Things We Won't Miss about Munich

Of course, we had to give the opposite viewpoint of the previous post! No place is perfect. Munich is no exception, although we have enjoyed living here for the last two years. Since we knew we'd only be here a short time, we focused on the good parts of the city and shrug off the bad or the frustrating. That doesn't mean we didn't see them. Here are a few short examples of parts that we won't miss.

German food is not vegetarian-friendly.
We managed to always find something to eat, but more importantly, we learned to be prepared so we wouldn't get caught without anything to eat.

The people could be difficult. We found the people could be pretty strict about the rules, and cold and reserved towards newcomers. People in Munich were fairly conservative and tended towards conforming rather than thinking outside the box. Compromise is difficult for Germans and they don't like to apologize or say that they're wrong.

I think most people think of Germans as described above so this one probably doesn't surprise anyone. We did not make a lot of German friends here, but my co-workers or our neighbors were always helpful in explaining bits of the culture we didn't understand. We also met Germans who broke the rules, didn't conform and were generally very relaxed about things.

Pushy old ladies in the grocery store cashier lines and leaving the metro.
For some reason before you can press the button to open the door in the metro, everyone starts crowding around and forcing everyone as close as possible to the yet-unopened exit. Once the door is open, they're often really impatient about getting off the train uber-quickly, too. It's the same sort of thing in line at the grocery store. The old ladies especially like to get their shopping carts to nudge your butt. I don't know what they think they accomplish by all that, but it's just one thing that I eventually got used to.

Not being able to express myself or understand what others are saying around me.
We got used to this one when traveling, but thankfully, most Germans know English well enough that it wasn't a big problem in our daily lives.

Apartment renting or leaving is frustrating.
In Munich, real estate agents have a huge cut in the apartment rental market. Normally, one has to pay 3.4 months' rent to the real estate agent for helping them find a place and then the 2-3 months for deposit to the landlord. I'm glad it didn't work that way for us.

Also, when you leave, all the light fixtures and curtains must be out; usually the apartment has to be painted white; sometimes the floor has to be sanded or refinished if there are dents; and the place has to be spotless. We've heard of landlords and tenants fighting over what would be considered small issues on the last day. Thankfully, we had it easier and nicer when we left.

Radio license thievery
Basically, you have to pay for German radio and television programming, even if you don't watch German channels. There are actually people who will come to your house or apartment, and force you to pay this tax (in our case, 6 euros per month). Even if you don't own a TV, but just have a laptop, you have to pay the tax! It's best to avoid this topic with Greg since he was the one ambushed by the guy to pay the tax for our two years in Munich.   

Smoking everywhere.
Germans smoke so much! It's always hard for our American visitors to believe. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe because I think they're healthy in so many other ways - biking to work, and hiking and skiing regularly.


A lot of this stuff seems silly, but it can add up. We've both known people who've let their daily frustrations with a place really get to them. For the most part, we enjoyed our experience in Munich and know that we'll have little (or big) frustrations show up in whatever city we live in.

Things We'll Miss about Munich

We thought to wrap up our two years here with a post about our favorite things about Munich or Germany. Greg wrote most of this and I did the editing.

Our new friends
We made friends from all over the world, thanks to the school, the hausfrauen friends and coworkers. Our last weeks have been filled with goodbyes, but at least with the teachers in the international schools, it hasn't felt like a permanent goodbye. They always say to us that you never know who will show up at your next school.

Efficient and easy trains
Only 5 mintues from our front door was our access to the world. We could buy a ticket to go all around town or for a longer ride that would get to any big city in Europe.

Closeness to a lot of different countries = easy traveling
We had seen a bit of western Europe before arriving, so our focus was on seeing lots of Germany and going east and south. Ayelet had a flexible rule that all train rides had to be under 6 hours in any leg, but we got around that by going far over many days and flying back. That covered some great places like Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and even Berlin (on a fast train).

Delicious breads and cakes
The Germans really do make delicious bread and so many different varieties of it. It's no surprise that almost every main street has at least one bakery for every block, sometimes more. And the cakes are equally great. They tend to be not as sugary-sweet as stuff in the US. We actually had real American-style 'smores at a friends' house the other day and I thought it didn't taste nearly as good as some of the sweets I've had here.

Biking-friendly society
Anyone would be amazed to see a Radl-plan (bike map) of Germany. You can take paved trails to the countryside and into most cities. Many Germans choose this as an affordable and active vacation option. [Editor's note: biking into work was my favorite way to go to work. You see so much more on the way and there are all kinds of people who bike here.]

Everyone is so active
Hiking, biking, walking and skiing are big acitivies in Munich. Back in the U.S. you often need money to undertake these activities in nature. Here in Munich you can get a cheap train ticket for 5 people and explore some of the best areas of the Bavarian Alps.

