Observations Regarding Germany

[Revoltingest]

I'd been informed (by youtube & people) some things about the old country.
It didn't always comport with my experience there.
Deutschland relative to Ameristan.....

Claim: Germans are cold towards people they don't know.
Finding: They're actually quite outgoing & friendly.
Strangers struck up conversations with us.
(One thought we were Canuckistanian. Must've been the accent, eh.)
Perhaps some judged by the occasional sticks in the mud.
Who doesn't have those, eh.

Claim: Germans like cash, but not credit cards.
Finding: Credit cards are welcome in many places frequented by foreigners.
But they share my love of cash (freedom dollars Geld).

Claim: Toilets aren't free.
Finding: Indeed, you pay for public Toiletten.

Claim: Germans are aggressive drivers.
Finding; This was not so, however they strive for efficiency.
This could be seen as aggression.
But I found them considerate, competent, & courteously efficient.

Claim: Many Germans know English.
Finding: True dat. While many don't, the country is English friendly.

Claim: Germans & Ameristans shouldn't discuss politics.
Finding: We all discussed politics...even guns & gun control.
It turned out that we had similar opinions. No discord whatsoever.
Being civil, thoughtful, & engaging always succeeds.

Observation: Relative to Ameristan, everything in Germany is...
Dainty but efficient:
- Smaller cars, trailers, & trucks.
- Smaller houses.
- Smaller roads.
Clean, well maintained:
- No trash along roads.
- All homes look new & tidy.
- All cars look clean & new...even vintage ones.
- Villages are confined, leaving open natural & farm land devoid of urban sprawl.

Observation: No hardware stores. We dismantled & packed
an engine in Hof. The seller (who lives there) said that when
he needs hardware, he has a neighbor who deals in it.
Yes...it struck me as much like needing illicit drugs.

Observation: Airport security is more thorough.
But it was reasonable & efficient.

Observation: I saw more guns in Germany than in Ameristan.
They do love their H&K machine guns...but only in the hands
of cops, especially at the airport.

Observation: Smoking was surprisingly tolerated.
We marveled at cigarette vending machines still existing.
They even smoke in restaurants. But most abstain.

Observation: They charge for things that are free in Ameristan.

Observations: Germans like their bottled water, especially with
"gas" (carbonated). So I asked for "stille wasser" (tap water)
cuz I'm a cheapskate, & I like to avoid packaging (even though
they recycle).

 

[Rival]

Smoking is still really big on the continent; you won't find it in the UK as much.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Your findings largely match with what I found. My whole family really enjoyed Germany.

(We only got to Berlin and Munich, and a little if the border country with Austria)

 

[Stevicus]

I'd been informed (by youtube & people) some things about the old country.
It didn't always comport with my experience there.
Deutschland relative to Ameristan.....

Claim: Germans are cold towards people they don't know.
Finding: They're actually quite outgoing & friendly.
Strangers struck up conversations with us.
(One thought we were Canuckistanian. Must've been the accent, eh.)
Perhaps some judged by the occasional sticks in the mud.
Who doesn't have those, eh.

Claim: Germans like cash, but not credit cards.
Finding: Credit cards are welcome in many places frequented by foreigners.
But they share my love of cash (freedom dollars Geld).

Claim: Toilets aren't free.
Finding: Indeed, you pay for public Toiletten.

Claim: Germans are aggressive drivers.
Finding; This was not so, however they strive for efficiency.
This could be seen as aggression.
But I found them considerate, competent, & courteously efficient.

Claim: Many Germans know English.
Finding: True dat. While many don't, the country is English friendly.

Claim: Germans & Ameristans shouldn't discuss politics.
Finding: We all discussed politics...even guns & gun control.
It turned out that we had similar opinions. No discord whatsoever.
Being civil, thoughtful, & engaging always succeeds.

Observation: Relative to Ameristan, everything in Germany is...
Dainty but efficient:
- Smaller cars, trailers, & trucks.
- Smaller houses.
- Smaller roads.
Clean, well maintained:
- No trash along roads.
- All homes look new & tidy.
- All cars look clean & new...even vintage ones.
- Villages are confined, leaving open natural & farm land devoid of urban sprawl.

