The Monkey crossing the border into Germany. Now he’s ready to fahr’n, fahr’n, fahr’n auf der autobahn. Der Affe is a big Kraftwerk fan. Despite its reputation, many sections of Germany’s autobahn do in fact have speed limits.

The Monkey takes in the streets of Aachen. The city’s greatest historical figure was undoubtedly Charlemagne, the late 8th and early 9th Century king of the Franks (a confederation of Germanic tribes). Charlemagne consolidated his grip on much of Western Europe in a series of wars, creating a centralized state stretching from the Netherlands to Spain and from France to Austria and parts of Germany and Italy. He became the Holy Roman Emperor in 800. In 824, Charlemagne was buried in Aachen’s Cathedral, the bell tower of which is visible in the background.

There’s more to Aachen than Charlemagne. Aachen is a pleasant city near the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, and there’s a lively multicultural air to the place. The Monkey also found this cluster of bold modern buildings, just near the old center, and decided to stop for a photograph.

The Monkey takes in the fairytale beauty of Monschau, in the North Rhine-Westphalia.

Another shot of the Monkey in Monschau. The ruins of one of the village’s hilltop fortresses are visible in the background.

Bitte ein Bit! The Monkey visits Bitburg’s claim to fame, the Bitburger Brauerei. The brewery was founded in 1817, and is best known for its Bitburger Premium Pils.

When was the last time you stood on a hilltop and didn’t feel the wind blowing? These wind turbines generate electricity based on that constant wind. Germany is the world’s leading wind power nation, followed by Spain, then the United States. By the time this photo was taken in 2002, Europe already generated enough wind energy to power 16 million homes. The Monkey applauds the promulgation of such sustainable forms of energy.