A Taste, Look, and Feel of Munich Germany

Efficiency!! Punctuality!! Accountability!!
Minus the exclamation marks, which are remnants of World War II era style speech, these German stereotypes are positively accurate; from the train, to the metro, to meetings, everything operates with clockwork like precision. In Germany, if you're not early, you're late. I wish Los Angelinos would adopt this attitude.

I wait in a restaurant for my my long lost friend Marcus who I haven't seen in years. He's German through and through- 6' 5", attentive, honest, considerate, and kind (Germans have evolved a lot since 1940's.) Naturally, he arrives exactly on time. "Sorry for being late," apologizes Marcus. 

Video: Vignettes of Munich- Karlsplatz, Marineplatz, and the English Garden

biergarten in the English Garden

Many have flocked to the English Garden, Munich's equivalent of Central Park, to take advantage of the a warm and sunny day on hand- a rare treat. They picnic, play soccer, toss frisbees, jog, ride bikes, etc. Those relaxing in the biergartens, spaced strategically throughout the wooded grounds and large fields, sip on a variety of drinks (all named "beer.")
By law, people are allowed to bring their own food to the biergartens, intentionally designed to insure poor people can participate in the social order, with a secondary positive externality of keeping Germans far less obese than they would be if they purchased the ultra-heavy Bavarian food sold here. It's debatable which is more filling, a meal of wienerschnitzel, potatoes, beer, and comically large pretzel bread, or a Panzer division tank broken into a teaspoons of powdered metal. 

Video: super dense Bavarian food in Munich

Germans, like most of Northern Europeans, are heavily invested in the social order. "Obey the rules at all costs," is the country's official motto. Just because you can take advantage, doesn't mean you do.
While creating an inherent trust and helping society run more smoothly, to an American the rigidity of it appears downright stupid- my dear aforementioned Marcus being a perfect example ... he refuses to save time by crossing a street on a red light even if the nearest car is coming from Austria. 

I'm agitatedly stomping my feet like a race car revving its engine, "The light is red," he explains flatly, "That means you do not cross."

Video: crossing the street in Stockholm about the same as in Munich by the thinking of the people

BMW headquarters, Munich

Walking in the English Garden and seeing the bottles strewn about on the grass would seem to contradict my earlier point. "Not so," explains Marcus, "we leave them there intentionally so that poor people can recycle them and collect the deposit." Even if it was "litter," Munich would still be far cleaner than the average global city. 

Riding the mountain bike Marcus kindly loans me, I pass the EU headquarters of many prominent companies, from Google to BMW. It's not surprising, Munich is after-all the most desirable location in Germany, which in turn is the economic engine of Europe.

Marineplatz in Munich

In the city center the impressive, somewhat scary fairy tale architecture of Munich's medieval structures, draw throngs of tourists, which, combined with the aforementioned money flowing through the city, make fertile soil for the luxury branded shops which have sprung-up nearby. Buy the display watch from the Rolex store nearby for a cool 77,000 Euro.

The Rolex display in Munich

Poseiden @ Nymphenburg Palace

At the one the city's edges lies Nymphenburg Castle, her gardens filled with fountains, statues, manicured lawns, and many acres of woods. The area is beautiful and relaxing. 

Video: Nymphenburg Castle's grand gardens

As I sit enjoying the gardens, I look at my phone and realize I'm supposed to meet Marcus and his wife for dinner in two hours. Fortunately, Munich is not a large, and within a hour you can pretty much bike across it. Nevertheless, I jump back on my bike and take off immediately. As gracious a host as Marcus is, I'd hate to be rude and arrive merely on time.

in the gardens of Nymphenburg Palace