Observation: No hardware stores. We dismantled & packed
an engine in Hof. The seller (who lives there) said that when
he needs hardware, he has a neighbor who deals in it.
Yes...it struck me as much like needing illicit drugs.

Observation: Airport security is more thorough.
But it was reasonable & efficient.

Observation: I saw more guns in Germany than in Ameristan.
They do love their H&K machine guns...but only in the hands
of cops.

Observation: Smoking was surprisingly tolerated.
We marveled at cigarette vending machines still existing.
They even smoke in restaurants. But most abstain.

Did you ever go into any of the beer halls where they're all lively and singing? Did you get a chance to pet the famous "beer hall pooch"?

 

[Revoltingest]

Smoking is still really big on the continent; you won't find it in the UK as much.

Good.
A vile habit it is.

 

[Revoltingest]

Did you ever go into any of the beer halls where they're all lively and singing? Did you get a chance to pet the famous "beer hall pooch"?

We did go to a stereotypical Bier Garten.
No singing, but it was politely boisterous.
I drank more beer in a week there than I normally
would have in a year here. But as they say...
When in Rome, drink like a German.
(The food & drink were very good.)

 

[Debater Slayer]

I have a few relatives and friends who have been to Germany and either spent a couple of months or lived there for years. They all found the majority of Germans they dealt with to be generally distant and not as open to talking to strangers as most here.

Of course, this is just a small sample, and the perception could totally be down to the fact that Egyptian culture is hyper-extroverted. Almost all Americans and Europeans I know who have visited or lived in Egypt agree that Egyptian culture is far more extroverted than theirs.

 

[Revoltingest]

I have a few relatives and friends who have been to Germany and either spent a couple of months or lived there for years. They all found the majority of Germans they dealt with to be generally distant and not as open to talking to strangers as most here.

Of course, this is just a small sample, and the perception could totally be down to the fact that Egyptian culture is hyper-extroverted. Almost all Americans and Europeans I know who have visited or lived in Egypt agree that Egyptian culture is far more extroverted than theirs.

I wondered how my interactions were affected by my
wearing very loud shirts & socks. My host (the engine's
seller) joked about my very tourist-like appearance.
Also, I tend to not have an "indoor" voice.

One shirt I wore has Frenchmen holding nuclear bombs,
& surfers riding them. Mambo (Aussie company) issued
this vintage shirt to protest French testing in the southern
Pacific....

I know that my impressions will differ from others'.
We not only have our own perspectives, we also
influence the behavior of others.

 

[Eddi]

I've been to Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt

Wonderful country, but I can't speak the language

I found that the Germans who can communicate in English are generally very good at doing so and don't mind doing so either

And the food there is amazing

 

[Stevicus]

I think my earliest impressions of Germany were formed from watching Hogan's Heroes as a kid.

 

[sun rise]

Claim: Toilets aren't free.
Finding: Indeed, you pay for public Toiletten.

I remember during the 60's the slogan "come the revolution and toilets will be free" because some charged in that era leading to what we jokingly referred to as "the limbo" in order to make a revolutionary statement about the ruling class.

 

[Harel13]

Claim: Toilets aren't free.
Finding: Indeed, you pay for public Toiletten.

There are some restrooms in Israel that also cost money, such as in some of the central bus stations. When travelling it is useful to make sure you have 1 shekel coins because that's what it usually costs to enter (though sometimes a few shekels more...).

 

[Revoltingest]

There are some restrooms in Israel that also cost money, such as in some of the central bus stations. When travelling it is useful to make sure you have 1 shekel coins because that's what it usually costs to enter (though sometimes a few shekels more...).

Well, duh!
Them Jews are all about get'n that geld.
(I wouldn't said "Hebes", but thought that might offend.)
BTW, I'm fine with pay toilets...when warned in advance.
It's a service that costs money. payment prolly doesn't
even fully cover the cost.

 

[Secret Chief]

the famous "beer hall pooch"?

