Category Archives: Culture
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
Read by Brenda Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash My muesli stuck in my throat....
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
800 years of history found their way into my bike lock
I thought I had a foolproof way to remember my bike lock combination. But I....
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
Can your dog help improve your listening skills? Yip!
What can dogs teach us about communication? Quite a bit
Jan
I tried to escape the Oktoberfest. I failed.
Read by Brenda For the second time, the Oktoberfest has been canceled due to corona.....
Oct
Get those escargots out of my lawnmower
French culture impacted many countries' languages and cuisine - and even the front yard.
1 Comments
Aug
Give us our daily bread, but please let it be German
Read by Brenda A good friend of mine recently returned to the U.S. after several....
2 Comments
Grave Thoughts Indeed – Part 4 – The Oktoberfest
26 May 2021 (Click here for parts 1, 2 and 3) Munich is known first....
May
Italiano – no problemo for meo
I walked into Italian class and saw a room full of pensioners. But I didn't....
6 Comments
Oct
Spectators turned spectacle
Corona’s surprising effect on an evening at the theater My favorite small theater has reopened....
7 Comments
Oct
The Oktoberfest was canceled due to COVID-19
Munich's Oktoberfest was canceled due to COVID-19, but locals are celebrating anyway.
3 Comments
Oct
The Race for Space is Over (but not the way you think)
Shopping pre-corona in Germany used to be a contact sport - that changed overnight
4 Comments
May
Feb
The Secret Second Life of Balconies
Balconies are great in summer, but they can be useful in winter in surprising ways.
Jan
An Intents Experience – My Oktoberfest Visit
The Oktoberfest is inextricably linked to drinking beer. But there's a lot more to it....
World War Window
When I was a student, I thanked my lucky stars when I could finally afford....
Jul
The Curious Case of the X in the Sock Drawer
Remember the old standard joke that people use when they don't want to go to....
2 Comments
Jun
Of planes to Spain exploring new terrain
I was thrilled when my daughter decided to study Spanish in Spain for three months,....
May
The blossom butcher of Bavaria
If you see one balcony with dead flowers surrounded by houses with perfectly groomed plants,....
Apr
The ghost hand
What are all of these mittens, socks and scarves doing hanging from bushes, tree branches....
Mar
Rammed in the tram
The Munich public transport system may be lousy, but when you’re stuck on a tram....
Jan
Roarin’ Retirees
The word “retire” means to rest, but in Germany, retirees have got it backwards: once....
Dec
Trains of thought en route from Munich to Berlin
It’s a bright sunny day as my daughter and I hop on the train to....
Nov
Studying in Germany is nothing like the U.S.
Nothing prepared me for when my daughters set off for German universities. They have little....
Oct
Here we go again – it’s Oktoberfest time
Oktoberfest is here! An insider's view of the curious goings-on.
Sep
Looking for the elusive blood moon
Determined to see the Blood Moon, we wandered through the neighborhood to get a better....
1 Comments
Aug
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