In a message dated 10/20/2003 11:01:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, HESSE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > We are looking not for the sort of guidebook that > focuses on accommodations, eating places, and > transportation, but something more informative about > the places: history, geography, culture, economics, etc. > Also would appreciate advice about a German "phrase > book" for folks utterly ignorant of the German language > but hoping to not embarrass ourselves entirely. Try going to WWW. name of village .DE e.g. <A HREF="www.wetzlar.de">www.wetzlar.de</A> <A HREF="www.mannheim.de">www.mannheim.de</A> Some of the villages do convert to English-language pages, as does Wetzlar. At the very least, you can see photos of various places such as the Rathaus (city hall) and other sites in the cities or villages. Their tourist bureau on-line has some good links and info also <A HREF="http://www.germany-tourism.de/">http://www.germany-tourism.de/</A> ENJOY and try with any village or city name in the "middle" of the url. Margie in FL