World Cup Tickets on Ebay? Beware

by Erik Olsen on

We’ve done our mightiest to alert you, dear gadling reader, to the coming joy, thrill and mayhem promised with the start of the World Cup, the largest sporting event in the world. Amazingly, countries across the globe will relentlessly tune in on the Web, TV and by smoke signals to watch their favorite teams kick a little checkered ball around a big field, and fall down and flop around like girls given the slightest little kick in the shins. Well, for those interested in attending and who believe they might be able to pick up a few tickets on Ebay, think again

According to this piece, the Germans are saying that tickets for the month-long tournament starting June 9 are personalized with the buyer’s name. They will NOT be transferable, say officials, except under special circumstances. All this for security reasons.

So what that means for folks who want to pick up some tix on the Internet, you are perhaps gambling with a lot of dough. (on Ebay’s German Web site the top bid for a ticket for Brazil versus Australia on June 18 was $551). And if you think the Germans are going to be lax about their security apparatus, well, you probably don’t know much about Germany. So caveat emptor, folks. 

 

Wo Ist Der Bahnhof?

by Erik Olsen on

There you are, standing by yourself on the street in Berlin and for the life of you, you have no idea how to find the damn train station. You beg the many passers-by for help, but this is Germany. They look at you like you are a hund, eine schwein. If only you knew a few words of German, why, that would help so much. Oh, wait. Look over here at Google Video. There’s a whole bunch of helpful phrases for you to learn. “Wo is die bahnhof?” you ask. “Der bahnhof ist ja unter dein nase.” Comes the reply. See, so helpful.

But seriously, take a look at these vids. Who is that woman? And why couldn’t they find someone better looking to give online video German lessons? And why does she have to look off camera to come up with the translation? Are these tidy little phrases too long and she needs a teleprompter? But seriously, these are rather worthless little vidoes, but it is interesting to see what kind of stuff is emerging these days on Google video.

Red Corner: Dresden Drinking Emerges from the Ashes

by Neil Woodburn on

Getting bombed in Dresden is no longer what it use to be.

Okay, horrific lead, I agree, but I couldn’t resist dropping such an intro when writing about Dresden’s emerging party scene.

It seems that every week I come across an article praising the newest Eastern European hot spot for cafes and bars. This week, The New York Times draws attention to the (former East) German city of Dresden.

Journalist Evan Rail (another great travel name) tosses out a few token lines about the city’s cultural boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants, but then dives right into its rich pub culture. Apparently Neustadt (New Town) is the hip-happenin’ place these days. Located across the river from the part of town demolished in the closing days of World War II by a series of unnecessary carpet bombing raids, Neustadt’s streets are lined with more than 100 drinking establishments that are open until 3 a.m.

Just how wonderful has this city become for serious drinkers? Swing by the third weekend in June when the Bunte Republik Neustadt (Colorful Neustadt Republic) street fair kicks off. 800,000 of your best drinking buddies will be there as well, so bottoms up!

Oh, and spare a moment to cross the river and check out the real Dresden, slowly being rebuilt in all its glory and magnificence.

Fat Surcharge

by Neil Woodburn on

A German hotel has come up with a novel way of calculating rates for their rooms: they charge based upon a person’s weight. Guests step on a scale at check-in and pony up the euros based upon where the scale rests.  The going rate is half a euro ($0.64 cents) per kilogram.  This means a person weighing 68 kilograms (150 pounds) pays 34 euros per night ($44). 

Obviously this has raised the ire of plump Germans who are crying discrimination.  The reality, however, is that the hotel has a maximum rate of 39 euros (78 kg /172 pounds) no matter how corpulent you might be.  In addition, they do not take into consideration Body Mass Index (BMI).  So a 5-foot, 150-pounder blob pays the same as a lanky, 6’4″ 150-pounder.  Thus, there is no discrimination between the fat and the lean.  It does make me wonder, however, if Armin Meiwes ever stayed here? It would have been the perfect B&B for his tastes. 

German Food

by Neil Woodburn on

When visiting a foreign country, one should always try the local food.  It’s best to eat Chinese in China, Italian in Italy, and German in Germany.  This is not, however, good advice for someone like Armin Meiwes who embraced the “eat German in Germany” concept literally; he ate a German. 

The 44-year-old computer technician from Rotenburg posted an online ad in 2001 searching for someone to personally consume.  An equally sick compatriot dutifully volunteered and in no time, Meiwes was soon dining on Deutsches fleisch.  Knockwurst and bratwurst be damned!

Meiwes, who told the court, “I wanted to eat him, I didn’t want to kill him,” was convicted of manslaughter in 2004 despite his argument that the victim was a willing participant. 

A federal court overruled the decision, however, and Meiwes was recently retried and yesterday convicted once again of murder.  He was sentenced to life in prison, which, if you ask me, is like locking the fox up in the chicken coop.