I have spent a lot of time in Germany, my wife has a sister that lives
there and we go when ever we got a good price on a ticket. While there
go to some stores similar to the home depot we have here. You will see
some really quality products you won't find here. Out stuff is all
made in Mexico of someplace like that. I remember looking at a display
of hinges. They looked like they would last a century, you just don't
see that stuff here. I will tell you a funny story, I was in Denmark
in a store and I was in the plumbing area. There was a display with a
TV and a video loop running showing the shower heads working. Here is
the funny part, the video has a woman in the shower enjoying the
shower. Totally nude taking a shower. There are kids walking around
and many people, but I am the only one watching. They must have known
I was an American because that stuff means nothing to them. I like to
visit small factories. I once spend the whole day in a place that made
bagpipes in Scotland. When I told them I worked with lathes and built
pool cues, they let me run one of their lathes. It was built in the
1800 and still runs every day. If you rent a car, you can get away
from the regular tourist stuff and meet the real people. I stay for
about a month at a time and drive all over Europe. I will say, I have
not been there since 9-11 so I may be a little more careful now a
days.


"Greg Dermer" wrote in message ...
Specifically Berlin, Munich or Baden? I'm planning a trip there in October
and am looking for suggestions. I already know about the Deutsches Museum
in Munich: I'm planning on two days for that. What else should a
metal/gear head see? Besides metal stuff for its own sake, I'm interested in
clocks/timekeeping, astronomy, history of technology, steam, rotating
engines of other sorts, old electrical technology... You know, metal/gear
head stuff ;-)

-- Greg
-- http://www.depmco.com