February 2006
February Newsletter
2006
Happy Belated New Year! It’s been quite some time since I wrote my last newsletter. In fact, it was August. Since I seem to start all my newsletters with excuses, I decided to keep up with my own tradition. I have an ever so slight tendency to overextend myself. As you may remember, we are moving back to the states this summer. I am trying to prepare myself for the job search and want to make myself as marketable as possible. Unfortunately, teachers are not paid well in the states and are not always paid for their experience. Although I am well paid here working for the Department of Defense, my time will not count towards my retirement. I’m fairly certain that I will retire when I’m in my 90’s! Most states have to pay you for at least 5 years of experience. I’ll have nearly 20 years when I leave here. I have a master’s degree plus 30 extra graduate credits. I don’t share this with you to brag, because it may be a disadvantage. No matter how many years of experience they want to give to me, they do have to pay me for the graduate degree. So in the eyes of the employer, why not hire a kid straight out of college at the lowest salary point? I’m going to have to sell myself and this is why I’ve continued to take courses. (I also thoroughly enjoy them and have been called a professional student) I am working on getting an Educational Technologist endorsement and Reading Specialist Certificate. I took three courses at one time and am now taking two. I can honestly say that I have truly not had the time to devote to writing. That is not to say that we haven’t had some excitement in the last six months. I’ll work backwards from January to September. Enjoy!
FOUR OTT’S TRAVEL TO BAVARIA
It finally happened. We got Joe’s side of the family to visit us. His brother, Bob, and new wife, Jen, were married in May. They had hoped to honeymoon here in Germany at that time but it didn’t work out for various reasons. Joe’s leave was in January this year so we talked them into coming out at that time. It’s much cheaper to fly off season. I admit it was cold but well worth the trip. The day they flew in we had them going nonstop. Bob is ten years younger than Joe and has never seen him perform. It just so happened that he had a non-Air Force gig with a combo in Heidelberg. This was one of the places they wanted to see. He played in a Jazz House just below the castle ruins. The Jazz House is actually part of the ruins and looked like a cave. It was a neat atmosphere and was wonderful for Bob to see and hear what his brother does for a living. I think he may have even turned Bob and Jen onto jazz. We’ll see….
I took a few days off and after a day of rest we went to Garmisch, Bavaria. You may remember that Joe and I went there a few summers ago. We had hoped to get back to that area in the winter. Thanks to Bob and Jen, we did just that. It was a jam packed couple of days. Joe and I especially enjoyed it because we were able to do some things that we didn’t have time for on our last trip. It was great for Bob and Jen because everything was new to them. Here’s our itinerary:
Day 1- After a 5 hour drive, we went straight to the Linderhof Castle. This is the only castle ever completed by King Ludwig. The best word to describe this castle would be decadent. In Bob and Jen’s words, “It was quaint, boo foo cold.” They especially liked how the dining table was elevated from the kitchen completely set and ready for service. When the King finished his meal, it was lowered back down. Bob is looking into having that put in for his future new home. After seeing the castle, we made our way to a two bedroom apartment where we stayed for the trip.
Day 2- How many of you can say you have sledded down the Bavarian Alps? Well, these four Ott’s can say it robustly. We had the time of our life. Joe and I did this in Switzerland and it was like being a kid again. Some would argue that we’re oversized kids, but that’s another story. We took the gondola up to the Hausberg Mountain and it took about 40 minutes to sled down it. They actually groom a path just for sledding so we were never in the way of the skiers. We went down the mountain twice with a stop for a snack and drink in-between runs. As we boarded the gondola, we were surrounded by skiers. We felt a bit silly, but weren’t too worried about it. Joe, in his usual quick witted way, said, “Pardon us, professional sledders here.” None of the Germans laughed, but he did get a chuckle out of a couple of Italians. He knew enough Italian to communicate with them. Once we figured out where to start, the fun began. We were a bit cautious at first, but Joe took the lead and left us in his snow dust. Just as I was getting the hang of how to steer, I saw a sign that said, “Langsam”. We tried to tell Bob and Jen that it meant go faster but unfortunately it had the English translation below it. Langsam means slow. So what did Joe do? Hopped on his sled and went like a bat out of hell! The rest of us heeded the warning the first time down. The second time was another story, except for Jen. She was given the name Grandma Jen for the rest of the day. In fact, Joe, Bob, and I were waiting for her at the bottom of a hill and decided to stage an accident. She didn’t fall for it for even one second. In fact, she continued on a bit without us. We asked what took her so long and she claims she had a wipeout. Ok, Jen……you stick with that story……hmmm. (Okay, so she was covered head to toe in snow, maybe she really did wipe out.)
