The holidays have come and gone, but they have left you a little something behind... or maybe a slightly bigger behind! Personal trainer Erik Habel gives us a good workout that is somewhere between high-speed yoga and sumo training... Get the lead out! (video copyright dpa)

Construction is the biggest source of political corruption in the world, and here a case in point: the existence of hermit Friedmunt Sonnemann is being threatened by the construction of an elevated Moselle River overpass, that according to critics is neither wanted nor needed by the inhabitants. (video copyright dpa)

Another delightful animated fairytale, this time Hans Christian Andersen's beloved "The Ugly Duckling," again featuring narrator Bastian Pastewka. Enjoy!

Louis and Elias of the street band Guaia Guaia are about as close to The Big Lebowski's "The Dude" as you could expect any pair of twenty-something German guys to be. Watch this video as an excercise in learning to chill out and live free! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen! (video copyright dpa)

Barbara tries to get the students to talk about what they don't like about Germany, but the only thing they can come up with is the lack of free water in restaurants and cafes. Barbara, however, admits that when she is in the US, she misses German bread. Meanwhile Jacob, Casie, and Stephanie sort out the meaning of sich kümmern um. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

Two businessmen shake hands, have a meeting, and both fall ill the next day. What did they do wrong? According to this report, they should have kissed each other on the cheek instead of shaking hands! A doctor in Berlin also tells us about the effectiveness of herbal teas... Gesundheit! (video copyright dpa)

This wonderful animated version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin" features the many guises of narrator Bastian Pastewka. "Rumpelstiltskin" seems to have some very ambiguous morals: Lying to the powerful about your daughter is good? Marrying a powerful man is good, even if he is a swine? Never give a rich woman with a baby a second chance? See if you can figure it out!

Barbara notices that Ian seems to have forgotten how to count in German, and then before the class can get started on relative clauses with verbs and prepositions, Mia and Liz make a great effort to explain sich gewöhnen an. In the end it's all laughs and high-fives! Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

Though the Bach Cantatas have some very old-fashioned spellings in German (such as adding an "et" to the end of third person singular verbs instead of just a "t"), the language is still easily understandable, and the music is among the most beautiful ever created. Enjoy!

How can you tell if fresh fruits and vegetables are good or not? Chef Tolga von Klein from the Kochhaus restaurant in Berlin has some excellent tips. Guten Appetit!
(video copyright dpa)

Despite one couple whose idea of a romantic Valentine's Day is to visit the German Constitutional Court, Yabla star reporter Diane still manages to find some people with some more traditional ideas of love. What are you doing with your loved one this Valentine's Day?

The three women from Hamburg who are the Die Heiterkeit are the closest thing to the Velvet Underground you are likely to hear out of Germany these days: very cool, restrained, minimal, a bit gothic, and… they rock! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

The next time you are waiting for your baggage at Frankfurt Airport and feel something sniffing the back of your leg, remember to be polite: it may be an official from the German Customs — in the form of a highly trained dog! A dog trainer from the German Customs explains what qualities they look for in their future canine employees. (video copyright dpa)

Barbara bravely leads the somewhat sullen class (late night perhaps?) through an excellent lesson in constructing relative clauses with prepositions, and is not convinced when Mia claims that they are fertig. Whatever could she mean by that? Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

When a lot has happened, there is a lot of talk, but a lot of it is useless. These ladies and gentlemen, however, came prepared with something to say! (video copyright dpa)

The "Femeiche" oak tree in North Rhine-Westphalia may well be the oldest living tree in Germany, dating from the first millenium AD. (video copyright dpa)

In this fast and furious segment, Barbara takes the class on a slam dunk grammar tour of German relative clauses with prepositions. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

Comedian Mike Krüger gets the laughs with funny dialog and songs about drinking and relationships. Viel Spaß!

Our eyes were glued to the celebrities again in 2013, with some giving Hollywood-style red carpet entries, and others making a down and dirty exit. (video copyright dpa)

Part two of this series takes Yabla star reporter Diane to a catapult stand, where the carnie gives her a detailed account of the history of the catapult, and on to the "Mercenaries" club, whose members wear medieval costumes and barter their services in Bretten's Peter and Paul Festival. Enjoy!

Check out this animated version of the classic Grimm Brothers' fairytale "The Frog Prince," with a lively narration by Bastian Pastewka.

Litte kids on big motorbikes, part 3: The organizer of the event at the ADAC training ground in Bensheim talks about his job, and a volunteer discusses how she helps out.

Yamina shows us how to do some of the combinations of Yoga positions that make up the "sun salutation". Try doing a number of these first thing in the morning before breakfast, you won't believe how much it can energize your day. Plus you can learn German at the same time you are keeping yourself fit! Viel Spaß!

It's off to the frosty winter vineyards of Rheingau: ice wine is risky venture, but if successful, a single bottle can yield up to 400 euros! Watch the ice wine harvest in action and see how it's done. Prost! Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]