You mean the beer hall putsch?

 

[Harel13]

Well, duh!
Them Jews are all about get'n that geld.
(I wouldn't said "Hebes", but thought that might offend.)
(I'm fine with pay toilets...when warned in advance.)

What's truly hilarious is that for many years there was a pay restroom in the Jerusalem central station, on the second floor. Then a couple of years ago they opened a new one on the third floor, but to this day haven't installed a payment system. So if you're not feeling like shelling out a shekel on the second floor (like most people), you'll just make your way up to the third floor...

 

[Revoltingest]

What's truly hilarious is that for many years there was a pay restroom in the Jerusalem central station, on the second floor. Then a couple of years ago they opened a new one on the third floor, but to this day haven't installed a payment system. So if you're not feeling like shelling out a shekel on the second floor (like most people), you'll just make your way up to the third floor...

Some needs are more urgent than others.

 

[Harel13]

Some needs are more urgent than others.

True. What with prices getting so high in every corner of the market and all.

 

[Secret Chief]

We did go to a stereotypical Bier Garten.
No singing, but it was politely boisterous.
I drank more beer in a week there than I normally
would have in a year here. But as they say...
When in Rome, drink like a German.
(The food & drink were very good.)

Those bloody efficient Germans. The best AF beers I've had are German.

Been on hols to the Black Forest and along the Rhine. Lovely places and people. Terrible tea though. Coffee excellent. I could speak about ten words of German for a while, but all gone now except for "Sechs flaschen bitte."

 

[Mock Turtle]

I've only visited Munich (on business and via the company plane) and Hamburg (don't ask ), and probably didn't have time on either of these occasions to explore too much, although I did manage to visit a Christmas market and buy some rather nice wine (not seen in the UK) in Munich. Don't really have an opinion as to Germans, given they seem as normal and rational as I would want, and have much nice scenery, although Austria is the nearest as to my appreciating such - the mountains, that is.

 

[Flankerl]

Claim: Germans are cold towards people they don't know.
Finding: They're actually quite outgoing & friendly.
Strangers struck up conversations with us.
(One thought we were Canuckistanian. Must've been the accent, eh.)
Perhaps some judged by the occasional sticks in the mud.
Who doesn't have those, eh.

The further south the more welcoming is a general rule.
Germans generally don't engage strangers unless something happens.
A tourist that looks touristy may be something like that.

Claim: Germans like cash, but not credit cards.
Finding: Credit cards are welcome in many places frequented by foreigners.
But they share my love of cash (freedom dollars Geld).

Only in tourist areas.
And don't bet on it.
Debit cards are far more common.

Claim: Many Germans know English.
Finding: True dat. While many don't, the country is English friendly.

The younger a German is the better is his English.
It's simply not used that often outside of school.

Also Germans can generally write far better than they can speak English.

Claim: Germans & Ameristans shouldn't discuss politics.
Finding: We all discussed politics...even guns & gun control.
It turned out that we had similar opinions. No discord whatsoever.
Being civil, thoughtful, & engaging always succeeds.

Depends.
If you are a Republican who thinks baby Jesus holds his hands over the US, that abortion should be illegal and everyone deserves the chair you won't find many people to share your views.

Observation: Relative to Ameristan, everything in Germany is...
Dainty but efficient:
- Smaller cars, trailers, & trucks.
- Smaller houses.
- Smaller roads.
Clean, well maintained:
- No trash along roads.
- All homes look new & tidy.
- All cars look clean & new...even vintage ones.
- Villages are confined, leaving open natural & farm land devoid of urban sprawl.

Rural Franconia is hardly representative of Germany as a whole.

Observation: No hardware stores. We dismantled & packed
an engine in Hof. The seller (who lives there) said that when
he needs hardware, he has a neighbor who deals in it.
Yes...it struck me as much like needing illicit drugs.

Obi, Hornbach, Toom, Bauhaus, Hagebau and Globus are literally everywhere.

Observation: Airport security is more thorough.
But it was reasonable & efficient.

In Germany?
You don't even have to undress or get padded down.