The sledding took us about half the day, and we were not about to stop there. We drove on to the Partnach Gorge. This is an incredible site. We were able to walk through glaciers and saw waterfalls that were several meters thick and as tall as the trees. The color of the frozen ice was an aquamarine color that simply can’t be captured in pictures. The best part about it was that it was relatively untouched by man. No special lighting to enhance the ice. Nature took care of everything and no more was needed. It was truly an awe inspiring site.
Day 3- This was castle day. We took them to Neuschwanstein Castle which is known as the fairy tale castle. It was used as the model for Walt Disney’s castle. They took a horse carriage ride up to the castle. During the English tour, Bob asked if Hitler had ever stayed in this castle. Hitler is still not a popular subject here in Germany and the guides don’t usually volunteer information about him. But it was a fair question, and in fact, he did stay there. The Nazi’s stored their treasures in the castle to protect them from the bombings. There was also a singing room where private concerts were given for Hitler. By the way, the US took occupation two years after the war.
We had already been there, so we went to another of King Ludwig’s castles that was located in the same area called Howenschwangau. Schwan means swan in English. Everywhere you look in both these castles, you will see elegant swans in the artwork, chandeliers, walls, carvings, etc. King Ludwig was considered insane during his time. Today, he’d probably be considered eccentric. Guests were never allowed to stay on the same floor as he did, however, Richard Wagner, did. This led to rumors of Ludwig’s homosexuality which caused great grief in those times. In fact, his death is still a mystery. He died in a nearby lake in shallow waters along with his doctor. Did they drown? Were they killed? The mystery lives on.
Day 4- I told you it was a jam packed couple of days. It was time to leave Bavaria and head home, but not without a stop in an old medieval city. We stopped in Rothenburg which is one of the few walled cities still standing. We spent a short time just taking in the culture and atmosphere. We wanted Bob and Jen to see how different the states are here in Germany. We grabbed a quick bite to eat in none other than a butcher. We saw a sign for hot brats and took advantage of it. In Europe, you do not have fast food. You can expect to spend a couple of hours for every meal. We do enjoy this but wanted to see the city before heading home. The butcher was a pleasant surprise. He said, “Ah, Americans….I make for you a fresh bratwurst, with mustard and fresh bread. Only 3-4 minutes. Okay?” No problem for us. As his son prepared the brats, he talked with us. His English was perfect. He told us about his American friend who was a one star general. He said that when he took his uniform off, he loved to visit with the farmers and he was no longer a general, just a normal man. This was refreshing to hear. As our brats came out, he continued sharing stories. The cook for the US president came to his shop several years ago and was admiring his meat. I must say that this was the best bratwurst I’ve ever had. In fact, I would have had another one if I could. It was fresh, it was from the local farmers, no preservatives, and all natural. That was a fantastic lunch. Good food and great stories from a local man. We headed on to the Criminal Museum which we had seen but is worth seeing again. Some of the barbaric torture that was given to people back then is quite scary. I mentioned to Jen that some of the neck violins were painted and quite pretty. I thought it would be a fun and quite unique thing to put on the wall in my new house. It would be a great conversation piece. I can just imagine the conversation I might have with someone who asked what it was. “Oh, that old thing….that’s a neck violin. Yes, when spouses couldn’t get along their heads and hands were clamped in the holes and this supposedly helped them to work things out……..What’s that you say?.....Oh no, we haven’t tried it yet.”
CHRISTMAS WAS NO HOLIDAY
The holidays were a bit rough for us this year. This was the first time in 20 years that we did not spend Christmas or the New Year together. The General decided that the band was needed to play for troop morale. While we were both disappointed that we wouldn’t be together for the specific holidays, we could hardly complain about our situation. He would be coming home, unlike the people he played for. He would not be working at the frontlines. His life was not in danger. Most of those people were on 12-18 month tours and wouldn’t be seeing their families or friends for a very long time. While it was difficult to be apart, we survived it and are looking forward to being away from the military environment next year. His leave was given in January and we were able to spend time with his brother and new wife.
