Thoughts on the Germans

1. Germans don't get in line. If you stand behind someone who is waiting to be attended to, you are likely to have someone slowly stand beside you and slide their way in front of you. They think nothing of it. I'm starting to think this is why I wait so long in McDonald's. It's not that the service is slow (although it is, because they don't put you to the side to wait for your food, you just stand in front of the register and no one else can order), it's that I constantly have people cutting in front of me, and they do it in a way that make you question whether or not you really were there first.

2. Books. Books everywhere. People with their noses in books walking on the sidewalk. Bookstores lining the streets. Bookshelves in the alleys where one can donate a book and take one in return.

3. Travel agencies (Reisebüros) are so common, I couldn't find my way to school without passing four if I tried. Hell, there's one on my street, and there isn't a single other non-residential building for blocks. I don't know if they just haven't caught on to William Shatner's Priceline Negotiations yet, or what. Maybe if Shatner was replaced with Hasselhoff?

4. Cash only. Everywhere. It's killing me, because ATMs aren't as common as Reisebüros, and when you find one, they don't charge 2 euros, they charge 5, minimum, and a percentage of the withdrawal after a certain amount. Grocery stores are usually cash only. Many restaurants/pubs are cash only, and they give you your change right there at the table. They bring a bag of money with you and go around the table taking the cash for the bills, just as if you were ordering. This doesn't make sense to me, with regards to tips, because I would think people would be more inclined to tip better if they can't see the physically money (i.e. they are writing a number on a credit card receipt). At least, I think that way.

5. Germans like their Nutella. Actually, Europeans like their Nutella. And why shouldn't they? It's delicious. I can be bought in gallon jars here, or whatever a gallon is in their wacky system.

6. If you attempt to talk to a German three-year-old and butcher the language, he will cock his head like a puppy and go "was?" It's so damn cute... And no matter how much you say "I don't speak German very well, you must talk slower", he will chat on with you endlessly, like a radio announcer or something.