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Munich, Germany

They say in Germany you can tell the time by the trains, well today it was something to see grumpy Germans coping with delays of up to 100 minutes! We had prebooked our big journey from Cochem up and then across Gemany all the way to Munich via the high speed ICE train most of the way – and it would still take us 6 hours in trains including transfer time.

In our original itinerary we had included Rothenburg as our next stop – half way along the way but as we spent an extra two days in Colmar, and Vernon would like to visit the Eagles Nest in Austria we needed to jiggle some days around. Also Rothenburg is notable for being a well preserved medieval walled village and we have probably seen quite a bit of the old half timbered houses already in the Alsace, Rhine and Moselle areas. Having said that it would be nice to still go there on our next trip to Germany 🙂

Back to the trip, we got to the platform ready for our 9:58 after lots of bye byes and well wishes from the lovely staff at the Hotel only to find that the train was delayed for 45 minutes due to ‘technical difficulties. I went downstairs to get our bookings changed as this delay made us miss our other connections, and when I came back up Vernon was held verbally captive by an animated wine maker new buddy.

Tom (my brother) was curious to see how I felt when I came to Germany – if there was any feeling of a sense of fit or belonging. So far, I do not feel any real connection – possibly felt more of a conneciton in the Alsace, but not here in ‘real’ Germany. My observations so far are that the Germans here are generally quite stoic but more polite than the other nations we have visited. If you can get past the serious exterior they do open up quite quickly and can be real chatter boxes. There are also glimpses of humour but you have to encourage it or explain that you are taking the mickey and then they get it and will laugh along too. They like to have big conversations about things they do not like, and hold no bars back in saying what they think. They are also noticably big drinkers and a lot of smokers too.

There are also a few – small minority of very very rude mannerless Germans we have encountered – either as tourists in other countries or here. This is where the German comes out in me and I let them know I think they are rude – very rude! They have been around our age or a little younger and a couple of youths.

Verns new friend was very entertaining, excitable, knowledgable and friendly, so we had a great talk for the 40 minutes wait and then sitting together – him making sure we got seats etc on a very crowded train for the trip to Koblenz where we went seperate ways. We only had 8 minutes for our next connection and this is not long when you need to get off a crowded platform and find your way around a big station. We raced around only to find that the next train was delayed 100 minutes! Great! Nothing to do but wait, it seems the technical difficulties were with the system not a particular train and it was throwing everything out all day like dominos.

At one stage the platform seemed somewhat empty as some trains came and left and Vernon got a little suspicious and asked a conductor where our train number had gone – it was no longer on the overhead. He was motioned that it had changed platforms – obviously an announcement we had missed but other passengers not! Slight moment of panic as there was only about 6 minutes to make it to the new platform!

We got there alright and when we got to our seats they had people in them – again. I politely explained they were our reserved seats and the posh couple pretended they did not understand – oh yes they did. I rephrased including German words and they asked if we wanted them to shift – hello – yes! I said there are other seats spare but they might be reserved so we would like our ones please. They ignored, so I persisted. Other passengers found the standoff somewhat interesting and finally they got the message. Then I made no bones in a very audible voice on how … “rude some pople are” and got looks of approval from some senior people. There were 4 people in our seating area and I had to kick another out of our window seat – a younger lady who also needed telling twice. She has clearly heard me that those were reserved when I was exchanging with the other couple. You think locals would understand reservations and not be so rude. They do matter as the ticket person comes around and will pull you up if you are in the wrong place or your bag is not right etc.

So our trip on the high speed continued and the next change we and other passengers were held up by a senior school group who were in the aisle talking, sorting seats and bags and not moving over for the rest of us to get to our seats. The teacher was oblivious and it got to a ridiculous point that Vernon in a raised voice told them to hurry up and move over and let people through – it took several goes before they did and other passengers thanked him for his initiative.

This is one aspect of the NZ culture I am very proud of – not only are we friendly – I believe we are brought up a lot better to consider others and remember our manners and common courtesies. Certainly far more evident in NZ than everywhere in Europe – down to simple things of letting others past you, apologising if you bump, giving up your seat for senior, or infirm etc. Please, thank you, sorry and excuse me and smiling!

Despite our big delays we arrived in Munich only about 40 minutes later than our first schedule – at about 5:40pm. We followed our google map to our hotel which was meant to be about 5-10 minutes from the Central station, but its more like 20 minutes ….. No worries exercise is good.
Dinner at a well rated main stream beer garden was a real disappointment. Food was very salty, and overcooked nearly beyond recognition. I just don’t get it? Have discovered Radler beer though ……

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