The "problem" here seems to be expectation when it comes to beer gardens -- or pubs in general. In Germany and other European countries they are sponsored by one brewery and offer only the beer of that brewery and associates. These were originally subterranean to keep the beer of the brewery cool. Then they put gravel on top and planted chestnut trees, also to keep the beer cool. Then they started selling the beer. After that they offered simple food (as restricted by law). In traditional beer gardens in Bavaria you may still bring your own food.
As a german I'd say: In the US, all that air conditioning, it's hard. You always have to take a jacket or - as a european - you will get a cold or at least a sore throat ☃️🧣 It's effing freezing!
dont know where u live, but Germany is too warm for me... i always have a ventilator and in summer 2 running. Cant afford air conditioning rn and in the rented apartments its often not possible to install one properly
@@shadesmarerik4112 Yeah, I know. That was a bit of a joke about the air conditioning. But they do turn it to ice cold instead of cool in the US. I luckily live in a really well insulated house and that does not only mean less heating in winter but also the house staying cool in summer unless it's weeks and weeks of heat. So we will see what the future brings. But anywhere it get's really hot... yes, please AC, just maybe not arctic temperatures inside when it feels like the Sahara outside...
If I were to guess, I'd say that people in the SOUTHERN US have come to have a lower tolerance for hot weather due to there being so much air conditioning in this region. Some of my coworkers have our control room feeling like a meat locker.
@@thatguy8869 I think you're right. When I go home to Seattle I am disappointed that my family runs their AC very minimally, to save money I guess. I try not to let my house in Germany get over 24C in Summer. It's rough on my AC unit.
"Spitzegern"! I love this term. It's not a term coming from Germany, BUT since the German language allows to make up compound words I'd say it's technically a very German attitude to invent such a word. :) So, go for it! I might even use "spitzegern" in the future, because its a fun word.
3:40 The ice cream tastes fresh and like they put real fruit in it because at those ice cream parlors, they make the ice cream by themselves and put real fruit in it.
Reading all those comments regarding the air conditioning and the cost that comes with it - I've come to thought... What are your thoughts as an American living in Germany on "Nachhaltigkeit"? I'd be great to see a video about that!
A beer garden is not a "beer shop" ...it is solely about enjoying sitting outside with a fresh beer from the tab...originally it was always part of a brewery which sold their fresh brewed beer as off-premises sales. I don´t know how it is a Germany but here in Austria you will get always both dark + light beer in a beer garden...and my favourite choice is then "ein Gemischtes"/"a mixed one" which is half dark beer and half light beer in a glas..
Here it depends on which brewery is the main contractor for the beer garden, but in most you will find at least a Pilsner and some kind of either a Dunkles or a Schwarzbier.
4:35 The reason why beer gardens only sell one type of beer is because historically, breweries stored their beer underground in specially constructed cellars. Above those cellars, they planted trees with thick leafage to provide shade, which made those spaces perfect seating areas. That meant you could go down some stairs, get some beer and sell it to the people above. And since breweries back in the day didn't make different varieties of beer, that meant you'd get just that specific type of beer at the beer garden. To make this extra clear, just think of a beer garden as a beer storage rather than a gastronomical institution. (That also explains why traditional beer gardens don't sell food - or only sell a limited selection of food items.)
I live in New York and plastic bags have been outlawed since before Covid for shopping (one can buy plastic for garbage). My supermarket (which is a major one) does not even have paper bags let alone plastic ones - you have to bring your own bags or they will sell you a reusable one.
Over the past few years I've heard a couple times that there are more and more "non plastic bags" shops in the US, cars with lower or no fuel consumption are getting more popular and so on. Overall I believe the american people have become a bit more environmental cautious, which is awesome! 👍
@@fawkesmorque thank you but unfortunately I don’t think that it is totally even. As I mentioned New York State has banned the use of plastic bags for shopping and other more progressive/liberal states/cities/localities have also done so especially in the Northeast and West Coast. But there are politicians and even a whole political party that are vilifying anything that is against tradition when rich white men dominated the country and railing against anything that is for progress, science-based or evidence-based as Woke and therefore evil!
6:47 There is a reason to having traffic lights on your side of the road instead of the other side of the road, like in the US (whether this is intentionally in Germany or by accident, I can't tell). The advantage is that drivers have to stay behind the white line and do not cross over on the pedestrian crossing or the cycle lane. This design nudges people in the right direction.
I think its more because here many roads are small and crossroads are sometimes not straight but more twisted. If the trafficlight would be on the other side of the road it would be way harder to spot it. In america the roads are realy straight most of the time.
@@AllesssKlar American car drivers have trouble with bends and curves.... they get confused if a street dont goes straight and traffic signs need text on them, because they need an explanation what they are, from Europe to China, every car driver can understand the random traffic signs just by seeing them from far!
