Candid observations

still on germany...

besides the picturesque places in germany, i also noted down some candid observations on my travel notebook.




Recycling : from dusseldorf to munich, to anywhere, they are so much into recycling. we bought, one time, some stuff in a gasoline station mini-grocery. after paying, the cashier just left the items at the check-out panel. mano and i exchanged glances, until tita ching told us to bring the items already! she said that they do not give bags. we need to bring our own, or buy one (which is not cheap honey!). so the after that, we always bring plastic bags, just in case! also, if you bring empty water bottles, they deduct the cost of the used bottle from the total price of the product. cool huh! and yes, almost all the trash sections are divided into 4 (see pic). i do hope dubai will follow suit. we need to give our share to the environment. the environ that our children, grand chirldren, great cgrnadchildren will inherit...


Toilets: while toilets are ubiquitous in the UAE, complete with hose bidet and tissues, i did not see that luxury in germany. you have to pay for the use of public toilets! well, if labor is really expensive, then the government should really charge the upkeep of these public facilities to--- the public!




Vandalism: i do not know if it is an expression of art or expression of repression. whichever, i noticed that almost all the public places--- from buildings, to rail roads, to posts, to bridges, almost everywhere--- you can find these vandalism. but the difference with regular vandal is that this is kinda colorful and artistic, and most of the drawings are names of the persons, and not some political statements.






Canine World. never have i seen so many bred dogs in my life! and they even merit a special place in public transportation. there is a special price for train rides with your canine friend. and if you wish too, to do some sidelines to earn money, it can also be a pleasurable companion. plus, if you'd just like to walk around the plaza, it will willingly accompany you. really a loyal friend ;)







Bus/Train payment system: i'm amazed at the number of trainways that intersect and connect each city-- yet it is centralized! almost everywhere is accessible. they have s-ban (with stops in all corners), the RE (regional express) with stops in major spots only, and of course, the ICE (international city express) with stops in major cities and connecting to other countries!

and being used to to bus conductors, and train station turnstiles, i was amazed when i noticed how lenient the ticket admission system is here. there are payment machines and cashier booths. but when you are at the station already, there are no turnstiles, inspection booth before you enter the train/bus, nor conductors. there are even ticket dispensing machines inside the train already (see pic). they say that there are random inspections, but i've never seen one the whole time we were travelling! i told tita ching that people may abuse this freedom, but she said that people are so used to it that honesty system is a way of transportation life already! and guess what, the ticket that you use for the train, entitles you free bus rides for a period of time! cool!

Jet planes: i've never been in a jet plane, so i don't understand their passion for this here. each time i look up in the sky, i just see either the actual jet or the smoke trail it left behind written all over the sky! maybe taking advantage too of the nice weather when we were there. it was raining before we arrived, and after we left... hmm, we bring sunshine then to germany ;)




Biking and walking: aside from seeing less of heavy traffic, i see more of people biking, and a noticeable volume of people walking everywhere! with good weather, sans pollution and good pathswalks, who wouldn't be enticed to walk? aside from being environment-friendly, it is also healthy! the cobblestone and tree-lined paths makes strolling very conducive... and of course, never forget al fresco dining and coffee-talking too!





No heavy traffic!!! i do not know if i've seen enough to conclude, but really, in my short stay there, i've not seen traffic congestion, considering that most have cars of their own. i do not know if it's only me, but hey, if you've been living in dubai for a long time, this is such a refreshing sight to behold! it is noticeable also that while locals in the UAE buy the biggest, the most expensive, the newest cars, the germans stay simple and classic in their choice of vehicles-- mostly the small european sedans (Peugeot is famous). only a few 4X4's, and big-bodied luxury cars traverse the roads.

Many senior lovers. when i say old, i mean, old, as in 60 years and above. i thought at first that they were a picture of long-and-lasting loves, until i commented that to tita ching. she said, most of them are 'lovers' who just meet up on weekends, but stay in separate houses, just for the purpose of companionship, since their kids have families of their own already. and if the female party is widowed already, there is no more talk of re-marrying as it will nullify the pension she is getting. if in case they get soooo old already, they are then housed in home-for-the-aged, where you assets pay up for the services first (which is quite pricey), and once all is consumed, that's the time that the government pays for it. no wonder many of them spend their money on travelling while they are still able instead of saving up...

No malls. Walking around sans malls is a good respite for me. i've been working for the mall industry for the past decade, and being in a place without the artificial airconditioning, without the flashy advertisements, without the bannering "SALE" signs, without the typical contained mall noise-- was such a welcome breather!




Fashion sense. Maybe it's the season, or the influence of the neighbor city Paris. From kids to adults, it's all about layering, and creative layering that is. I thought germans are kinda classic-followers, but i was wrong. they have some bits of fashionable bones!