Culture shock: the Germans wait for stop lights. Even the bicyclists. And there are almost no motorcyclists. And cars stop for you at pedestrian walks. They all obey the rules, even when there is no traffic. It's almost annoying. I stepped out into the empty street on a red light and realized nobody else had done so. I slunk back up the curb and waited with the rest. I complained all the time in Italy about nobody obeying any rules, but now I find myself impatient with the German sense of order. As our Roman tour guide told us, the traffic rules are only "suggestions" in Italy. In Germany, they are part of the DNA.
Steve, our capable assistant director, made what I thought was an insightful observation about Munich. He said it felt more like Minnesota (or even the U.S.) than Great Britain. I would have to agree. Germans look more like Midwesterners, dress like us and are less quirky than the Brits, which, I think, sets them apart.
Munich is much less a tourist city than Paris or Rome, but that's part of its attraction. The students loved it. It's a muscular city with smart industry (if you don't consider the current deep recession that has hit her quite hard) including automotive, aerospace and engineering. It's a city that was almost demolished during WWII but re-invented and rebuilt itself as a new, cosmopolitan center, much more diverse than it was in the past.
It's livable, gracious and friendly. The students rented bicycles for 12 euro per day. Bike lanes abound, and scenic bike paths surround the city in what they call their English Garden. Some rode to the amazing BMW museum and factory. Some rode to the Olympic Park (the site of the hostage crisis during the 1972 Olympics). Some went on a WWII walking tour, followed by a beer hall tour. These, of course, are plentiful.
The photo shows the spot where Hitler would address his followers during his rise to power. This was the heart of the Nazi movement, but Hitler would not recognize the city today, which is wonderful, of course.
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