10 things I love about Germany

Anyone that follows my blog Double the Monkey Business , will know that we are temporarily based in Germany with hubbys work.

I was a bit nervous about the move before we came here, not least because I didnt know any German at all.

I have to say that, on the whole, living in central Europe has been a positive experience for us.

The locals are friendly and kind. There is plenty to see and do and we have loved exploring our new country.

As our time here draws to a close, I have been reflecting a lot on what we will miss when we move back to the UK.

1 FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

Germany is not known for its food, so we were pleasantly surprised to find the food is amazing.

Special mention goes to the bakeries, which have a fantastic variety of incredible cakes, bread and pastries. Oh and as for the massive pretzels they sell - so yummy!

The ice-cream parlours are amazing as well. Homemade Italian ice cream which is incredibly cheap, and tastes like no other. They have a variety of flavours available, from your standard strawberry to the very popular Nutella.

All this is great for my tastebuds but not for my waistline!

2 BREAKFAST BUFFET

One of the things we will miss terribly when we go back to the UK is the buffet breakfasts. The spreads are incredible and people spend hours enjoying a brunch on a Sunday morning, sometimes this even rolls onto lunchtime.

Our particular favourite place has a great little play park next door.

So why is it so good I hear you ask? Well, if you can think of a breakfast item it will be at the breakfast buffet. Think sausages, pastries, waffles, fruit, cheese, ham, yoghurts, cake, puddings, bread the list goes on.

An English fry-up at a greasy spoon will struggle to live up to the German breakfast buffet when we return home.

3 BEER

I am not a huge beer drinker, however this is on the list as I am sure daddy monkey will miss the good beer immensely.

The beer is tasty, cheap and sold by the case. Then when you are done you take your bottles back to the shop to get money back.

The beer is so cheap here in Germany, it is more expensive to drink soft drinks!

4 PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN

One thing most people know about Germany is that the Autobahn has no speed limits.

Well, actually, that is not entirely true, they do impose speed limits in built up areas and junctions.

The rest of the time you are free to drive as fast as you want. I am not really brave enough to go crazy but it never ceases to amaze me when you are going 150km and someone overtakes at speeds that make you dizzy!

One other thing about driving in Germany is that drivers have much better lane discipline than in other European countries.

I am guessing they have to be with people bombing it down the middle and outside lanes! I guess that leaves you no choice!

5 SWIMMING POOL

I have truly never been to a swimming pool like they have here in Germany. They are like mini theme parks with slides, pirate ships, whirlpools, wave machines and river rapids as standard.

The kids love going swimming and for a good reason.

It seems like a daytrip for locals as they set up their picnic on one of the tables and hang out there all day. It makes me feel like I am on holiday when we go there.

6 TRAVEL

Ah, the major benefit of living in mainland Europe is all those new places to visit and go on holiday!

Yes, you can visit other countries but we have found Germany have been some of the best places to visit.

We have enjoyed sunshine in Bavaria and Lake Constance and skiing at the local resorts in winter. It is so much fun and the hardest part is having too much choice!

7 FAMILY DAY

On Sundays quiet time is imposed, which means no cutting the grass or making unnecessary noise. Additionally, all the shops are shut for the day. The idea being that you have a day with your family.

Dont get me wrong, this is a bit annoying if you suddenly need an emergency trip to the shop, but for the most part it is nice to not get distracted by chores and enjoy your day!

8 LATERNENFEST

Out of all the festivals that happen throughout the year in Germany, the Laternenfest is my all time favourite.

It takes place around the time of Bonfire night and is a lovely gathering of children with home-made lanterns.

In previous years the boys have made the lanterns at their kindergarten, then they join their classmates to walk around with them at sunset. This is usually followed by some food and a social gathering. I just love the beauty of this event, seeing all these little ones with their precious lanterns is a wonderful sight.

9 Kindergarten

This leads me on to talk about the Kindergarten. I love the relaxed vibe of the kindergarten and there is a huge emphasis on outdoor activities. The kids are always doing fun things, like gymnastics or forest walks.

I get them home every day and they are mucky, tired and happy. We will really miss this when we move home and the boys start school next year.

10 The Weather

The weather in Germany is more extreme than the UK. So hotter in the summer, colder in the winter with a good helping of snow every year.

I really dont mind the cold winters, the warm weather definitely makes up for it!

So, if anyone is looking for some nice holiday ideas, I would definitely recommend visiting Germany. It is often overlooked and yet it is such a great place!

Even though we are looking forward to moving home and being near friends and family once more, we have very much enjoyed living in this fabulous country!

This post first appeared on www.meetothermums.com