I recently posted about how the Netherlands, the nation known for its iconic windmills, decided to throw in the towel on offshore wind power, as Dutch officials determined the country can no longer afford large scale subsidies for expensive w .. more ..

Although the concept now exists worldwide, I feel there’s no denying that the Germans are the absolute master engineers at the perfect Christmas market. The right balance of shops and food, the cosy and atmospheric town squares, the miles of lights and fires… Christmas in Germany is truly a memorable event! If you can’t make it over this year, join me virtually in a photo essay of some of my favorite German Christmas Markets. .. more ..

Lindau is an historic town on an island in Lake Constance (the Bodensee) in Bavaria, Germany. Although Roman relics have been discovered in the surroundings, the town's name was first mentioned referring to a nunnery dating back to the ninth century. Our European reporter Frances Beasley goes 'lolling around Lindau' in this week's podcast/radio show. Also on the program, our Aussie correspondent John Crook heads for gem country in central Queensland and chats w .. more ..

By Richard Varr The Frauenkirche. Photo by Richard Varr The setting sun illuminates the domed façade of the Frauenkirche with a golden glow.  The so-called Church of Our Lady is Dresden’s most famous silhouette and one of the city’s most visited landmarks. Th .. more ..

The World War II invasion and occupation of France is a painful memory for those who lived through it, and for the French people who studied its history. It is not a simple history of France versus Germany and France lost. It tells a story of neighbor against neighbor in towns across France. To gain favor with the ‘occupiers,’ some French turned against one another and collaborated with the Germans. The main group of people who stayed true to France and kept fighting the .. more ..

The following is a sponsored post by Thomas Lukjaniec. If you’re planning a trip to Berlin, well done, you’ve made a fantastic choice. Germany’s capital is a wonderful city, and there simply aren’t enough words that su .. more ..

By Rachel Dickinson On a recent trip to Germany, I decided to pair Women’s World Cup soccer with UNESCO World Heritage sites. Not a natural pairing, yet one that became oddly complimentary as the World Cup matches were played in cities where either a UNESCO site can be found or at least encoun .. more ..