I feel like there is this completely new facet of German life that I understand now. The availability of mass transit all the way out into tiny towns makes them into a kind of extension of the city. Not that they are any more crowded, or that there is really anything more to do there. Everything is simply more accessible. The high degree of accessibility made it almost makes it seem like Berlin, Potsdam, and Sassnitz are part of the same community. This really stands in contrast to the way American cities and towns connect. Our dependence on cars and interstate really seems to diminish the value of walking to a destination, and riding in our own vehicles for hours at a time seems to separate us from everyone else traveling in the same direction.
Very thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteI guess we don't really think about traveling as a commonground. Whenever you ride a plane, you talk to the people beside you... it's like an instant comradery (spelling? forgive me). It's not really like that in the states when traveling only an hour or so down the road. You don't get to interact with the people in other cars or observe their interactions with their group.
Sounds like you may have been able to pull a Gail and people watch ;)
With my hatred of driving, imagine how life would be in a world with trains. Where you could nap on the way to a destination, or read...and, where I could use that pink bicycle as my everyday...
ReplyDeleteThats it. I'm packing up this weekend, and will move to Bamburg, Germany. Do they have any openings for a Tooth Fairy?
They are in dire need of a tooth fairy...
ReplyDelete