- hahaha, "white asparagus - it looks like a mistake!"..... I am still laughing. So let me whisper "well - top secret but - we tend to photoshop our green asparagus all the time!"! - lack of beer varieties: I guess it is because of the "Deutsches Reinheitsgebot". You may ask google and by doing so spare me to write an entire novel here :) - "Spitze gern" to me as a German sounds rather adaptable! Btw., "danke sehr" isn't wrong, it is simply sort of outdated, a bit oldfashioned if you know what I mean. - I love to hear that Trier did impress you! (Was born and raised there, left when I was 25 and ever since I feel homesick!)
16:55 Thanks for the tip, I'll check out Meisenheim (and ice cream in Freinsheim :p)! I'm a German from Rheinland-Pfalz, so I could go, but I didn't know Meisenheim. ;) I love secret tips for small places to visit! Justin and Rebecca seem so "sympathisch"! :)
Good to see two down to earth people who are well versed and didn’t try to be extra in any way - very sympathetic! I guess that comes with not being in front of a camera much. I really enjoyed the video 👍🏻
11 месяцев назад+1
-sympathetic- likeable (yes, BEWARE THE FALSE FRIENDS!)
Funny. Every Yank complains that there is little air conditioning in Europe but none of them gets the idea how much energy is needed so that you do not sweat but the rest of the world.
I can tell you that the US uses more energy for AC than the continent of Africa uses in total.. That's 1.3billion people.. And we're only talking AC. The US uses more for heating than AC so you can add another continent of africa a for heating
It’s true, you usually don’t get a big variety of beers in one beer garden or restaurant. But there are specialty stores that are dedicated to beer and every “beverage store” (Getränkemarkt) will offer a wider variety of beers, even from further away regions, as local breweries usually have contracts with local restaurants and beer gardens.
Justin's German pronunciation is pretty good. You wouldn't say "spitzegern" though. But you can say "spitze", as in "that's great". "Family time in Meisenheim"? That is spitze. 😆
Next time around bring them to Wiesbaden, it is beautiful and has so many amazing things to see. And go up the Neroberg with the Nerobergbahn and find the amazing Chateau Nero…. Beautiful view with great wine…. Enjoy your channel a lot….
Beergardens usually are bound to the brewery - even most restaurants are. But there is a variety of different light and dark beers in Germany - but not if you go into a restaurant but to a "Getränkeshop". Favourite sparkling water brand - Hassia.
Oh, they should have shown them a Getraenkemarkt! Never would it be allowed to stack product as they do, to the ceiling, in America due to earthquake risk. Also you can buy frozen food from Poland and have no idea what you're getting. Even the check out people have no idea what they're selling. It's a "surprise dinner."
@@LythaWausW In vielen Getränkemärkten bekommst Du hier gar keine Gerolsteiner Glasflaschen mehr. Und ich find die deutlich besser als die PET Flaschen. Wenn man 50% Lösch Apfelsaft zum Gerolsteiner macht, bekommt man ne prima Schorle...
Tolles Video, deine Schwester und dein Schwager sind sehr sympathisch. Aber ich finde, du könntest öfter erwähnen, dass ihr in Süddeutschland lebt. Mittel- und Norddeutschland haben nochmal eine ganz andere Kultur.
Really nice video, again, Donnie. I got quite emotional hearing how much better the salads are and when Rebecca said it tastes as if they actually added real fruit to the ice cream. I take that for granted now. Lots of interesting observations. I’m sure the Germans are pleased to have tourists/visitors like these guys. I thought at first he was saying spitze gel, but I think it was an insider phrase under classmates. Any as long as it hasn’t got that horrible bitter taste some have.
you can get a LOT of variety of beers in specialized drinks supermarkets (Pils, Guinness, wheat brew, Bockbier, flavored beer, non-alcoholic beers, Berliner Weisse, Hefeweizen, Starkbier, craft beers etc.). In localities, most restaurants and bars have a steady contract with one supplier who sponsors beer coasters, the tab system, bar decor, outside signs etc. Thus, you have a or a few local beers on draft that is/are fresh. All others can usually be had bottled or bought for home.
excellent episode. I enjoyed Justin's thoughtful and nuanced answers, he would make a good german. so here is a nuanced comment on airconditioning in the US. ALL of Germany is NORTH of the Canadian border, and all of the south of the US is essentially the same latitude as Gibraltar or North Africa if you will. It is EXTREMELY humid in the south, and AC removes a lot of the humidity from the air. This is what AC is really needed for. In germany the humidity is not that much of an issue, and the temperatures overall are not as hot for as long as they are in the South of the US. After 25 years or so living in Georgia, i have learned to appreciate air conditioning. However, as a german, i have my thermostat set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I know many businesses and households have AC set to 70 degrees. That is way to cold for me and forces the air to run pretty much full time in the summer, even at night. That is not healthy, and a complete waste of energy in my, german, mind. If i were to move back to germany i would want AC in the car, July and August can be brutal in europe. If i were to build a house in germany, i would likely have a mini-split for the main living areas and bedrooms. Just to keep July and August under control. In short: it makes no sense to compare the lack of AC in germany, or much of northern Europe, to the use of AC in the South of the United States. What crazy person would live in Florida without AC? oh, and i have gotten used to drinking still water out of plastic bottles here in the US. carbonated water is crazy expensive in the US. as is beer btw. P.S when i came to the US for the first time in college, 30 years ago, most bars had no beer selection at all! Oh, yes, Sir we have BOTH kinds! Miller, and Miller Lite, or Bud and Bud Lite..... Things have changed.