JOE TOURS TO BOSNIA
One of the places Joe toured during the holidays was Bosnia. He had not been to this country before. He attended several briefings about what to expect in that country, where to go, how to get there, who to go with, and more. The briefing had him quite intimidated. I wondered why they were touring Bosnia but later found out that we have several troops stationed there. That news isn’t mentioned much anymore. The briefing mentioned things like going to town in small groups, never alone. Ok, that makes sense in most places. It also mentioned to only walk on the sidewalks. Ok, but why? Because there are still many open land mines and you never know when you might step on one. Hmmm....at this point I was getting nervous as well. When he finally made the trip, it was not so bad. Yes, there were land mines, but they were clearly marked with skull and crossbones. Yes, there are bombed out buildings, but just across the street is a beautiful, 4 star hotel. And of course, there’s always the curious food, especially meats. He ate but he’s not sure what he ate! The term mystery meat comes to mind. The tour was relatively eventless other than the shock of touring and seeing a 3rd world country.
JOE, THE SAXOPHONE, AND OLIVE OIL
The Germans love their music and truly appreciate American jazz. The jazz band played in a local music hall and unbeknownst to us, the newspaper wrote an article on them. Later that week while visiting with my landlord, she mentioned how happy she was to have us as tenants and neighbors. I figured she was just realizing that we’d be gone soon and was already starting to miss us. Then she said how honored she was to have us especially a famous person. Somehow, I had the feeling there was more to her comments. She shared an article with us and sure enough, there was Joe in full color. I tried to decipher the article and could get the gist of it but had to ask what the olive oil had to do with Joe’s playing. The writer said something about how quickly his fingers moved on the keys that it was as if he had olive oil on his fingertips. He is always trying to improve his skills but I’m pretty sure he hasn’t tried the olive oil trick yet. Perhaps he will someday.
BLUEGRASS SAXOPHONIST
Okay, my title was just to get your attention. I know I describe Joe as a jazz musician but he does appreciate other styles of music. He’s actually getting into bluegrass. I think the movies “Cold Mountain” and “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” have brought this music back into popularity. A few of the musicians he works with decided to give it a try. Let’s see, there’s the oboist, the alto sax player, the guitarist, the clarinetist, the trumpet player, the bass player, and of course, they all sing. Now, if you know anything about bluegrass, you probably know that these are not typical instruments used for this style of music. Actually, the oboist decided to learn to play the mandolin, the alto sax player picked up the banjo, the clarinetist and trumpet player also play the guitar. The other guitar player and bass player were on their own instruments. I found this fascinating that they could just decide to learn a new instrument and style of music and to be so good at it. They soon became a favorite of the 4 star General and made a recording. They asked Joe to help produce their CD. I was invited to watch but I really think I was there to cook dinner for them! By the way, the bass player is actually the sound man for the Air Force bands. Oh, to be so talented. The CD is not out yet, but I’ll let you know when it is available.
EXCUSE ME
Even after nearly 5 years here in Germany, I continue to learn new things about the culture. I know I’ve mentioned the Euro Shove to you. To us Americans, it seems rude. To Europeans, it’s simply how you get in line. I was at a party recently and several Germans were there. One of them is dating an American in the band. She was reaching across the food table to get something and said,” Excuse me.” At that time, I didn’t know she was German. Another German friend of mine said, “Oh, she is not American,” in a rather sarcastic way. I asked what this was about and she explained to me that she felt this woman was trying to act like an American. I still didn’t understand. She explained that a German would never say excuse me when reaching across the table. It just isn’t necessary. I thought it was polite. Germans think it’s unnecessary. I know it’s a little thing, but it is interesting to hear both points of view.
HAPPY B-DAY!
This may seem silly to you, but Germans cannot say the –th- sound. It is not used in their language. I recently heard some German children singing the Happy Birthday song in English. They were from our sister school and were visiting our classrooms. They wanted to share with us what they had learned. It was so cute to hear them trying so hard but it came out as, “Happy Birs-day!” Please know that I am not judging them by any means. I know that when I try to speak German, I sound like a two year old who has no concept of grammar at all!
