While we were standing in the very busy queue, a hostess, having seen our press cards, tugged at our sleeves. Other pavilions, United Arab Emirates being the only exception, have dedicated no special attention to members of the press. Not on us, anyway. We accept her proposal of a guided tour, to see if our suspicions will be fulfilled, that this will be the most eco-motivated pavilion.

The pavilion's motto is "Be active," because it encourages different ways of thinking, and subsequently raises awareness about the forces of nature as the most important source of our food. With 16,000 visitors each day, the German Pavilion rewards the long wait to get inside. We started on the lower level, where we were handed the so-called "SeedBoard," a sheet of cardboard covered in white paper. We turned it over time and again, stared at it, feeling at a loss, when suddenly it dawned on us that we were about to experience a very special exhibition tour.

"SeedBoard" gives the visitors an opportunity to explore the exhibition in a personalized way. Held in special locations, media, videos, photographs and more appear upon it, all in the language of your preference. The "SeedBoard" technology was made in Germany, first introduced to the public at the Milan EXPO, and has made quite a splash.

The pavilion draws its energy from photovoltaic cells, which rise into the sky like saplings. At the top of the pavilion you can relax under spreading canopies of these "solar trees" that grow out of the base of the pavilion and spread to catch sunlight as they project out of the top. We could have happily stayed longer. If you find yourself running out of time, which is not at all unusual at EXPO, it's best to move on or extend your stay. Read more about German Pavilion here.