@@sigmagic2874 the traditional manufacturers are Goodman, Trane, Carrier. But we also see smaller systems from Mitsubishi, mini-splits, as they allow installation into existing homes without the expense of airducts. Just about all homes here in the south are forced air systems, totally not like homes in Europe.
Roundabouts were almost gone in Germany for decades. I am not sure but when I got my license in 1990 the instructor probably went out of his way that I could encounter a roundabout at least once (or there might not have been any close to enough). Later in the mid/late 90s I remember them from driving in France. Then, in the late 90s they began to build them in Germany everwhere.
Peter from Munich, Germany: Hey Donnie, you have a real nice family! My preferred mineral water is Munich tap water, added with carbonic acid. The water comes from the mountains and tastes wonderful and costs nearly nothing.
I'm personally a still water guy but when it comes to mineral water then it's Radenska all the way! It's Slovenian but has a lot of minerals in it and often is cheaper than the local (Austrian) ones.
well when it comes to sparkeling water i like the cheap lidl stuff with high carbonation .... you have to drink it when its nearly freezing cold and its hellish hot outside ... iits a experiance like drinking down a huge glass of refreshing barbed wire
Regarding the traffic light situation: The roots for the "suboptimal" placement may be the way less predictable street layout compared to the states. Sometimes crossings have the weirdest angles, and it might simply not be possible to put traffic light in the opposing side, maybe there isnt even a clear opposing side, and you could have several roads looking at the same "opposing side". While not great for viewing angles, the german position of traffic lights is unambigous for the most part.
If I remember well we didn't have as much traffic lights above the street in the 1960ies and early 1970ies. Usually there was a Pole on the right corner an it could have two traffic lights mounted side by side on that pole. They weren't that high above but you had to turn your head, ie you weren't looking in the direction you'd go driving. The position of traffic lights in Germany discourages driving into crossroads and I think that contributes to road safety.
Depends on the state. I went to Missouri last year and the use of the blinker on the highway is optional. It's almost like Rome, a free for all. The thing that annoys my German husband the most is the lack of the "zipper" when merging - ppl in the PNW are clueless and they don't use the zipper method and it ends in road rage. Apparently we learned to drive wrong. I agree with Donnie's relatives - German drivers are excellent and I feel safe when I drive. If I make a mistake, I'm told about it quickly. It makes you a better driver.
@@LythaWausW you can get a ticket for Road Rage in Germany. But yes the Driving skills here are better because it is way harder to get a Driving license in germany and it cost way more then in other countrys. Maybe this is why germany have good driver's.
In Germany, the water that comes from the tap is classified as a staple food and is therefore tested by the state and is therefore safe to drink. Many people also have a soda stream at home with which the water from the tap can be made into sparkling water.
Das war spitze! We are often in Meisenheim, my wife and me. We live near Zweibrücken and often travel to tha Glan and Nahe rivers for a couple of days. I guess you had coffee and cake in the old mill. We often stayed there.
Meisenheim is a very good choice, beautiful small town. I grew up not that far away and really love that you guys can appreciate its wonderful vibe too. Greetings from Berlin!
I think a „special German“ thing is to fit to guests and try to speak their languages, even if they didn’t really learn them. So feel comfortable if a German switch to English, for them it’s a pretty welcome chance to practice their English 😊 💁♂️ it doesn’t mean you’re imperfect ☝️
How true not to tell about your favorites. I will never make that mistake again. Oh, you mentioned Ritter chocolate. LOL, I live on Maui, and visit my beloved beer heaven Oberbayern once a year for a month. On my way back, I usually have around 40 pounds of Ritter, mostly Nougat, in my checked luggage. Gotta survive 11 months on it on this rock here.
Traditionally, a Biergarten is not a Bar, where you can expect a large selection of different Beers, rather it is a specific Brewer's Storage Cellar beneath it to keep things cool, with gravel on top, where the searing area is.
Want a really HUGE variety of different kinds of beers? Many dark ones, really strong ones? Go to Belgium! If you've been to Aachen already it's not really far, and they speak German in East Belgium (which in the past belonged to Germany anyway). Many East Belgium Biergarten equivalents have a HUGE variety of beers to enjoy.
My favorite Mineralwater is probably 'Bad Dürrheimer Mineralwasser'. Mostly due to nostalgy, i grew up in that area (Bad Dürrheim where they produce that water, Donaueschingen where the river Donau starts and Villingen-Schwenningen with Villingen having a town festival all year in 1999, celebrating their 1,000 year long official city status and Schwenningen being known as the biggest village of Germany for centuries and the spring of the river Neckar is). So, i grew up having Bad Dürrheimer sparkling water and Schorle mix drinks and my father had Tannenzäpfle beer.
