1. Most responses to our questions on, pretty much everything, come back withe German's favorite English phrase, "It's not possible!". But if you suggest the same thing in a slightly different way, they will say, "well of course you can do that". But they never offer to solve your problem. And so it seems problem solving skills are not possible for most Germans.
2. Everybody here is active. No one is really slender or skinny-minny, and no one is obese. They are just average-sized, sturdily built, active people, and I love it. If you ask anyone what they intend to do that weekend (in the rain), they will tell you, "Sports". And by that they may mean biking, hiking, running (in the rain), even badminton(!); or, in the winter, snow-shoeing, skiing, etc.
---We actually came across the surfers last weekend while walking through the English Gardens. It's entertaining! (see below for pictures)
3. Maybe since they are so active, they feel they can do anything while on a bike. Tasks, you or I may fail to perform, thinking it would be too hard, the Germans will do without batting an eyelash. The other day I saw a man in a bright all-red, 2-sizes-too-small addidas jumpsuit, with bright blue socks and shoes, on a bright yellow bike, carrying another full-sized bike as easily as you might hold a diet coke in your hand. Pretty impressive, and yet another example of what I now like to call, the "tight and bright" style of the Europeans. You may also see a mother of 3, baby strapped to her back, carrying 2 kids in a bike trolley behind her, with groceries and holding an umbrella while biking down the road.
4. Also, everyone is really really tall, and sturdily built. It is not at all uncommon to see 6-ft-plus women on a regular basis, and even taller men. I'm tempted to grow a few more inches myself, after another pound or two of sauerkraut and sausages... Anyway, if I fear for my life, and I do, I won't be starting any fights anytime soon with the Germans. Although....
5. They love to argue! And in fact, no one takes you seriously here if you are upset about something and not raising your voice (see the story "Germans like to shout it out" for an example of this).
6. One thing that is possible, as R comically put it: It's entirely possible to be driving 120 miles/hr down the autobon and have some little Fiat overtake you going twice that speed.
7. At any given time you may see the following in a parking lot: BMW, audi, VW, VW, audi, BMW, BMW, audi, audi, audi, VW. etc. all in the racy color of, black. Perhaps they need a neutral background from which to show off their tight and bright wardrobe.
8. A gentle word of warning: Beware of the European toilets! Despite the whole "German engineering" type of misguided stereotype you may be holding onto, the Germans (and most neighboring countries) have a lesson or two to learn on the big flush. Despite generally great water pressure in all showers and faucets, the water level could be confused for a non-working toilet, and that, with a hole in the back of the bowl the size of a quarter. Subsequently, nothing goes down into the corridor you had hoped it to travel with a simple flush, which is partly due to the shelf-shaped "bowl". Sorry for that, but don't say you weren't warned! And, if you visit the country, don't be surprised if your hosts heavily hint at where the cleaning supplies are. ;)
9. People are very law-abiding and honest here. For instance, you could probably litter (not that you ever should litter!) a piece of your mail, and someone would likely find your mail, send it back to you with a note saying, "you dropped this". It's also a sure way to start a conversation with someone, if you, say, do something horrific, like jay-walk. Someone is sure to start shouting at you, and after they have calmed down, you can make a friend!
10. On the same note, and very unlike Chicago, people rarely even bother to lock up their bicycles. Sometimes they will put a chain through the wheel and and the bike's own frame, but hardly ever will you see a bike locked to a solid object. (Don't tell the bad people or they will come and ruin it for us all.) It's pretty amazing though, and, I believe Munich is listed as one of the safest cities in the world.
*River-surfing: http://www.google.com/search?
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