City is VERY clean.
Sure, Munich has a bit of graffitti like any other city, but children seem to be taught from a young age how to keep a place neat and tidy. The society as a whole does a great job of monitoring itself and even separating waste. When people get a bit messy (big festivals/weekends) the city cleaning crew is very thorough to make up the difference.

Biergartens rock!
Unlike a bar, beer gardens are great ways to enjoy being outside while drinking with your friends. You find these great social gathering points in and around the city. You can bring in your own food and quality beer is served by the liter (think of 3 cans of beer in one-liter mug). People are encouraged to hang out in the shade and talk as the tables are narrow and seat up to 10. You often have to ask strangers if you can share a table on nice days as all tables are full. When you get a new round of drinks, you always "Prost!" to everyone around you. Sometimes even to the strangers at your table!

Being a kid in Germany is awesome.
Most restaurants and biergartens have a child-friendly play area so you are no longer forced to draw with 2 crayons on a place mat. Everyone will help to both watch out for kids and keep them in line. The community really comes together when raising its children. Sports are very organized and common, or can be open and free like pick-up games of soccer or many of the hidden skate parks. Finally there are also tons of festivals with semi-dangerous kid crafts. For example, we once showed up at an event where kids had access to hammers, files, and saws with very little adult presence. No goggles were in sight, and most kids seems to be sharing tools appropriately. All of them walked away uninjured while we were there with a small carving in porous stone.

The dogs are so well-behaved!
From the moment we arrived, it was easy to see that canines are kings in Munich. If you visit, you will most likely see them off leash in public places: on a train, at the mall, running next to a bike, or on a bench in a restaurant.

Anxiety of not buying in bulk

I had the thought of this post a long time ago, but just now got to it because I was cleaning up the backend of our blog. In the US, you never have to give any thought to how many groceries you buy or what you get in the store. Here it's always on my mind when I'm shopping.

I know I have to walk at least 3 or 4 blocks to the closest store so buying too much could mean torture for my hands and shoulders. Especially if you forget your gloves on a cold, winter day or can't use your umbrella in a rainstorm because of your bag choice. Those two situations make it sound unpleasant.

Most of the time it's nice to go shopping every few days instead of once every week or two because 1) the stores are much smaller than the ones in the US, 2) you don't have as many choices so you just pick and get on with your life rather than agonizing for hours over what brand of milk your husband likes best, and 3) it's one of the ways I feel active during the day. Plus walking home through the quiet streets of our neighborhood usually means I'll bump into a neighbor or see a cute dog along the way.

I still have to remind myself sometimes that I don't need to buy the whole store. I think it's an instinct I carried over from the US. I hope I can keep it up when we eventually move back to the US.

Our Five Favorite International Trips

While on the train back from Triberg, Greg and I thought about our five favorite trips we've taken together in the last two years. We have wonderful memories and great stories from all of our trips, but here are the most special ones:

Croatia

Island of Cres

If I could talk about Croatia every day to everyone I see, I would. But then I would be one of the "crazies" so I withhold from doing so. The parts of this country we saw were absolutely beautiful and fairly untouched by tourism, unlike Italy and Greece. Although the language is a problem, I envy the people who live there.

The coastline and Plitvices park were so gorgeous, and there are tons of great old cities to explore as well. My mouth still waters when I think about the grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers I ate there - it felt like someone had just picked them off the plant and handed them to me. I still sometimes say to myself if I eat an average grape in Germany, "it's just not like Croatia."

If you're looking for a sunny holiday off the beaten path, go to Croatia!

Budapest

If you've seen quite a bit of Europe - as we have over the years - old buildings and churches start to look the same, or you've already seen what you consider the most beautiful church and none of the others can compare. The reason I'm saying this is because I think this was our mindframe when we arrived in Budapest. We had just left Vienna, which is a beautiful classic European city, and Budapest hit us with a solid dose of reality.

It may not be a city for everyone, but we loved it. The atmosphere, the resourcefulness of the people, the kindness of people in helping us find our way around... it just felt so different from Western Europe. Or indeed, any other country we'd been to.

Istanbul

Talking about something different from Western Europe, Istanbul was it, for sure! We went here for our first anniversary (our second was in Lindau, which is in Germany - that list is coming soon). I wish we had time to explore other areas of Turkey because it sounds like each part is very different. I especially hope to get to the ruins in the East at some point in my life.

Having been to a Muslim country when I was small (and Greg had never been to one before), we were struck by the beautiful minerats and mosques everywhere. There must have been at least 30 on the hills around our quaint little hotel. Parts of the city were crumbling, but the palace grounds and the museums were still very much there. And I won't go on again on how much the Islamic designs inspire me with their beauty. I'm sure you all had about enough of that already.

