Some Reflections

Here are some reflections on Switzerland and Munich:

TELEVISION: the funniest thing. In addition to their own shows they have lots of American movies and television shows which are dubbed into German. This puzzles me in that Europeans tend to speak 2 or 3 languages, many of them understand and speak English quite well. We Americans tend to only speak English, so you would expect them to use just subtitles which they could check every once in a while, and us to insist on dubbing. It is the exact opposite.

HOTELS: None of the hotels from Reichenau to Munich has had air conditioning. NOT A ONE. At least Reichenau had a fan. The others had windows you could open. I am all in favor of fresh air, but this is a bit strange. While the other hotels were closer to "bed and breakfasts," this is a big city hotel. (Fr. Skeris said it is common and European hotels are only slowly introducing air conditioning. The older ones don't have the duct work.)

Breakfast has been free at all of my hotels and not what we call "continental breakfast." Here is is definitely classier. It is a combination of buffet and waitress style here. You have to give her your room number and then she will get you "coffee, tea, or something else (I forget?)." When I made the mistake of saying coffee in American ("KAW-fee" instead of "kah-FAY") she stated speaking to me in English, but I faked her out by giving my room number in German, "Ein hundert, ein und zwanzig"). It generally consists of your choice of yogurt, real cereals (not frosted flakes), thinly sliced meats, cheese, croisants, breads, etc.

FOOD: In Switzerland it was the healthiest. I saw, maybe, two American chain fast food restaurants in Switzerland/Austria. I didn't see Zurich, because I was driven immediately away from the airport. Munich is a little different, because it is a big city, but still you see fresh fruit and vegetables sold everywhere - from rest stops to outdoor markets to the train station. Southern Germany is a little bit more "lumpen" as you start seeing dumplings, sausage, pastries, bologna, beer.

PEOPLE/CULTURE: Definitely slower and more relaxed than in America. Outdoor cafes all over the place. The people smoke like chimneys in Munich (NOT Switzerland), but they seem to be trimmer than in America. People ride bikes IN the city center of Munich, but it is easier because there are so many "platz's" - huge long stretches of street where no auto traffic is allowed. In Munich, an odd layering of Catholic culture (names, buildings, churches, music - even the gypsy band played some classical music) combined with some of the worst aspects of big city vices. [An outdoor display of post cards at a shop had a row of naked picture post cards, then a row of post cards with Pope Benedict XVI. (Said Fr. Skeris wryly, "Well, at least they're not Zwinglians.")]

The women are marginally more modest in their manner of dress in Munich than London, but that isn't saying much. I swear, before London, the last time I saw so many exposed breasts and thighs was in the poultry section of a supermarket. It makes me appreciate the Christendom gals even more. Even some of the stylish young Muslim women in Munich find clever ways of subverting the purpose of the burkah.

Which brings up the subject of Islam. I would say that easily 10% of the women in the downtown area are Muslim. Didn't see anything like that in Switzerland (nor London from what I remember). But as I pointed out above, it remains to be seen in what direction the influence will go. When you see a burkah with cleavage (as Bill Stoops did), it makes you wonder to what extent it is custom over substance.

AMERICANS vs. EUROPEANS: No doubt about it. They have the culture, art and sense of "gracious living." We tend to be more pragmatic and functional. A "can do" people who get the job done - and are rather literal-minded in a touching way. If there is something wrong, we want to "fix it," and often we succeed. Sometimes we get ourselves into trouble. They tend to love culture and art (e.g. all throughout Switzerland in the smallest of villages, there was always an organ being tuned - being gotten ready for a concert) AND they love ideas passionately, which gets them into trouble sometimes. They can be very stubborn about letting go of bad ideas (Communism, Socialism, Catholic liberalism, etc.) - things that just don't work, but appeal to certain minds. Then again, we sometimes don't take ideas seriously enough, or pursue to the depth to which they should be pursued because our concern is, "what can it do for me?"

Nonetheless, they seem determined to adopt some of the worst aspects of out mass media culture, albeit in their quirky European ways - at least in the big cities. Where will it all end? The whole question is, "what is the purpose of life?" "what are you living for?" Secular materialism provides no answer except: "the present - comfort, ease." This just does not satisfy the human heart in the end. We were made for something more. But we can be "drugged" into being happy with less - for a time. All of their customs, art, traditions of living, stem from an answer which a number of them don't seem interested in anymore. Will Islam jump into the void? I really don't know.

CARS: Lots of small European cars - even some small American cars like the Ford Festiva. French Citroens and Pugeots. Many different types of Italian Fiats - Doblo (a little truck), even the famous Cinquecento; Volkswagons, BMWs. Especially - tell this to Brian Black - the Sprinter truck. I see these all over the place in Munich, all throughout Switzerland, and even two on the Isle of Reichenau.