2006
Happy Belated New Year! It’s been quite some time since I wrote my last newsletter. In fact, it was August. Since I seem to start all my newsletters with excuses, I decided to keep up with my own tradition. I have an ever so slight tendency to overextend myself. As you may remember, we are moving back to the states this summer. I am trying to prepare myself for the job search and want to make myself as marketable as possible. Unfortunately, teachers are not paid well in the states and are not always paid for their experience. Although I am well paid here working for the Department of Defense, my time will not count towards my retirement. I’m fairly certain that I will retire when I’m in my 90’s! Most states have to pay you for at least 5 years of experience. I’ll have nearly 20 years when I leave here. I have a master’s degree plus 30 extra graduate credits. I don’t share this with you to brag, because it may be a disadvantage. No matter how many years of experience they want to give to me, they do have to pay me for the graduate degree. So in the eyes of the employer, why not hire a kid straight out of college at the lowest salary point? I’m going to have to sell myself and this is why I’ve continued to take courses. (I also thoroughly enjoy them and have been called a professional student) I am working on getting an Educational Technologist endorsement and Reading Specialist Certificate. I took three courses at one time and am now taking two. I can honestly say that I have truly not had the time to devote to writing. That is not to say that we haven’t had some excitement in the last six months. I’ll work backwards from January to September. Enjoy!
FOUR OTT’S TRAVEL TO BAVARIA
It finally happened. We got Joe’s side of the family to visit us. His brother, Bob, and new wife, Jen, were married in May. They had hoped to honeymoon here in Germany at that time but it didn’t work out for various reasons. Joe’s leave was in January this year so we talked them into coming out at that time. It’s much cheaper to fly off season. I admit it was cold but well worth the trip. The day they flew in we had them going nonstop. Bob is ten years younger than Joe and has never seen him perform. It just so happened that he had a non-Air Force gig with a combo in Heidelberg. This was one of the places they wanted to see. He played in a Jazz House just below the castle ruins. The Jazz House is actually part of the ruins and looked like a cave. It was a neat atmosphere and was wonderful for Bob to see and hear what his brother does for a living. I think he may have even turned Bob and Jen onto jazz. We’ll see….
I took a few days off and after a day of rest we went to Garmisch, Bavaria. You may remember that Joe and I went there a few summers ago. We had hoped to get back to that area in the winter. Thanks to Bob and Jen, we did just that. It was a jam packed couple of days. Joe and I especially enjoyed it because we were able to do some things that we didn’t have time for on our last trip. It was great for Bob and Jen because everything was new to them. Here’s our itinerary:
Day 1- After a 5 hour drive, we went straight to the Linderhof Castle. This is the only castle ever completed by King Ludwig. The best word to describe this castle would be decadent. In Bob and Jen’s words, “It was quaint, boo foo cold.” They especially liked how the dining table was elevated from the kitchen completely set and ready for service. When the King finished his meal, it was lowered back down. Bob is looking into having that put in for his future new home. After seeing the castle, we made our way to a two bedroom apartment where we stayed for the trip.
Day 2- How many of you can say you have sledded down the Bavarian Alps? Well, these four Ott’s can say it robustly. We had the time of our life. Joe and I did this in Switzerland and it was like being a kid again. Some would argue that we’re oversized kids, but that’s another story. We took the gondola up to the Hausberg Mountain and it took about 40 minutes to sled down it. They actually groom a path just for sledding so we were never in the way of the skiers. We went down the mountain twice with a stop for a snack and drink in-between runs. As we boarded the gondola, we were surrounded by skiers. We felt a bit silly, but weren’t too worried about it. Joe, in his usual quick witted way, said, “Pardon us, professional sledders here.” None of the Germans laughed, but he did get a chuckle out of a couple of Italians. He knew enough Italian to communicate with them. Once we figured out where to start, the fun began. We were a bit cautious at first, but Joe took the lead and left us in his snow dust. Just as I was getting the hang of how to steer, I saw a sign that said, “Langsam”. We tried to tell Bob and Jen that it meant go faster but unfortunately it had the English translation below it. Langsam means slow. So what did Joe do? Hopped on his sled and went like a bat out of hell! The rest of us heeded the warning the first time down. The second time was another story, except for Jen. She was given the name Grandma Jen for the rest of the day. In fact, Joe, Bob, and I were waiting for her at the bottom of a hill and decided to stage an accident. She didn’t fall for it for even one second. In fact, she continued on a bit without us. We asked what took her so long and she claims she had a wipeout. Ok, Jen……you stick with that story……hmmm. (Okay, so she was covered head to toe in snow, maybe she really did wipe out.)
The sledding took us about half the day, and we were not about to stop there. We drove on to the Partnach Gorge. This is an incredible site. We were able to walk through glaciers and saw waterfalls that were several meters thick and as tall as the trees. The color of the frozen ice was an aquamarine color that simply can’t be captured in pictures. The best part about it was that it was relatively untouched by man. No special lighting to enhance the ice. Nature took care of everything and no more was needed. It was truly an awe inspiring site.
