Sorry its been so long since the last blog. I've been busily working on paper at night because we don't have much free time to work. We are taking yet another trip this weekend. But I thought I would blog about the little things that are different over here than they are at home.
American Fast Food in Germany: Yes, I admit, I've been to KFC, McDonald's, and Burger King. Munich is a very international city. There are people here from all over the world. People take for granted that a dozen different languages are spoken and we can't all understand each other. Fast food places seem to be staffed entirely of foreigners to Germany. Burger King was staffed only by people from India. McD's is Japanese. KFC, I don't even know what KFC is. But they all have a flat screen TV showing music videos. KFC uses real plates and silver ware. People really do put mayonaise on French fries instead of ketchup. And no matter what kind of soft drink you get, it has the same weird perfumey lemonny taste. Even in bottles. I think they have a different formula here.
Air Conditioning: Nobody has it. No stores, restaurants, homes, nothing. And it's sweltering hot now. They just open windows, but they haven't heard of screens. There are no screens on any windows. I have a few mosquito bites.
Transportation: You don't need a car to live here. And it's not considered a hardship not to have a car. The bus and subway systems are very good. In the morning you see almost as many bicycles as cars going to work. There are bike lanes that are actually big enough. But don't walk in them; the bikers will just run into you.
Pole walking: The fad among the older people is walking with two poles that look like ski poles.
Drug Stores: There aren't any. You have to go to an apothecary and ask the person at the counter for what you want. You can't even browse for aspirin. They have to get it for you from the back area behind the counter.
Water: The tap water here is supposed to be the cleanest in the world, but try getting any of it in a restaurant. If you want water, you have to buy a big fancy bottle. And you have to specify still water and not bubbly. Everything is carbonated. Apple juice, orange juice, even tomato juice is carbonated!
