h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm of English origin, live in Canada. However I have a lot of interest in German speaking countries. My spoken German is very rudimentary - although I did learn it in school - so I can survive (at least order a beer, and get directions). Don't ask me for much help on German language and grammar.

I have travelled in Germany, Austria, Switzerland mostly on business, and I really like visiting. I have met many people and have enjoyed visiting many cities and trying my best to absorb the culture. I will likely write another entry soon (I have some spare time this month). Most of my (slightly) Germanicly related postings seem to have been mostly about beer. I intend to change this, although I must admit I enjoy drinking a German Pils almost every day which I beleive is a good habit - It is, as a Bavarian colleague explained to me a nutritious complement to a healthy diet in moderation. I also would find it a shame to visit somewhere and not enjoy the local art, food, drink and custom.

I have written a bunch of articles on bikes, tequila and what-not.

Yes - I remember your comments on driving and driving regulations. Happy to include you. Update in a few days.

Hi there,

you're very optimistic on understanding direction advises in Germany. I'm a German and I do not understand them half of the time.

Have a good time!

Hi there...just wanted to post the town where i'm living at the moment: it's Erlangen. Anybody interested in information? University perhaps...

Hi Tuesday. You are no German, as you don't make the mistakes in English language Germans normaly make (like I do)?

Your advice about drinking much (water, not alc) is very good!

If you have ever seen the "cult" movie "Death Race 2000" from about 1970ish that starred one of the Carradines (John?) and also a pre-Rambo Sylvester Stallone, you could imagine this cruel experiment (The movie was all about a race across the USA championed by the emperor/president of the USA, as part of the scoring points could be earned for running people over - provided that they were killed - it is a rather interesting, sarcastic, darkly humorous and perhaps morbidly visionary piece of cinema).

Take a random selection of minivan drivers from Ottawa and ship them off to Stuttgart with their vehicles. Then point them on to the autobahn to Munich. The first one there wins. The autobahn would be closed during this exercise as they would probably all clump together, drive on the left lane really slow with no one on the right, change lanes erratically, and suddenly slow almost to stopping from the left lane to turn at 90 degrees crossing all lanes to the right off to the exit. As opposed to the victims being staged deaths or loyal fans as in the movie, the potential victims would be hapless drivers, competent at driving their vehicles with regards for others at speeds of over 90 Km/h.

We do not have the same concept as autobahns in Ottawa probably for this reason. Everybody has to drive very slow in case somebody decides to park in the fast lane or drive across the highway.

We do get a good selection of German lager and weiss beer here which may make up for it.

If you move here from Europe you will have to take a "driving test". If you move here from Florida, and are almost blind and very aged, driving your minivan around like there is no one else around you do not need to take a test.

Hi Dudemeister, would you like to help me with the Beer review Page?

http://www.h2g2.com/a481538

It was primarily intened as joke, but with your helpful posting I could make it to a real thing.

The german Autobahn's purpose is to provide the selection part of Evolution to our ever worsening gene pool.

Thanks
Wonko

Erlangen .... J.B.O.......Kithinger beer.

Oh yes, and Siemens

Sorry, it's called Kitzinger...

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Hullo!
I am German by birth and by blood as both parents are German too. I live and was raised in the United States as my father has work here, but the household I was raised in was completely German. I have been involved in work similar to what this group is doing in the school system here in Oregon, but not much comes from one person. I would like very much to join you, and help the group further its purpose.

Mathnerd

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That's okay, no hurry.
My father was born in Berlin. He lived there until he was about 14 or so, then they moved to Ebersberg, right by Muenchen.
Mum was born in Utrecht, Holland, but moved to Ebersberg before she started school.
They both lived in Ebersberg until they married and moved to Dachau. I was born in Muenchen, we lived there for a few years. My brother was born in Maryland, USA, and since his birth we go back to Germany every other year.

btw, how do you get the umlaut to show up when you type in German?

Hello Mathnerd, and welcome to you!
as to the umlauts (talking about windows here):
there are three ways of entering them
a) press 'Alt', then a 4-digit number /on the numerical keypad/, then release the 'Alt' key. Mine doesn't have it (it's a foldable ergo-thingy), but the umlauts were somewhere around Alt-0090 in the times of DOS and with an IBM typeset.
b) choose start/settings/keyboard/language, then add german from the list. The system CD may be required for that. This may be permanent until you switch back, and it may randomize the locations of your interpunction characters
c) the easy way is to write an 'e' after 'a', 'o' or 'u'