Next time they visit let me know, I shwo them ALL the beers they can thing of 😀 btw: the worlds best brewery is located near Frankfurt. You only can buy the beer local.
To answer your question: I grew up with mineral water, mostly Rossbacher, then also Gerolsteiner, but completely quit bottled water in favor of carbonized tap water a couple years ago. Honestly: it tastes great, it's actually safer because it is more closely monitored, it's cheaper, it means zero waste - it's a total no-brainer!
My favourite sparkling water brand? "Leitungsheimer"! 😊 You won't find it at any store - it's just to say: tap water! We use one of these SodaStream carbonators.... I just was tired of toiling with those heavy water crates (we used to buy our bottled water in glass bottles because it tastes much better). Our tap water here (at "Franconian Switzerland") is of such high quality that you could literally just bottle it and sell it as mineral water. We're so thankful for our water!
All the water from the Selters area... okay, maybe not the Sauerborn... but I absolutly love Selters, the traditional one, the new one, the smaller Quellen! 🥰
if you want a greater beer selection, go to a craft beer bar.. those exist in the bigger cities, not the small one though a beer garden is the wrong place tp look for a huge beer variety
10:27 "Spitze gern" (great | with pleasure) I feel like it doesn't really work that way around. "Gern" is usually either a prefix or on its own. But "Gern. Spitze." (I would love to do that. | that's amazing) Might actually work and could happen in normal conversations as a phrase you would use casually to agree on doing something for/with a friend.
"Spitze" on its own does mean something like "great/awesome". You may use "gerne" as response to "thank you" to signal that you enjoyed doing it like there is no reason to thank you. You can just nod and say "gerne". Lets say danke => gerne (gladly), danke schön = gern geschehen (happend gladly).
"White asparagus looks like a mistake" ... damn, these are fighting words my guy. As for the germans instantly switching to English when you approach them with non-fluent German, many germans don't do it because your German is bad but because for one they want to make sure they understand one another and also because quite a number of germans who don't have regular conversations in English jump at the chance to work on theirs. If you want to work on your German, it's a good idea to outright tell them "I want to practice my German so please continue in German as much as you can and correct me as we go". That tends to yield pretty good results as long as you aren't in an environment where people are busy (i.e.: a waiter in a restaurant at peak hours may not acquiesce since they got other tables to cover aswell, but if it's quiet they may well be more than willing). Alternatively you can always compromise and let them talk English if they want to practice but ask them to correct you if you made mistakes or are fishing for words and likewise. This is however something that's still quite split among demographics and regions. The more metropolitan areas and particularly the younger generations tend to have serviceable to very good English language proficiency (and correlating eagerness to speak it) whereas in more rural areas and older generations it's less common for people to be proficient and eager to speak in English. The gap is closing however as with the globalization and Internet making everyday use of the language more and more prevalent as opposed to something you learned in school and then barely if ever used again.
There are many sparkling water brands (most also have medium or none sparkling versions as well) I like. _Gerolsteiner_ is ok but not on that list. Recently I bought *Eifel Quelle* frequently and always in *glass bottles* not plastic since plastic contaminates the water and its taste.
ok fine, i HAVE to answer the random question this time XD Haaner Felsenquelle three guesses where I was originally born. ;) Us Bergisch Landers are very "Heimatverbunden" and even after over 15 years living in a different city, I will always be a "Berger"
Great Video! My favourite sparkling water? All of them, brand name doesn't matter, even Heilwasser slightly carbonated is nice. I drink water all the time, first thing in the morning, but mostly tap water which has the best taste where I live in Bavaria. But once in a while I fancy sparkling water and buy a case.
I usually buy Sprudel locally and in glas bottles/crates, so for me it is Filippo. It is also dead cheap. I have recently seen it elsewhere (further away) but then it was more expensive. On travels I like Eiszeitquell, which is more available.
Thank you all for watching! I hope you enjoyed this video 😊
Still watching!
Ich danke dir/euch für die tolle Unterhaltung 😅
I like watching your videos very much - particularly the glitches and blurps presented at the end 😄
spitze gern, noch nie gehört😂
bestes wasser : staatlich fachingen!!!
The "problem" here seems to be expectation when it comes to beer gardens -- or pubs in general. In Germany and other European countries they are sponsored by one brewery and offer only the beer of that brewery and associates.
These were originally subterranean to keep the beer of the brewery cool. Then they put gravel on top and planted chestnut trees, also to keep the beer cool. Then they started selling the beer. After that they offered simple food (as restricted by law). In traditional beer gardens in Bavaria you may still bring your own food.
Actually you are allowed to bring your own food by law in bavaria!.
See bayrische Biergartenverordnung. But it has to be a Brotzeit and not more.