Day 3- This was castle day. We took them to Neuschwanstein Castle which is known as the fairy tale castle. It was used as the model for Walt Disney’s castle. They took a horse carriage ride up to the castle. During the English tour, Bob asked if Hitler had ever stayed in this castle. Hitler is still not a popular subject here in Germany and the guides don’t usually volunteer information about him. But it was a fair question, and in fact, he did stay there. The Nazi’s stored their treasures in the castle to protect them from the bombings. There was also a singing room where private concerts were given for Hitler. By the way, the US took occupation two years after the war.
We had already been there, so we went to another of King Ludwig’s castles that was located in the same area called Howenschwangau. Schwan means swan in English. Everywhere you look in both these castles, you will see elegant swans in the artwork, chandeliers, walls, carvings, etc. King Ludwig was considered insane during his time. Today, he’d probably be considered eccentric. Guests were never allowed to stay on the same floor as he did, however, Richard Wagner, did. This led to rumors of Ludwig’s homosexuality which caused great grief in those times. In fact, his death is still a mystery. He died in a nearby lake in shallow waters along with his doctor. Did they drown? Were they killed? The mystery lives on.
Day 4- I told you it was a jam packed couple of days. It was time to leave Bavaria and head home, but not without a stop in an old medieval city. We stopped in Rothenburg which is one of the few walled cities still standing. We spent a short time just taking in the culture and atmosphere. We wanted Bob and Jen to see how different the states are here in Germany. We grabbed a quick bite to eat in none other than a butcher. We saw a sign for hot brats and took advantage of it. In Europe, you do not have fast food. You can expect to spend a couple of hours for every meal. We do enjoy this but wanted to see the city before heading home. The butcher was a pleasant surprise. He said, “Ah, Americans….I make for you a fresh bratwurst, with mustard and fresh bread. Only 3-4 minutes. Okay?” No problem for us. As his son prepared the brats, he talked with us. His English was perfect. He told us about his American friend who was a one star general. He said that when he took his uniform off, he loved to visit with the farmers and he was no longer a general, just a normal man. This was refreshing to hear. As our brats came out, he continued sharing stories. The cook for the US president came to his shop several years ago and was admiring his meat. I must say that this was the best bratwurst I’ve ever had. In fact, I would have had another one if I could. It was fresh, it was from the local farmers, no preservatives, and all natural. That was a fantastic lunch. Good food and great stories from a local man. We headed on to the Criminal Museum which we had seen but is worth seeing again. Some of the barbaric torture that was given to people back then is quite scary. I mentioned to Jen that some of the neck violins were painted and quite pretty. I thought it would be a fun and quite unique thing to put on the wall in my new house. It would be a great conversation piece. I can just imagine the conversation I might have with someone who asked what it was. “Oh, that old thing….that’s a neck violin. Yes, when spouses couldn’t get along their heads and hands were clamped in the holes and this supposedly helped them to work things out……..What’s that you say?.....Oh no, we haven’t tried it yet.”
CHRISTMAS WAS NO HOLIDAY
The holidays were a bit rough for us this year. This was the first time in 20 years that we did not spend Christmas or the New Year together. The General decided that the band was needed to play for troop morale. While we were both disappointed that we wouldn’t be together for the specific holidays, we could hardly complain about our situation. He would be coming home, unlike the people he played for. He would not be working at the frontlines. His life was not in danger. Most of those people were on 12-18 month tours and wouldn’t be seeing their families or friends for a very long time. While it was difficult to be apart, we survived it and are looking forward to being away from the military environment next year. His leave was given in January and we were able to spend time with his brother and new wife.
JOE TOURS TO BOSNIA
One of the places Joe toured during the holidays was Bosnia. He had not been to this country before. He attended several briefings about what to expect in that country, where to go, how to get there, who to go with, and more. The briefing had him quite intimidated. I wondered why they were touring Bosnia but later found out that we have several troops stationed there. That news isn’t mentioned much anymore. The briefing mentioned things like going to town in small groups, never alone. Ok, that makes sense in most places. It also mentioned to only walk on the sidewalks. Ok, but why? Because there are still many open land mines and you never know when you might step on one. Hmmm....at this point I was getting nervous as well. When he finally made the trip, it was not so bad. Yes, there were land mines, but they were clearly marked with skull and crossbones. Yes, there are bombed out buildings, but just across the street is a beautiful, 4 star hotel. And of course, there’s always the curious food, especially meats. He ate but he’s not sure what he ate! The term mystery meat comes to mind. The tour was relatively eventless other than the shock of touring and seeing a 3rd world country.
