So I was looking through my "notes" section on my facebook page (does anyone even use that feature anymore?), and when I came across my "Thoughts on Germany" note, I happily re-read it with nostalgia. And renewed wanderlust. I am so itching to travel somewhere. Anywhere.
Anyway, I thought I would post it here. I wrote this right after a trip to southern Germany in 2010 with my better half, while it was all still fresh in my head (at the time, I was still living in Spain).
1. Turns out we were exactly one credit card short of being able to
have a Porsche 911 as a rental car. In Germany. Where they have
no-speed-limit autobahns. Damn all the luck!
2. However, our Opel Astra rental was surprisingly nimble on curvy country roads.
3. Whenever I heard a German person speak perfect English without so much as a stutter, I immediately felt hopelessly American and silently cursed my non-existent flair for languages. I can barely spit out Spanish, while this woman sitting next to me at Oktoberfest is laughingly saying "I haven't used my English in years!" while of course speaking perfect English.
4. The Mister does a funny thing when he's with someone who's speaking with an accent; he will start to unknowingly mimic that person's accent after about a minute or so of conversation. I pointed this out to him several times, but he insisted that was crazy talk.
5. I may have picked up an addiction to Weißwurst. Not entirely sure yet. Will have to eat more Weißwurst and experiment with different mustards. Stay tuned.
6. Despite hearing my husband's stories from last year's Oktoberfest, and despite my affection for beer, I was still not prepared for the level of drinking that goes on in those giant tents. I used to think Spaniards were the kings of social drinking. I was wrong. Oh so wrong.
7. Everywhere I went, I saw people riding bicycles. And I'm not talking about people wearing spandex, biking furiously with their heads lowered. These were normal people wearing paddy caps and slacks, taking a leisurely bicycle ride with their wives or girlfriends. Several of these bicycles had baskets. It was refreshing to see. And thus, my faith in the human race has been restored.
8. German men are generally nicer to look at than Spanish men. Sorry Spain. Just sayin.
9. King Ludwig II of Bavaria is my new favorite famous dead guy. He was an eccentric, had a palace built that was modeled after the Palace of Versailles, he hated attending public social functions, and he had pretty awesome hair.
10. They had me at Kartoffel soup.
11. If you can say Prost! and count to three in German, you've at least nailed one of their many Oktoberfest drinking songs.
12. Every time I saw a cornfield (which was about 845 times), I wanted to run through it with the wind in my hair and a Paulaner in my hand. Maybe I should've been a farmer.
13. Ladies, beware of drunk Italians. Octopus Hands.
And photos! This wouldn't be a decent travel post without some photos right?
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Neuschwanstein Castle in the distance. This is the place where asian tourist groups (or ATG's) ran rampant. They really like their castles.
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Just a quaint summer home for Ludwig II. Nothing fancy.
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Helpful Germans were abundant.
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A ferry boat ride to a palace on an island? Don't mind if I do.
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Germany, you're just way too pretty.
An Irish bar in Germany. Naturally.
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Oktoberfest: like going to a party with a few thousand of your closest drinking buddies.
Prosting our little hearts out.
Germany, I miss you :(
2. However, our Opel Astra rental was surprisingly nimble on curvy country roads.
3. Whenever I heard a German person speak perfect English without so much as a stutter, I immediately felt hopelessly American and silently cursed my non-existent flair for languages. I can barely spit out Spanish, while this woman sitting next to me at Oktoberfest is laughingly saying "I haven't used my English in years!" while of course speaking perfect English.
4. The Mister does a funny thing when he's with someone who's speaking with an accent; he will start to unknowingly mimic that person's accent after about a minute or so of conversation. I pointed this out to him several times, but he insisted that was crazy talk.
5. I may have picked up an addiction to Weißwurst. Not entirely sure yet. Will have to eat more Weißwurst and experiment with different mustards. Stay tuned.
6. Despite hearing my husband's stories from last year's Oktoberfest, and despite my affection for beer, I was still not prepared for the level of drinking that goes on in those giant tents. I used to think Spaniards were the kings of social drinking. I was wrong. Oh so wrong.
7. Everywhere I went, I saw people riding bicycles. And I'm not talking about people wearing spandex, biking furiously with their heads lowered. These were normal people wearing paddy caps and slacks, taking a leisurely bicycle ride with their wives or girlfriends. Several of these bicycles had baskets. It was refreshing to see. And thus, my faith in the human race has been restored.
8. German men are generally nicer to look at than Spanish men. Sorry Spain. Just sayin.
9. King Ludwig II of Bavaria is my new favorite famous dead guy. He was an eccentric, had a palace built that was modeled after the Palace of Versailles, he hated attending public social functions, and he had pretty awesome hair.
10. They had me at Kartoffel soup.
11. If you can say Prost! and count to three in German, you've at least nailed one of their many Oktoberfest drinking songs.
12. Every time I saw a cornfield (which was about 845 times), I wanted to run through it with the wind in my hair and a Paulaner in my hand. Maybe I should've been a farmer.
13. Ladies, beware of drunk Italians. Octopus Hands.
And photos! This wouldn't be a decent travel post without some photos right?
Germany, I miss you :(
Such beautiful images!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDelete