In Germany
Sleeping with Germans
Sleep is such a natural part of life. However it occurred to me that the aspect of sleep is part of culture as well. So sleep itself, the act of being unconscious and resting, I imagine, is pretty similar across the human expanse, but how they choose to do it, where and when does seem to vary. I have seen enough pictures of Japanese sleeping rooms to believe this, so I though I would look at my experience with Germans. They have a number of differences to what I grew up with in the US.
Hot Spa in a Cold Town
Sinking slowly into the hot water, I closed my eyes and let the cares of the day float away. It is so nice to have the thermal spas so close to Freiburg. Just a short ride out from town and in under 30 minutes from my desk I can be soaking in bathwater temperature mineral water. Especially since it has started to get darker and colder, I have made coming to the thermal baths my relaxation outing of choice.
Imker – Maker Of Things From Bees
Honey and bee related things are far more common in Germany that I experienced in the US. The Freiburg market has several stands at least from Imkereien selling honey in small and large bottle in tends of different sorts. Beeswax candles with their distinctive deep yellow color are also common. At Christmas Market time, the markets attract more stalls. The second soggy Saturday in a row I ventured out to the Christmas market and an Imker stall to sample the wares and see what the retail side of an Imkerei looks like.
Cheese on a Stick and a Bit of Munich
I am always on the look out for odd things. I have a pretty wacky sense of humor that is central to my personality. The oddball things are the most interesting to me, so I am constantly taking pictures of signs and odd foods. So I was so happy when I found Cheese on a Stick in the Munich train station. In a country where every time I mention spray cheese, I get a laugh, this is ironic and hilarious.
Nun Farts and Drinking Before Noon
So, yeah. It’s Christmas time. Forget packed malls and hours of searching for a parking place, think crowded markets where everyone has a mug of steaming wine regardless of what time of the day it is. It’s gray skies and snow flurries and fried things with sugar. It’s a Christmas Market in Germany.
A Boy and His Bike
Recently my bike broke. For most Americans imagine what it might feel like to lose a car. My main mode of transport in the summer months reduced to the phrase “more expensive to fix than to buy a new one.” I am not totally stranded though. Thankfully there is wonderful public transport in Freiburg, but it is still sad. I bought the bike during the first summer that I was here, which makes it 3 and a half years old. It is getting darker and colder, so I wouldn’t be riding as much anyway, but it is awful to lose it.
Typically German, yet little known.
Stereotypes of Germany such as beer, sausage, fast cars, and on-time trains are normal. While these are true to a very large extent, there are many things that are so typically German and yet either not associated with the culture or not really known at all. Bread is at least as important to the culture as meat, maybe more. Technology and cities are well known in Germany, but the culture is also very bound up in nature and natural things. And Germans are consummate sun worshipers able to bask in a tiny patch of light even in the middle of winter.
New Wine and Onion Cake
The days are getting shorter and it is certainly getting colder. Fall is upon us. As much as I miss the warmth of the summer, fall brings some interesting things as well. It is also new wine season. The local favorite pairing is Neuer Süßer und Zwiebelkuchen, New Sweet and Onion Cake. Read more about this fall snack.