As a german I'd say: In the US, all that air conditioning, it's hard. You always have to take a jacket or - as a european - you will get a cold or at least a sore throat ☃️🧣 It's effing freezing!
dont know where u live, but Germany is too warm for me... i always have a ventilator and in summer 2 running. Cant afford air conditioning rn and in the rented apartments its often not possible to install one properly
@@shadesmarerik4112 Yeah, I know. That was a bit of a joke about the air conditioning. But they do turn it to ice cold instead of cool in the US. I luckily live in a really well insulated house and that does not only mean less heating in winter but also the house staying cool in summer unless it's weeks and weeks of heat. So we will see what the future brings. But anywhere it get's really hot... yes, please AC, just maybe not arctic temperatures inside when it feels like the Sahara outside...
If I were to guess, I'd say that people in the SOUTHERN US have come to have a lower tolerance for hot weather due to there being so much air conditioning in this region. Some of my coworkers have our control room feeling like a meat locker.
@@thatguy8869 I think you're right. When I go home to Seattle I am disappointed that my family runs their AC very minimally, to save money I guess. I try not to let my house in Germany get over 24C in Summer. It's rough on my AC unit.
I haven't been to the US yet, but whenever I go to a German cinema in the summer I take a jacket with me because of the AC. 😅
"Spitzegern"! I love this term. It's not a term coming from Germany, BUT since the German language allows to make up compound words I'd say it's technically a very German attitude to invent such a word. :) So, go for it! I might even use "spitzegern" in the future, because its a fun word.
Lol you gonna get a lot weird looks when you while fully fluent with no accent suddenly throw out a spitzegern
Keep it, it's fun. If you leave a gap (semicolon) between spitze and gern it gains meaning
dankeSEHR für den kommentar bin deiner meinung! :)
Your Brother in Law is a natural with great communication skills. They are a wonderful couple. Hello from a German in Plano, TX.
There are no ACs because there is "lüften". It is way cheaper.
3:40 The ice cream tastes fresh and like they put real fruit in it because at those ice cream parlors, they make the ice cream by themselves and put real fruit in it.
Reading all those comments regarding the air conditioning and the cost that comes with it - I've come to thought... What are your thoughts as an American living in Germany on "Nachhaltigkeit"? I'd be great to see a video about that!
A beer garden is not a "beer shop" ...it is solely about enjoying sitting outside with a fresh beer from the tab...originally it was always part of a brewery which sold their fresh brewed beer as off-premises sales.
I don´t know how it is a Germany but here in Austria you will get always both dark + light beer in a beer garden...and my favourite choice is then "ein Gemischtes"/"a mixed one" which is half dark beer and half light beer in a glas..
Here it depends on which brewery is the main contractor for the beer garden, but in most you will find at least a Pilsner and some kind of either a Dunkles or a Schwarzbier.
4:35 The reason why beer gardens only sell one type of beer is because historically, breweries stored their beer underground in specially constructed cellars. Above those cellars, they planted trees with thick leafage to provide shade, which made those spaces perfect seating areas. That meant you could go down some stairs, get some beer and sell it to the people above. And since breweries back in the day didn't make different varieties of beer, that meant you'd get just that specific type of beer at the beer garden.
To make this extra clear, just think of a beer garden as a beer storage rather than a gastronomical institution.
(That also explains why traditional beer gardens don't sell food - or only sell a limited selection of food items.)
Your sister and her husband are amazing - great video, thank you for "sharing" them! :)
I live in New York and plastic bags have been outlawed since before Covid for shopping (one can buy plastic for garbage). My supermarket (which is a major one) does not even have paper bags let alone plastic ones - you have to bring your own bags or they will sell you a reusable one.
Over the past few years I've heard a couple times that there are more and more "non plastic bags" shops in the US, cars with lower or no fuel consumption are getting more popular and so on. Overall I believe the american people have become a bit more environmental cautious, which is awesome! 👍
@@fawkesmorque thank you but unfortunately I don’t think that it is totally even. As I mentioned New York State has banned the use of plastic bags for shopping and other more progressive/liberal states/cities/localities have also done so especially in the Northeast and West Coast. But there are politicians and even a whole political party that are vilifying anything that is against tradition when rich white men dominated the country and railing against anything that is for progress, science-based or evidence-based as Woke and therefore evil!
This is sometimes due to the price. Green energy and eco-friendly economy is getting cheaper and cheaper.
that sounds so woke and anti-american!
@@Arltratlo 😂
6:47 There is a reason to having traffic lights on your side of the road instead of the other side of the road, like in the US (whether this is intentionally in Germany or by accident, I can't tell). The advantage is that drivers have to stay behind the white line and do not cross over on the pedestrian crossing or the cycle lane. This design nudges people in the right direction.
I woude say it is more for not over load the driver with all the traffic lights that not for him
I think you are right. Cause in the US I often see Cars so much over the line, that no pedestrian could cross the street.
@@uwehansen2915 I hate the lights in Germany but you're right - my husband ran 2 red lights driving in America recently.
