Category Archives: German culture
German history goes well beyond oompah bands. In fact, those aren’t German at all – they’re Bavarian. It’s not as simple as it seems, since the country has only existed since 1871 and regional rivalries coupled with two world wars and one Cold War make for a complex historic landscape.
Welcome back, fleas! The Oktoberfest is on
Following a three-year hiatus, Munich’s favorite party returned. Corona didn’t dampen people’s spirits, but I....
Oct
Germans put the fun in fungi
My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....
Sep
The French girl who wouldn’t talk
Language class is where you learn to speak a language, but just memorizing vocabulary and....
Aug
On a train to everywhere – Germany’s €9 ticket and its surprising consequences
The next best thing to free is Germany’s €9 ticket. Apart from motivating even motorheads....
Aug
If this is punctuality, my watch is broken
Germany has the reputation of being punctual and reliable. But recent snafus in city planning....
Jul
Kraut and about – what are all those Germans doing abroad?
German immigrants used to flock to the U.S. They still go there in droves, but....
Jun
Think digital technology is a cure-all? Don’t bet your life on it
A WWII air raid siren startled me once while I waited for a train. Such....
May
Ukraine on the train – from a military to a cultural conflict
Taking the train home from Berlin, some Ukrainians boarded the train. Watching their interactions with....
Apr
Aren’t you glad you got the orange car after all?
The sky was suddenly a muddy orange, but what was causing it. I had an....
2 Comments
Mar
That map might just quash your travel plans – so focus on fun instead
Germans are usually so logical, it’s hard to believe how that can make such planning....
Mar
Think your vacation was spectacular? Don’t make me yawn
Germans take vacations every year without fail. If you need to know something about your....
Feb
Get that rotten banana peel out of the plastic recycling
Listen to Brenda tell the story Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash My muesli stuck....
Feb
The queen turns out to be a football
Languages often adopt foreign words, but this can cause some odd situations, especially when the....
1 Comments
Jan
The 10 kilometers that triggered Acute License Plate Trauma
The small Munich suburb of Zorneding may not be famous, but harbors a few surprises.
1 Comments
Jan
Give us our daily bread, but please let it be German
Listen to Brenda tell the story A good friend of mine recently returned to the....
2 Comments
Aug
Italian – no problemo
I walked into Italian class and saw a room full of pensioners. But I didn't....
6 Comments
Oct
The blossom butcher of Bavaria
If you see one balcony with dead flowers surrounded by houses with perfectly groomed plants,....
Apr
The ghost hand was a lost glove
What are all of these mittens, gloves, and scarves doing hanging from bushes, tree branches....
Mar
Squished on the train – but it was fun
Being stuck on a crowded train gives you a close-up glimpse of its multicultural inhabitants,....
Jan
Roarin’ Retirees
The word “retire” means to rest, but in Germany, retirees have got it backwards: once....
Dec
On the train from Munich to Berlin
It’s a bright sunny day as my daughter and I hop on the train to....
Nov
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