Travel Guide Germany

The Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel, though it is located in the sleepy western coastal town of Marawila has got a superb Internet and communication facility, which connects the visiting German Praktikum (Internship) students to Germany and rest of the world.

Information & Communication Technology leads the modern world in every field.

One internship student has given me some facts with just a few numbers that will speak louder than words about Germany and especially Bavaria’s success in Information & Communication Technology.

I was surprised that the foremost communications site in Germany has more than 100,000 employees and 1,800 companies of which 586 are U.S. companies, all of which are in Bavaria.

In fact, Bavaria shares the number one primacy with London for all of Europe and it ranks number four worldwide.

How did this happen you may wonder. While there is no single answer, there are numerous contributing factors why so many companies in any imaginable industry felt they needed a base here.

Certainly, it has a lot to do with the Bavarian government’s tremendous initiative and support through financial incentives and action programs.

An early foray into Internet communications also ensured a rapid dissemination of information and communication technology.

Their “Software Initiative” aimed at developing and marketing software sees a close cooperation between research and industry.

Last but not least, there are 20 municipal and 9 technology-based incubator centers providing excellent infrastructure close to wherever you may want to locate your company.

Let’s talk about tomorrow. After a brief talk with me, she went and sat with her parents.

Bavaria has its own merits to be proud of its economic achievements.

If Germany could be proud as one of the major components, making the European economic-power base, Bavaria could also be proud of its vital role in making Germany a powerful economic nation in Europe.

The motorcycle and automobile makers BMW, Bayerische Motoren-Werke or Bavarian Motor Works and Audi, the consumer electronics Grundig, the electricity, telephones, informatics and medical instruments Siemens, Adidas and Puma have or had a Bavarian industrial base to give Bavaria economic super status.

Some students are proud that Bavaria is the only state renowned for its spectacular vistas and unparalleled beauty and comprises more than a third of all German employees in the aeronautics and space technology sectors.

They further said that no other single state could make this claim.

Furthermore, they pointed out that that is because the state government recognizes the importance of fostering new developments and encouraging the enhancement of existing technologies.

They once again proudly pointed out that it is no surprise that, DASA, Germany’s equivalent of NASA, is located in Bavaria.

The students went on to say that since 1990 Bavaria has spent about 200 million DM for the promotion of aeronautics and space technology projects called TETRA to develop new materials for reusable space transport systems with an additional 50 million DM spent for research projects.

Now the sky is their limit.

German students naturally glow with a sense of pride.

Rajkumar Kanagasingam is author of a fascinating book on German memories in Asia and you can explore more about the book and the author at AGSEP

Tags: Bavaria, economy, Europe, German, Germany, Industry, Intern, internship, London, Technology, USBavaria, economy, Europe, German, Germany, Industry, Intern, internship, London, Technology, US

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Vicki Landes, author of “Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal” gave her first radio interview last week with Penny Sansevieri of the ‘Fascinating Authors Radio Show’. Landes discusses finding herself moving to Europe “kicking and screaming” and her gradual emersion into the European culture. Once acclimated, Landes set out to explore her surroundings and ended up visiting 45 different countries throughout the world. She credits her grandparents with giving her the book idea and has spent a total of 6 and a half years so far, traveling Europe on the weekends and snapping pictures.

Landes notes that although travelers should not miss the popular sites in Europe, the lesser known destinations can be just as meaningful, especially if you get to explore them without tourist crowds. For example, Maulbronn Monastery, just outside Stuttgart, Germany, is not a tourist trap and ‘you can explore the hallways as the only living soul’. Almost 1,000 years old and hailed as being in the best condition of any monastery north
of the Alps, this monastery delights. Unlike traditional museums that rope you off from exhibits, Maulbronn allows you to “wrap your arms around the enormous pillars and press your cheek against the cold stone”.

Another example of a lesser known site is Schwetzingen Castle and Gardens - “everyone knows Heidelberg Castle, but what about Schwetzingen? It’s only 20 minutes away from Heidelberg and the gardens blow me away every time I visit”. Between the perfect symmetry of the arched hedges and the contract between vivid green foliage and stark white marble statues hidden throughout, Landes notes that this destination should be a ‘do not miss’ for any Germany-bound tourist.

Listen or podcast Landes’ entire 20-minute interview at:

http://www.fascinatingauthors.com/podcasts/20060816_landesv.html

Vicki Landes has been soaking up Europe for the last six and a half years. Although educated in music and holding a day job in the humanitarian assistance field, her free time is spent supporting her travel and photography addictions. With a current list of 45 countries under her belt, Landes strives to find the overlooked details that make each place distinctive and unique. She currently lives in Stuttgart, Germany with her military husband and their son.

Tags: book, Europe, Germany, photography, travelbook, Europe, Germany, photography, travel

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Located on the European mainland, Belgium often is short-shifted in discussions of Europe. Following is an overview of Belgium for travelers.

An Overview of Belgium for Travelers

Belgium is located on the coast of the North Sea between Holland, German and France. The name comes from the Belgae, a celtic tribe.

Belgium’s geographic location places it at the crossroads of much of Europe, particular in relation to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. As a result, the country has been heavily influenced by the powers that be in Europe during certain periods of times. You can find aspects of Romans, Celtics, Germanic, French and Spanish influences.

Ruled by various European empires, the cities of Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp were major commercial trading posts. They also produced some of the more spectacular artists in Europe, including Eyck and Rubens.

In modern times, the country is really three separate states with significant autonomy. The country is divided up into Flemish, Walloon and a smaller Germanic area. The Flemish are Dutch speaking while the Walloon are oriented to French. The divisions between these areas are significant and they have significant autonomy from the federal government. One might argue they are countries unto themselves.

The official name of Belgium is the Kingdom of Belgium. The country is located in Western Europe and covers approximately 12,566 square miles. Brussels is the capital of the country and has a population of approximately 922,000 people. The second largest city is Antwerp with 452,000 residents.

The people of Belgium are known as Belgians. Total population for the country is 10.4 million with a paltry annual growth rate of less than one half of one percent. The country is divided into three linguistic regions, Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. French is the dominant language in Wallonia, Dutch in Flanders and German in the Brussels area. Most people of Belgium claim Roman Catholic as their faith, but Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Anglican communities exist. The literacy rate is 95 percent.

Belgium is an odd hodgepodge of influences. That being said, everyone seems to get along in these modern times and Brussels is a major financial center in the Europe.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about country facts and Belgium facts.

Tags: belgium, brussels, Europe, flemish, Germany, holland, north sea, rubens, united kingdom, walloonsbelgium, brussels, Europe, flemish, Germany, holland, north sea, rubens, united kingdom, walloons

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