Why We Love the Germans

We love to ride the Riesenrad aka Ferris wheel during Oktoberfest. Yes, there are other things to do than sampling beer brewed within the city limits of Munich. Millions of people celebrate German and Bavarian culture during the annual 16-18 day festival.

Salted and slightly-smoked pork, called Kassler, is a popular German dish served with sauerkraut or mash potatoes. Delicious!

We love German models, including supermodel Heidi Klum, who makes fashion work on and off the runway.

We enjoy drinking a beer or 2 at Hofbr'uhaus, a famous beer hall in Munich, Germany. Who could resist adapting to the German Kneipekultur, or pub culture? Regulars stop by their local pub to catch up with others every evening, and in the summer, the social event moves outdoors to beer gardens.

Take a fun road trip on Romantic Road to enjoy the quintessential German scenery, culture and small towns, including N'rdlingen. The scenic route, once a popular trade route, runs between Würzburg and Füssen. Hit the Autobahn if you're looking for a high-speed road trip. We love those, too.

Celebrate the holiday season and visit one Germany's Christmas markets, including this one in Nuremberg. These festive markets sell gingerbread, cookies, carved Nutcrackers, candied almonds, Bratwurst and a variety of other foods and spirits.

We appreciate the outstanding contributions of German musicians and composers, including Ludwig van Beethoven (pictured), Johann Sebastian Bach and Johannes Brahms.

Walk through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, one of Europe's most famous landmarks. Carl Gotthard Langhans built it as a sign of peace in 1791. The series of gates into Berlin suffered major damage in World War II. The Brandenburg Gate, the remaining gate, was fully restored from 2000 to 2002.

We enjoy watching German athletes in action, including German footballer Mario Götze, the attacking midfielder for Borussia Dortmund. Götze has the potential to be a world-class player due to his speed and skills on the soccer field.

Every trip to Germany should include a visit to Mosel (pictured), Nahe, Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Pfalz or Baden, one of Germany's wine regions. What's not to love about spending a day sampling wines at local vineyards?

It's an acquired taste, but yes, some of us do enjoy eating pickled herring. It's usually eaten with dark rye bread, crisp bread, sour cream or potatoes, during Christmas, Easter or Midsummer.

We love Diane Kruger and the German actresses who paved the way for her in Hollywood, like Marlene Dietrich.

We love the German spirit of freedom, especially after the fall of the Berlin Wall, which paved the way for Germany reunification.

Car lovers get rev up with excitement when visiting the BMW Headquarters and Museum in Munich. Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are 2 other car companies to keep auto afficinadoes busy in Germany.

We love the simple delicious taste of Apfelstrudel aka apple strudel. What a way to top off a hearty German dinner.

The German Parliament is located in Berlin's Reichstag. We love the building's modern architecture.

We're always willing to try something new. So when you're in Germany, try soljanka. It's a soup with pickled cucumbers with brine, salted mushrooms, sour cream and dill. Foodies can choose meat, fish or mushrooms as the main ingredient. Dig in!

We love fairy-tale castles like Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Other popular palaces in Germany include the Palace of Heidelberg and Wartburg Castle.

Currywurst, pork sausage cut into slices and seasoned with curry ketchup, is a popular fast-food served frequently from German food trucks. Yummy!