I think its more because here many roads are small and crossroads are sometimes not straight but more twisted. If the trafficlight would be on the other side of the road it would be way harder to spot it. In america the roads are realy straight most of the time.
@@AllesssKlar American car drivers have trouble with bends and curves....
they get confused if a street dont goes straight and traffic signs need text on them,
because they need an explanation what they are,
from Europe to China, every car driver can understand the random traffic signs just by seeing them from far!
Spitze gern. We got the new expression for 2023 here.
- hahaha, "white asparagus - it looks like a mistake!"..... I am still laughing. So let me whisper "well - top secret but - we tend to photoshop our green asparagus all the time!"!
- lack of beer varieties: I guess it is because of the "Deutsches Reinheitsgebot". You may ask google and by doing so spare me to write an entire novel here :)
- "Spitze gern" to me as a German sounds rather adaptable! Btw., "danke sehr" isn't wrong, it is simply sort of outdated, a bit oldfashioned if you know what I mean.
- I love to hear that Trier did impress you! (Was born and raised there, left when I was 25 and ever since I feel homesick!)
16:55 Thanks for the tip, I'll check out Meisenheim (and ice cream in Freinsheim :p)! I'm a German from Rheinland-Pfalz, so I could go, but I didn't know Meisenheim. ;) I love secret tips for small places to visit!
Justin and Rebecca seem so "sympathisch"! :)
Favourite sparkling water: DIY sparkling water (Soda Stream etc)
Same here.
Good to see two down to earth people who are well versed and didn’t try to be extra in any way - very sympathetic! I guess that comes with not being in front of a camera much. I really enjoyed the video 👍🏻
-sympathetic- likeable (yes, BEWARE THE FALSE FRIENDS!)
Funny. Every Yank complains that there is little air conditioning in Europe but none of them gets the idea how much energy is needed so that you do not sweat but the rest of the world.
I can tell you that the US uses more energy for AC than the continent of Africa uses in total.. That's 1.3billion people.. And we're only talking AC. The US uses more for heating than AC so you can add another continent of africa a for heating
And you would need it for 2-3 weeks per year. That’s why it does not make sense at all.
Germany summers are great visit where I am in Vegas and you will understand AC 😁
It’s true, you usually don’t get a big variety of beers in one beer garden or restaurant. But there are specialty stores that are dedicated to beer and every “beverage store” (Getränkemarkt) will offer a wider variety of beers, even from further away regions, as local breweries usually have contracts with local restaurants and beer gardens.
Justin's German pronunciation is pretty good. You wouldn't say "spitzegern" though. But you can say "spitze", as in "that's great".
"Family time in Meisenheim"? That is spitze. 😆
Only if you jump into air and click your heels midflight 🤣
Next time around bring them to Wiesbaden, it is beautiful and has so many amazing things to see. And go up the Neroberg with the Nerobergbahn and find the amazing Chateau Nero…. Beautiful view with great wine…. Enjoy your channel a lot….
Mein Lieblings-Mineralwasser ist San Pellegrino. Aber im Alltag trinke ich aus der Leitung mit SodaStream.
Was für ein nettes , freundliches Paar. Liebe Grüße aus dem Sauerland… Home of 1000 ⛰️and 🎄😊
Beergardens usually are bound to the brewery - even most restaurants are. But there is a variety of different light and dark beers in Germany - but not if you go into a restaurant but to a "Getränkeshop".
Favourite sparkling water brand - Hassia.
Oh, they should have shown them a Getraenkemarkt! Never would it be allowed to stack product as they do, to the ceiling, in America due to earthquake risk. Also you can buy frozen food from Poland and have no idea what you're getting. Even the check out people have no idea what they're selling. It's a "surprise dinner."
@@LythaWausW In vielen Getränkemärkten bekommst Du hier gar keine Gerolsteiner Glasflaschen mehr. Und ich find die deutlich besser als die PET Flaschen. Wenn man 50% Lösch Apfelsaft zum Gerolsteiner macht, bekommt man ne prima Schorle...
Tolles Video, deine Schwester und dein Schwager sind sehr sympathisch. Aber ich finde, du könntest öfter erwähnen, dass ihr in Süddeutschland lebt. Mittel- und Norddeutschland haben nochmal eine ganz andere Kultur.
Really nice video, again, Donnie. I got quite emotional hearing how much better the salads are and when Rebecca said it tastes as if they actually added real fruit to the ice cream. I take that for granted now. Lots of interesting observations. I’m sure the Germans are pleased to have tourists/visitors like these guys.
I thought at first he was saying spitze gel, but I think it was an insider phrase under classmates.
Any as long as it hasn’t got that horrible bitter taste some have.
Lauren, I agree all around: ) However I miss a good Caesar salad (with anchovy paste).
Lauren!
