observations from Germany

• strangers don't smile in passing
• restaurants and stores do not have public bathrooms
• drinking fountains are non-existent
• drivers do not pass on the right, ever
• you don't leave a cash tip on the table, you have to tell them how much you want to tip before they run your credit card or bring you change
• restaurants "let" you sit for a very long time after you've finished eating, before they bring you the bill
• everyone smokes
• everyone walks everywhere
• people eat whatever they want (gelato for a snack? sure. croissants and pastries for breakfast? why not. fries with every meal? yes please.)
• the walking and smoking cancel out the eating, and almost everyone is thin, minus the occasional beer belly
• toilets have two flush options (#1 and #2)
• men are almost all clean-shaven
• people wear really nice shoes, mostly leather
• streets smell mostly good, like scrumptious things baking
• train stations smell mostly bad (see observation about no public bathrooms)
• pork is the meat of choice (pork schnitzel, pork bratwurst, pork cordon blue, etc.)