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Guide to Paderborn, Germany
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PaderbornA German city known for its university and not much else, Paderborn lives in the shadow of Frankfurt and is a world away from Berlin, the nation's capital, in terms of...well...modernism, population, museums, art collections, and everything else you can imagine would be fitting for a world-renowned destination. Even though Paderborn lacks in luster and chauvinistic displays of architectural achievements along its streets, its quaint status works quite well for it. Everything in the city is a lot quieter than in Germany's busier sects, but even with the missing presence of dozens of Monets and Matisses to grace the land its very easy to grow comfortable with what it has. Visit a caf and passing the hours of the day seems more of a mistaken than anything resembling an intention. Take a hike to the city's highest point(s) and soon you'll be coming to terms with the fact that Germany is not solely a concoction of industrial complexes and jagged edges too many to count. Paderborn does have a historic tinge but not to the point where you feel guilty about bumping shoulders and spilling your tea on the sidewalk. Its most easily spotted sites are usually its most important, but a few will need more close observances. Nevertheless, Paderborn is a great place for those with 'different' as the criteria keyword for their journeys. If you're a fellow independent, Paderborn is for you.
When to go:
Paderborn is large enough for a football (soccer) team to call it home and is the host of the unusual, yet interesting event known as the German Open: RoboCup. The city's crowds grow when matches are present, but if you're coming for the mechanical side of the sport you'll see more blokes donning bifocals electronic gadgets than jersey-wearing, rowdy, beer-chugging fanatics. If instant messaging is your conversational method of choice, we strongly suggest you visit the city in time to catch Robo-Soccer, but otherwise, anytime between the months of April and October is wonderful. Heatwaves are typically not of any concern in this morsel of the world, but if European summers don't bode well with you, make your visit for spring or autumn. Both have their high and low points, but irritants such as sunburn will be no bother.
Getting there and around:
Paderborn's airport isn't off the map completely, but if you're outside the confines of the EU you're almost guaranteed a required stopover in Berlin, or Frankfurt if you don't wish to endure travel aboard a cramped airplane cabin twice. You may be able to sneak your way to Paderborn direct from the UK if you're so inclined to do a fair amount of scavenging, but sometimes the least effort is the most rewarding. Paderborn may be home to just 150,000 residents, but its layout is very expansive, and unless you're staying within the city center, it'd be foolish to go about your way by foot. Buses compete with private vehicles for roadway domination, but in the end, it will cost you less if you keep with public transit than if you've got a rental car on your hands.
Attractions:
Technology hounds rejoice when they hear the name Paderborn. Why? Well, the city is the site of the world's largest computer museum (Who knows how long this fact will hold true?) and it's obscure (to the average tourist unfamiliar with jargon associated with transistors and motherboards) title fits well: the Heinz Nixdorf Museums Forum. Of course, most of the sport fans in Paderborn will be found in the college dorms, but their spirit lives thrice the size of the city, so if you're in town and are fortunate to come upon a day on which a match is scheduled, buy your ticket(s) as soon as you hear word of their availability.
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