Weird sign of the day – what does this mean?

by Scott Carmichael on

I’m not entirely sure what the worst part is of this collection of signs – that they had to show their ban on pooping in the parking lot so visually, or that the fine (Bußgeld) for messing up things is a whopping EUR1533.88 ($2100).

If you are wondering how they got such a weird number for the fine, they simply converted it from DEM3000 (Deutschmarks) to Euros during the conversion. That is much more democratic than simply rounding it down to EUR1500.

I’m guessing the funniest thing is the combination of all of the above, along with such insanely long words as “Ordnungswidrigkeitsverfahren”. Try saying that a couple of times.

Photo of the day (4.28.09)

by Grant Martin on

Tickets to Germany have been on super sale for the past few weeks, as they normally are this time of the year. The problem is that most budget tickets are into Frankfurt, which hasn’t got a ton of exciting tourist attractions. Luckily, a variety of beautiful cities like Cologne are nearby, where the above picture of the Kölner Dom was taken by rafapdalbem1. Neat shot.

Got any cool photos that you’d like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day. Make sure you save them under Creative Commons though, otherwise we can’t use them!

Germans still coming to U.S., but not as much

by Tom Johansmeyer on

German bookings to the United States were strong through the end of last year, even as overall action from outside the country dipped in the fourth quarter. Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that nearly 1.8 million Germans came across the Atlantic Ocean, an increase of 17 percent from 2007.

Fourth quarter arrivals from German last year reached 420,285, a gain of more than 9 percent from the same period in 2007. In October alone, 177,167 German tourists came to the United States – up 16 percent from October 2007. The pace slowed in November and December, which were up only 5 percent and 2 percent year-over-year.

And, 2009 looks good.

More than 20 percent of tour operators in Germany have reported that bookings to the United States for the first quarter of 2009 are likely to be consistent with the same period in 2008. Another 43 percent expect increases.

Of course, German travel isn’t recession-proof. The second quarter looks less favorable, with bookings down from 2007. Nearly 64 percent of German tour operators expect the pace to slow.

Brits continue to self-congratulate on cleanliness

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Brits are the best-behaved hotel guests, according to a survey by TripAdvisor. More than 3,000 participated in the study, and the results are certain to reinforce stereotypes. Forty-three percent of hotel guests from the UK make their own beds every morning … which is nothing compared to the 79 percent who put their clothes neatly in the closets.

But, tidiness comes with a price. Travelers from the land of the stiff upper lip are also the most accident-prone. They tend to break things and block up the toilet – the latter distinction shared with the Germans.

Shockingly, the French are the quietest (fewest noise complaints), and those from Spain are most likely to dip into the mini-bar without paying. Italians are both the worst tippers and most likely to leave underwear in the room.

Here’s the best part: 10 percent of all survey participants admitted to replacing minibar items with cheaper, store-bought stuff.

Top 10 wine spots, none in U.S.

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I realize that, on the world stage, our homeland isn’t exactly the most popular place right now. Part of it stems from eight years of political buffoonery, and a healthy dose comes from traditional “old world” bias against the United States. Like most of us, I’ve learned to adjust for a touch of this when I read international news coverage. To a certain extent, I understand it … we’re more like France than we realize. But, it’s tough when our country doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

This is especially the case for wine.

In an article detailing the top 10 wine spots in the world, Forbes deemed none in the United States worthy of the list.

1. Castello Banfi, Tuscany, Italy: not an adventurous pick for the top spot
2. Montes, Colchagua Valley, Chile: trying to seem enlightened, succeeds
3. Ken Forrester, Stellenbosch, South Africa: see #2, with the same results
4. Fournier, Mendoza, Argentina: doubling up on South America in the top five? Trying too hard …
5. Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River, Australia: could call for the middle of the pack
6. Felton Road, Central Otago, New Zealand: again with the doubling up …
7. Bodegas Ysios, Rioja, Spain: classic location, should probably be higher
8. Quinta do Portal, Douro Valley, Portugal: this would have been more exciting at #3 or #4
9. Chateau Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux, France: obligatory, but at #9?
10. Peter Jakob Kuhn Oestrich, Rhein/Mosel, Germany: obviously added to the list out of a sense of obligation

And, where are we? No Sonoma? No Napa? Or, a break from the norm with Oregon?

The collection of wine destinations seems to a certain extent like a Little League awards banquet. No country is on the list twice, giving the impression that the reporter sought to dish out as many trophies as possible. The wide reach, of course, makes those absent even more evident.

As you can see, the list is more likely the result of a careful analysis of balancing out different regions and meeting reader expectations than it is a genuine reflection on the most interesting wine destinations in the world.

This is why I hate “listicles”: they have less to do with the content than they do with managing perception. Blech.