I'm barred from voting in the German election - thank goodness
Our guest columnist explains why he's been bamboozled by the "fiendishly complicated, unimaginative and cringeworthy" general election campaign in Germany.
View ArticleVideo blog: How the Oktoberfest taught me to love lederhosen
Brian Melican explains how he got over his suspicion of "oompah bands and sweaty Germans" and learned to embrace its world-famous October beer festival.
View ArticleHow the Oktoberfest taught me to love lederhosen
Brian Melican explains how he got over his suspicion of "oompah bands and sweaty Germans" and learned to embrace its world-famous October beer festival.
View ArticleDon't panic! The Germans are forming yet another coalition
Our political observer Brian Melican is amazed by the lack of haste displayed in putting a new government together
View ArticleGerman money: even Granny Gerda has a mobster-style wad of cash
Our observer Brian Melican soon learnt to stop pulling out his credit card in Germany, where debt is frowned upon, and cash is king
View ArticleWhy the green man is king in Germany
Jaywalking can lead to all sorts of trouble for the uninitiated expat in Germany - from yelling grannies to a fine, as Brian Melican discovered.
View ArticleWhy do the baffling Germans bottle out of drinking tap water?
Our columnist explains why requesting a glass of nature's finest could land you in very hot water with your host
View ArticleThe Germans love minced meat just a little too much
Our man in Hamburg (appropriately) is disturbed and amused in equal measure by the national obsession with shredded raw pork
View ArticleGerman Easter: chaos, acrid fumes and buns fried in butter
With choking palls of smoke and people stripping the supermarket shelves, you might think disaster was looming in Germany. But it's only Easter, as Brian Melican explains
View ArticleTrain travel in Germany: I'm no fare-dodger but I am forgetful
Our columnist reports on the grey areas in the country's public transport ticket rules.
View ArticleNeed a holiday? Move to Germany
Brian Melican explains why life can begin to feel like a permanent vacation in certain parts of the country
View ArticleRemembrance of the First World War is subdued in Germany
It's not that the nation is ignoring the centenary, but there are many reasons why the commemoration in more subdued than in Britain, reflects Brian Melican
View ArticleThe need for speed in Germany
Don't dare stand between a German and his gas-guzzling car - for this is the aspect of life where moderation and concern for others fly out of the window
View ArticleWhy Bavaria is Germany's Scotland
The independence referendum aroused similar feelings in another former ancient kingdom with mountains and its own national dress, says Brian Melican.
View ArticleWhy no green bottle is ever left hanging on the wall in Germany
The professional bottle-deposit collector is a familiar figure in the environmentally-conscious country
View ArticleGermany, land of the cheerful chimney sweep
Growing up in the UK, the only sweep Brian Melican ever saw was Bert in Mary Poppins. But in Germany they are plentiful - and lucky with the ladies
View ArticleGermany: the country where renting is a dream
Forget the grasping landlords encountered in the UK - this Briton living in Germany discovered that tenants are treated like royalty
View ArticleBizarre German birthday traditions explained
From tyrannical toddlers to men in drag kissing virgins - our man in Hamburg has a birthday headache and it's not caused by beer
View ArticleFood in Germany: a cult-like devotion to aphrodisiac asparagus
Wherever he goes, our columnist is served up with fat, juicy spears - he ponders on the reasons behind the national obsession with the stuff ...
View ArticleBrits just grin and bear bad dentistry
As a nation, we're stuck with the stereotype of the wonky, discoloured smile. And no wonder - just look at Germany's health service, argues one expat
View Article
More Pages to Explore .....