Prague

Prague seems to be everyone's favorite and for good reason. The city is so lovely whatever the season. Even when we went in winter, the snow on the ground gave Prague this mystery and warmth. Greg went with his parents in the summer and they seemed to all like it for the nice cafes along the river and easy walking distances. Another of our friends went in the spring and meet great new friends randomly. Everyone seems to find something that they enjoy in the city.

Salzburg
Last on our list is Salzburg, but not because we liked it the least. It's only 2 hours from Munich so we went there a lot the first year. The city is touristy, but in a way, I never minded it. The walk up to the castle gives one such a great overlook as to why people go there. The beautiful little old town stretches out below you and you may even make out the palace grounds to your left.

Last time we went there, I visited the art museum on the hill and I think the walks along the cliffs were more fun for me then than checking out the art. And of course, who can forget the Sound of Music tour?

 We'll also be doing a post about our top five favorite trips just in Germany so stay tuned!

A Great Annoyance

There is something that has annoyed me to no end here in Germany. Now that we are leaving (in a few days), it's time to get it out in the open: I am not okay with people eating ice cream when it is cold.



Ice cream eating is so common here - this store had to put up a sign against eating it in the store.
And of course, I had to take a picture.

The only reasonable time to eat ice cream outside is when it is at least about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). In the home, it's a totally different story - I could care less about when people eat ice cream at home. But it's when I see irresponsible ice cream eating, that I can't stop ranting about it. Poor Greg bears the brunt of it, too.

I've seen many different situations in which Germans are walking around with ice cream cones on a very chilly day. I understand that maybe the German idea of a warm day is different, but if you're wearing a long shirt (or a coat!), that should be a sign that eating ice cream is not going to help your situation. 

Notice: it was a hot day.
(and those really were beautiful ice creams, don't you think?)


Sure, ice cream sellers deserve to make a living - yes, that's true. However, what about serving hot chocolate on a chilly day instead? They need to be a bit more imaginative.

That's my rant about ice cream. I hope you agree. :-)

Quick Recap on Israel

Kate and I in the Old City market of Jerusalem

Every time I've visited Israel in the last couple years, the experience has been different.

I've gone back for Passover with Greg in March; a family wedding in September; and this time meeting with Kate, one of my best friends growing up, to show her my second home and introduce her to my family. Kate and I have known each other 15 years and she hadn't met the majority of my family until this trip.

Check out what she wrote about her experiences in Israel: Tel Aviv and Be'er Tuvia, Israeli art and design, the start of our trip, and of course, Jerusalem.

We ate hummus, falafel and pita in Jerusalem's Old City with my Safta ("grandma" in Hebrew) Rachel; dipped our feet into the Mediterranean; chilled out in the hammock with my aunt Dari and Safta Tzipi; and in general, met family and got lost along the way (my fault entirely). I actually think I saw more red heads on this trip to Israel than ever before - must be Kate's influence!

Family dinner on Friday night

Bahai Temple up close

My cousins Noa and Romi

Sculpture at Israel Museum

My pregnant cousin Dana on the beach in Tel Aviv


Check out the rest of my photos!

Triberg: Our Last Trip in Germany

As our last trip in Germany for what could be a long while, we chose to visit the Black Forest; in particular, the town of Triberg. It's this beautiful, quiet town nestled in the valley between a few hills. It's well-known for its Black Forest cake (see the next paragraph), tallest waterfall in Germany (it was just ehh) and cuckoo clocks (all you get to see is a raggedy bird when it hits the hour). By the end of our trip, we probably knew every nook and cranny of Triberg because it's that small.

Before I've taken a bite...

The very first thing we did was try the famous Black Forest cake that apparently originated from the Schaeffer bakery. Greg liked it, but would have preferred a good piece of chocolate or carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I was not a big fan either - not enough cherries in my opinion (I counted a paltry 4 cherries in a large slice) and I think I reeked of cherry liquor after eating it.

Windmills dotted the hills -
Greg was very happy!

On Saturday, we head to a small lake in the hills around Schonach, a nearby bigger town. We got a little turned around, but then found the signs we had to follow to get there. After seeing the lake (which was more of a pond in my book), we wandered through picturesque surroundings back to Triberg.

Wooden faces in Schonach

Stopping for a snack at one of the little restaurants along the way, we watched a llama cause chaos in the valley below us. All the other llamas found the gate to the field across the road, but this one was not the brightest. It wandered up and down the road while cars patiently waited for it to find its way. Eventually, a brave driver herded him towards the gate and he joined his buddies. However, I could tell this was the big event of the day because everyone talked about "die Llama auf den Strasse" for the rest of the time we were there.

Triberg and the Black Forest was a great place to end our German adventure because we got to do all the things we've loved to do here: 

• eat cake
• hike around beautiful scenery easily
• travel by train to the town
• visit obscure town museums - we usually find something interesting and lots to giggle at! (crazy mannequins in the Triberg one)
• relax and just enjoy the moments!