During my junior year of high school, we had a German exchange student in our school. I was lucky to have sat next to her on the first day of class. I always loved asking her about how things are different in Germany. Since I was over in Europe, I thought it would be cool to see if I could visit her for a few days. She agreed and so it was off to explore a new country!
After a short night’s sleep from New Year’s, I hopped on a train and a plane and headed for Dusseldorf, Germany.
Dusseldorf is located in western Germany. It’s very close to the borders of the Netherlands and Belgium. Fun Fact: Shops are close in Germany on Sundays, so a lot of people head over to the Netherlands to go outlet shopping. We went there one day to check it out. I’m not a fan of outlet shopping (the prices are never a good deal), but it was pretty cool to see what it’s like in Europe. And there were fries.
A Tour of Dusseldorf
Back to Dusseldorf. It’s a pretty big city. It’s got about 600,000 residents or so. Even though the city has a sizable population, it still gives off the feel of a quaint Germany town. The architecture has the typical German vibe and the roofs are slanted. When you walk into the town, there is a tower that had been part of a castle a long time ago. A ferris wheel is located just behind it. Old meets new.
One of the best things about Germany in the winter is the Christmas markets. Since it was just past Christmas, they had begun to take down some of the kiosks, but there were still Christmas trees and markets around. I’d love to see what it’s like during the high season.
So Much Green!
If you continue to walk through the city, you’ll run into “King’s Ally”, the high end shopping district of Dusseldorf. The River Düssel runs through the city, which gave the city its name. I had to pause a bit and admire the scenery. The trees, the green, the river. It’s not something I get to see a lot of in Spain.
One of the main attractions is the Rheinturm, a huge tower that stand over Dusseldorf. It’s the German equivalent of the Space Needle in Seattle. It costs six euros to go up. After you pay the fee, you take an elevator up to the top. I’m not sure if the cost of admission is worth it, but the views were still cool. It offers views of the city from 160 meters above. Don’t forget to lean against the windows! It feels like you’re going to fall over the edge!
Mixing the Old and the New
We finished our day off with a walk along the Rhine River. My friend looked at me like I was crazy because of my excitement. The Rhine River?! The real Rhine River?! The Rhine River at Busch Gardens does not compare.
Don’t forget to stop and admire the cool architecture in the city. Frank Ghery designed some apartments downtown that are really trippy. Dusseldorf is also home to many bars. Some people say it’s the “largest bar in the world” because it’s just bar after bar after bar. And if you’re eyes are open, take a picture with the cartwheeler.
