🇩🇪📍 Aachen

Aachen is in the westernmost part of Germany, right near the tri-border area (Germany-Belgium-Netherlands). We almost went there, but the weather was bad ☔, and we missed the connecting bus 🚌. ⚠️ Heads up: There’s a long stretch with no signal, and the bus signs aren’t in German! The city itself is small, but the Chinese food here is surprisingly good! 😋 📍 Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) ✨ Stunningly detailed! Though smaller than Cologne Cathedral, the opulent interior is just as impressive. ⚜️ The upper & lower levels (possibly royal tombs) require a guided tour. 🍞 Pro tip: The two bakeries near the entrance have AMAZING bread—but they sell out by evening! 🥖🔥 📍 Elisenbrunnen & Garden Meh… it’s basically just a fancy hallway 🏛️. But the garden offers a great distant view of the cathedral 📸. 📍 Street Sculptures & Fountains Aachen’s small, but its streets are dotted with quirky sculptures & fountains 🎭⛲. The marionette puppet statue is especially cool—it actually moves! 🤖💫 📍 Town Hall (Rathaus) 🏰 Gothic grandeur! The gloomy weather + Christmas decor made it extra atmospheric. Fun fact: It was built on the ruins of a royal palace! 📍 RWTH Aachen University 🎓 Known as the "MIT of Europe"! 🍂 A ginkgo tree (donated by Tsinghua University) stands at the entrance—golden leaves everywhere when the wind blows! 🌬️💛 📍 Restaurant: Lao Yan Wei Dao ⏰ Opens at 5 PM on Sundays—book ahead! 🏆 Top-tier Chinese food, always packed. 🔥 Our order (5 people, 4 dishes): 1️⃣ Garlic Grilled Fish 🐟🧄 2️⃣ Duck Soup 🦆🍲 3️⃣ Mao Xue Wang (Spicy Blood & Offal Stew) 🌶️🥘 4️⃣ Wood Ear Mushroom Salad 🥗🍄 💶 Only €19 per person! So worth it. 🤑👍 #Aachen #EuropeTravel #GermanyTravel #HiddenGems #FoodieHeaven 🚀🍽️