@@sisuguillam5109 ❤️
@@LaureninGermany Guten Abend! 😍
"Bad Brückenauer" is by far my favourite sparkling water brand. 😊
Great video again!😊
you can get a LOT of variety of beers in specialized drinks supermarkets (Pils, Guinness, wheat brew, Bockbier, flavored beer, non-alcoholic beers, Berliner Weisse, Hefeweizen, Starkbier, craft beers etc.). In localities, most restaurants and bars have a steady contract with one supplier who sponsors beer coasters, the tab system, bar decor, outside signs etc. Thus, you have a or a few local beers on draft that is/are fresh. All others can usually be had bottled or bought for home.
Spitzegern does not exist, but there is the word Spitzenklasse (super great), that comes close
excellent episode. I enjoyed Justin's thoughtful and nuanced answers, he would make a good german. so here is a nuanced comment on airconditioning in the US. ALL of Germany is NORTH of the Canadian border, and all of the south of the US is essentially the same latitude as Gibraltar or North Africa if you will. It is EXTREMELY humid in the south, and AC removes a lot of the humidity from the air. This is what AC is really needed for. In germany the humidity is not that much of an issue, and the temperatures overall are not as hot for as long as they are in the South of the US. After 25 years or so living in Georgia, i have learned to appreciate air conditioning. However, as a german, i have my thermostat set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I know many businesses and households have AC set to 70 degrees. That is way to cold for me and forces the air to run pretty much full time in the summer, even at night. That is not healthy, and a complete waste of energy in my, german, mind. If i were to move back to germany i would want AC in the car, July and August can be brutal in europe. If i were to build a house in germany, i would likely have a mini-split for the main living areas and bedrooms. Just to keep July and August under control. In short: it makes no sense to compare the lack of AC in germany, or much of northern Europe, to the use of AC in the South of the United States. What crazy person would live in Florida without AC? oh, and i have gotten used to drinking still water out of plastic bottles here in the US. carbonated water is crazy expensive in the US. as is beer btw. P.S when i came to the US for the first time in college, 30 years ago, most bars had no beer selection at all! Oh, yes, Sir we have BOTH kinds! Miller, and Miller Lite, or Bud and Bud Lite..... Things have changed.
Inzwischen gibt es sogar Wärmepumpen mit Klima/Kühlfunktion, ich überlege ob so etwas meine nächste Heizung wird….
@@sigmagic2874 hier in USA sind fast alle so. waermepumpe mit klima
@@uliwehner oh, das wusste ich nicht 👍 welche Marken/Hersteller haben die da?
@@sigmagic2874 the traditional manufacturers are Goodman, Trane, Carrier. But we also see smaller systems from Mitsubishi, mini-splits, as they allow installation into existing homes without the expense of airducts. Just about all homes here in the south are forced air systems, totally not like homes in Europe.
I also enjoy "Gerolsteiner Mineralwasser", it's my favorite one.
We love Meisenheim! It’s a short drive for us down here in Kaiserslautern and such a treat to just wander the streets.
"spitze gern" 😂😂😂 no not German... Up until now at least but I'll start using it!
Roundabouts were almost gone in Germany for decades. I am not sure but when I got my license in 1990 the instructor probably went out of his way that I could encounter a roundabout at least once (or there might not have been any close to enough). Later in the mid/late 90s I remember them from driving in France. Then, in the late 90s they began to build them in Germany everwhere.
Peter from Munich, Germany: Hey Donnie, you have a real nice family! My preferred mineral water is Munich tap water, added with carbonic acid. The water comes from the mountains and tastes wonderful and costs nearly nothing.
I'm personally a still water guy but when it comes to mineral water then it's Radenska all the way! It's Slovenian but has a lot of minerals in it and often is cheaper than the local (Austrian) ones.
If you want many varieties of beer visit Belgium.
thank you for the video from southwest germany.
My favorite Water is also Geroldsteiner and what surprised me that they didnt complain about "Sprudel" Sparkling Wasser which most Germans prefer.
well when it comes to sparkeling water i like the cheap lidl stuff with high carbonation .... you have to drink it when its nearly freezing cold and its hellish hot outside ... iits a experiance like drinking down a huge glass of refreshing barbed wire
Great analogy. I offered a friend water from the fridge the other day and later realized it might have shocked her that it was nearly freezing.
Regarding the traffic light situation:
The roots for the "suboptimal" placement may be the way less predictable street layout compared to the states.
Sometimes crossings have the weirdest angles, and it might simply not be possible to put traffic light in the opposing side, maybe there isnt even a clear opposing side, and you could have several roads looking at the same "opposing side".
While not great for viewing angles, the german position of traffic lights is unambigous for the most part.
If I remember well we didn't have as much traffic lights above the street in the 1960ies and early 1970ies. Usually there was a Pole on the right corner an it could have two traffic lights mounted side by side on that pole. They weren't that high above but you had to turn your head, ie you weren't looking in the direction you'd go driving.
The position of traffic lights in Germany discourages driving into crossroads and I think that contributes to road safety.
16:12 Great pronunciation 😃👍
Spitzegern is a word I will use in future because it's wonderful 🤗
Very cool couple. It seems they didnt have Bad experiences. You surely also helped to explain Things.