JOE, THE SAXOPHONE, AND OLIVE OIL
The Germans love their music and truly appreciate American jazz. The jazz band played in a local music hall and unbeknownst to us, the newspaper wrote an article on them. Later that week while visiting with my landlord, she mentioned how happy she was to have us as tenants and neighbors. I figured she was just realizing that we’d be gone soon and was already starting to miss us. Then she said how honored she was to have us especially a famous person. Somehow, I had the feeling there was more to her comments. She shared an article with us and sure enough, there was Joe in full color. I tried to decipher the article and could get the gist of it but had to ask what the olive oil had to do with Joe’s playing. The writer said something about how quickly his fingers moved on the keys that it was as if he had olive oil on his fingertips. He is always trying to improve his skills but I’m pretty sure he hasn’t tried the olive oil trick yet. Perhaps he will someday.
BLUEGRASS SAXOPHONIST
Okay, my title was just to get your attention. I know I describe Joe as a jazz musician but he does appreciate other styles of music. He’s actually getting into bluegrass. I think the movies “Cold Mountain” and “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” have brought this music back into popularity. A few of the musicians he works with decided to give it a try. Let’s see, there’s the oboist, the alto sax player, the guitarist, the clarinetist, the trumpet player, the bass player, and of course, they all sing. Now, if you know anything about bluegrass, you probably know that these are not typical instruments used for this style of music. Actually, the oboist decided to learn to play the mandolin, the alto sax player picked up the banjo, the clarinetist and trumpet player also play the guitar. The other guitar player and bass player were on their own instruments. I found this fascinating that they could just decide to learn a new instrument and style of music and to be so good at it. They soon became a favorite of the 4 star General and made a recording. They asked Joe to help produce their CD. I was invited to watch but I really think I was there to cook dinner for them! By the way, the bass player is actually the sound man for the Air Force bands. Oh, to be so talented. The CD is not out yet, but I’ll let you know when it is available.
EXCUSE ME
Even after nearly 5 years here in Germany, I continue to learn new things about the culture. I know I’ve mentioned the Euro Shove to you. To us Americans, it seems rude. To Europeans, it’s simply how you get in line. I was at a party recently and several Germans were there. One of them is dating an American in the band. She was reaching across the food table to get something and said,” Excuse me.” At that time, I didn’t know she was German. Another German friend of mine said, “Oh, she is not American,” in a rather sarcastic way. I asked what this was about and she explained to me that she felt this woman was trying to act like an American. I still didn’t understand. She explained that a German would never say excuse me when reaching across the table. It just isn’t necessary. I thought it was polite. Germans think it’s unnecessary. I know it’s a little thing, but it is interesting to hear both points of view.
HAPPY B-DAY!
This may seem silly to you, but Germans cannot say the –th- sound. It is not used in their language. I recently heard some German children singing the Happy Birthday song in English. They were from our sister school and were visiting our classrooms. They wanted to share with us what they had learned. It was so cute to hear them trying so hard but it came out as, “Happy Birs-day!” Please know that I am not judging them by any means. I know that when I try to speak German, I sound like a two year old who has no concept of grammar at all!
JUST THE RIGHT GLASS
Joe and I realize that our time spent in Europe has changed us in many ways. One of those ways is our drinking habits. You probably know that you should use different types of glasses for different types of wine. But did you know there is a special glass just for water and juice? And please, if we ever visit you and you offer us a beer, do not hand us a bottle or can. We simply won’t know what to do with it. You may be one of those people that own those cute little beer glasses from a place like Crate & Barrel. Well, my oh my, that is probably for a pilsner. What if I want a Hefeweizen? Then I’ll expect a Hefeweizen glass. What if Joe wants a Schwarzbier? He’ll want a special beer goblet. Now if we decide to have a cola bier, then a large water glass will be fine. The same goes for a Radler. That’s Sprite and beer. If you’re unsure of what I’m talking about you have two options. Come visit us in the next couple of months here in Germany or come visit us in Johnsburg, Illinois and we’ll give you a private taste testing session complete with the appropriate glasses!
posted by ottco @ 11:51 AM
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