Munich is grand and Augsburg is cozy.

Yesterday I had some meetings in Munich and had the chance to wander around the old part of the city. Germany is impressive in its solid modernity ( I find the Deutsche Bahn railway, for example, excellent, with super friendly service), and yet the German towns and cities preserve their past so well. The many Platzes (squares) Munich are grand and attractive. They give you a sense of the importance of Bavaria long before it was Germany. Augsburg, where I am staying to avoid the expensive hotels of Munich, is similar but on a smaller and more walkable scale. 

I find the people very friendly with the exception of people who serve you in shops and restaurants. There again, there are always exceptions. The service in book stores is outstanding!

I am amazed at home many people in Germany walk around with something in their mouth, either a sandwich or sausage of some kind, or a cigarette!

Yesterday for lunch I had a glass of wine in a Wein Stuebe just off the Odeonplatz, in Munich, along with Surhaxe and mashed potatoes..excellent. The last two nights I have eaten dinner in the Ratskeller in Augsburg, reasonable, lively and friendly. Both nights I have been able to strike up animated conversations in German with nearby diners, great practice for my German. The same was true at the Wein Stuebe, by the way, as I spoke to a gentleman who was a retired physicist, who now took tours through the Deutsches Museum. I promised him to go and visit the museum but did not keep my word.

Not everyone likes being ambushed by a language learner, though. I had a table of Russians beside me last night and tried to engage them in conversation in Russian. I do not know if they thought I was going to ask for money, or thought I was a spy, but let's just say they were not interested in amusing me. Ah well, to be a language learner you need to have a thick skin.

Tomorrow I am off to Prague.