They are so nice people. Veery interesting thougts. They would be great for a chat from German to American.
Glad you could spend some quality time with your family😊.
Das war Spitze !!
Also if they think German drivers are law abiding and save drivers, how bad is the driving in the US. Is this in the US more like Mad Max scenario?
Yeah, a lot of times.
Depends on the state. I went to Missouri last year and the use of the blinker on the highway is optional. It's almost like Rome, a free for all. The thing that annoys my German husband the most is the lack of the "zipper" when merging - ppl in the PNW are clueless and they don't use the zipper method and it ends in road rage. Apparently we learned to drive wrong. I agree with Donnie's relatives - German drivers are excellent and I feel safe when I drive. If I make a mistake, I'm told about it quickly. It makes you a better driver.
Germany is one of the very few states which have strict traffic laws. Compared to us, we are indeed law abiding and save drivers.
@@LythaWausW you can get a ticket for Road Rage in Germany.
But yes the Driving skills here are better because it is way harder to get a Driving license in germany and it cost way more then in other countrys. Maybe this is why germany have good driver's.
@@LythaWausW But it's not just an American problem. In Russia, too, they have similar problems with the zipper process
In Germany, the water that comes from the tap is classified as a staple food and is therefore tested by the state and is therefore safe to drink. Many people also have a soda stream at home with which the water from the tap can be made into sparkling water.
Das war spitze! We are often in Meisenheim, my wife and me. We live near Zweibrücken and often travel to tha Glan and Nahe rivers for a couple of days. I guess you had coffee and cake in the old mill. We often stayed there.
My favorite Mineralwasser ist Felsensteiner (Medium) 😀
Favourite carbonated water? None. I usually drink tap water. Or order a "Stilles Wasser" in a restaurant.
They both seemed super down to earth people.
Meisenheim is a very good choice, beautiful small town. I grew up not that far away and really love that you guys can appreciate its wonderful vibe too. Greetings from Berlin!
If it is Meisenheim am Glan than I agree with you. I grew up there for 7 years in the boarding school.
@@wtsalive8210 that’s what I thought they referred to. After all it’s the only Meisenheim I know.
@@helge.
So do I
German Beilagensalad, my beloved.
My favourite sparkling water brands are Spa and Chaudfontaine, both from Belgium.
What a nice video! :) You have a very nice family :) Glad they enjoyed their time in Germany! :)
gerolsteiner is good for people who dont know apollinaris... but the water from the tap is actually quite good in Germany.
17:43 hahaha! Yes, it does! :-D
very sympathetic...no big themes, but could listen to it for hours;) greets and come back please!:)
I think a „special German“ thing is to fit to guests and try to speak their languages, even if they didn’t really learn them. So feel comfortable if a German switch to English, for them it’s a pretty welcome chance to practice their English 😊 💁♂️ it doesn’t mean you’re imperfect ☝️
How true not to tell about your favorites. I will never make that mistake again. Oh, you mentioned Ritter chocolate. LOL, I live on Maui, and visit my beloved beer heaven Oberbayern once a year for a month. On my way back, I usually have around 40 pounds of Ritter, mostly Nougat, in my checked luggage. Gotta survive 11 months on it on this rock here.
I love drinking the zimmertemperatur.😊
Favourite sparkling water brand: Vöslauer
Traditionally, a Biergarten is not a Bar, where you can expect a large selection of different Beers, rather it is a specific Brewer's Storage Cellar beneath it to keep things cool, with gravel on top, where the searing area is.
Want a really HUGE variety of different kinds of beers? Many dark ones, really strong ones? Go to Belgium! If you've been to Aachen already it's not really far, and they speak German in East Belgium (which in the past belonged to Germany anyway). Many East Belgium Biergarten equivalents have a HUGE variety of beers to enjoy.
I hope your sister gets well soon.
My favorite Mineralwater is probably 'Bad Dürrheimer Mineralwasser'. Mostly due to nostalgy, i grew up in that area (Bad Dürrheim where they produce that water, Donaueschingen where the river Donau starts and Villingen-Schwenningen with Villingen having a town festival all year in 1999, celebrating their 1,000 year long official city status and Schwenningen being known as the biggest village of Germany for centuries and the spring of the river Neckar is). So, i grew up having Bad Dürrheimer sparkling water and Schorle mix drinks and my father had Tannenzäpfle beer.
Next time they visit let me know, I shwo them ALL the beers they can thing of 😀 btw: the worlds best brewery is located near Frankfurt. You only can buy the beer local.
Vilsa leichtperlig
Spitze Aussprache, Justin!
- gerne!
Freinsheim! Well done for sending/taking them there. Hope they did some wine-tasting.
Gerolsteiner medium! thanks for the very entertaining video and as always a thumbs up!
To answer your question: I grew up with mineral water, mostly Rossbacher, then also Gerolsteiner, but completely quit bottled water in favor of carbonized tap water a couple years ago. