every hour a collection of cathedrals rang out from around the town. Salzburg would be breathtaking anytime of the year but we were there during a special time though; we were the Christmas Eve. We visited the Salzburg weihnacts markt. We saw the house where Mozart was born and then attended midnight mass at the cathedral where he preformed as a boy. Mass was an enjoyable experience. As I have been raised as a Latter Day Saint I had never attended a mass before. Wonderful German Christmas music was combined with sermons from various people in the church. The architecture of the building and the heavy smell of incense added to the grandeur of the occasion. After the meeting we returned home to bed.

The next day was Christmas morning. It was much quieter than Christmases in the past. There were a few presents placed beside everyone's bed. It was much more peaceful than other Christmases but the peaceful serenity added to the warm, happy feeling we had with us that day.

There were many other experiences that we had together in Germany but each one of them changed my perspective. We are not so different after all. Everyone thinks and feels and lives and dies the same. Everyone knows the happiness of Christmas time. Everyone is enchanted by magical fairytale.

When we again found ourselves on the plane, I was surprised when the same unusual feeling came back. As we lifted off from German soil I felt like I had left a part of me behind. It was the same happiness mixed with sadness. It was excitement mixed with apprehension. It was a desire to return to my native country mixed with a desire to remain in this country I have come to admire.

This trip has changed me. Maybe we're not so different. Maybe the world isn't so big after all.