Let's get the obvious out of the way first: it's not the beer. While Deutchland brews some pretty tasty pilsners and weisen beers, they basically gave up trying around the same time of the protestant reformation. First, there's a complete lack of variety. There are two types of beers here, and about five or six subcategories: pilsners and wiesens. The Germans may have made it to the moon first, but they gave up exploring the rest of the solar system. One of our American friends lamented, "You ask for something other than a Weisen and they ask you why." To be honest, I've had German style beer in the US which is much better than anything I've tasted here.
The bread culture here is pretty good. I don't know of any other country which lives in such a close relationship with bakeries. Germany's relationship to bakeries is kind of like Mexico and taco stands. The bread is very very good. Far superior to the US. However, it still pales in comparison to the Parisian bakeries. Next to Les Pains du Idees from the Canal St. Martin district, the bakeries here might as well package their loaves in Rainbow Bread sleeves and leave it for the ducks.
The highly lauded social welfare state earns high marks, but insurance coverage is still expensive, largely dependent on employment status, and highly bureaucratic. A friend of mine tried to go to the emergency room, really really sick, but he was turned away because he didn't have the proper referral form from one of the doctor's clinics. Which only have regular business hours. Which means M-F and maybe saturday morning.
It's not the progressive politics and policies. While a model of internationalism, international asylum, global ethics, and individal rights and privacies, Germany is shuttering it's nuclear power plants to pursue wind and solar. In a country without much of either, the only altnerative, coal is making a huge rebound.
It's not the mountains, pretty as they are, nor the forests, which are as lush as can be imagined. It's probably not the storied philosophical culture or literature. It's definitely not Germany's contribution to the mechanical industries or sciences, notable as they are.
I would even have to say that the best thing about Germany is not even the gummy bears, although they are the best in the world.
The best thing about Germany is Fleischkase (flysch-kayzuh). Imagine the best hot dog you've ever had, the size of a loaf of bread, and roasted. They slice this massive hot dog loaf into slices 3/4" thick and sandwich it between some delicious German white bread, and slathered in spicy mustard. It's the best thing about Germany.
The bread culture here is pretty good. I don't know of any other country which lives in such a close relationship with bakeries. Germany's relationship to bakeries is kind of like Mexico and taco stands. The bread is very very good. Far superior to the US. However, it still pales in comparison to the Parisian bakeries. Next to Les Pains du Idees from the Canal St. Martin district, the bakeries here might as well package their loaves in Rainbow Bread sleeves and leave it for the ducks.
The highly lauded social welfare state earns high marks, but insurance coverage is still expensive, largely dependent on employment status, and highly bureaucratic. A friend of mine tried to go to the emergency room, really really sick, but he was turned away because he didn't have the proper referral form from one of the doctor's clinics. Which only have regular business hours. Which means M-F and maybe saturday morning.
It's not the progressive politics and policies. While a model of internationalism, international asylum, global ethics, and individal rights and privacies, Germany is shuttering it's nuclear power plants to pursue wind and solar. In a country without much of either, the only altnerative, coal is making a huge rebound.
It's not the mountains, pretty as they are, nor the forests, which are as lush as can be imagined. It's probably not the storied philosophical culture or literature. It's definitely not Germany's contribution to the mechanical industries or sciences, notable as they are.
I would even have to say that the best thing about Germany is not even the gummy bears, although they are the best in the world.
The best thing about Germany is Fleischkase (flysch-kayzuh). Imagine the best hot dog you've ever had, the size of a loaf of bread, and roasted. They slice this massive hot dog loaf into slices 3/4" thick and sandwich it between some delicious German white bread, and slathered in spicy mustard. It's the best thing about Germany.
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