August 26th.
Just left Germany today. Super grateful for this unplanned week of discovery!
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My family and I stayed in Oberhausen in the industrial region of the Ruhr. Most of this is not postcard Germany, and nearly everywhere we went locals would ask us why on earth we were choosing to visit this area!
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Truth be told, we just chose a pin on a map, but I'm glad we came here, because it allowed us to venture into the real, authentic Germany, far from tourist hotspots, the Germany that many Germans live in, warts and all: in between our days out in touristy cities like Cologne and Bonn, we spent a lot of our time walking in post-industrial towns hit hard by socio-economic change, with casinos, euro shops and even beautiful abandoned structures like this ghost shopping complex pictured.
I not only find it a stunning building but a fitting introduction into the lives of many people in this region.
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I leave with fond memories and look forward to visiting this fascinating country again!
Opmerkingen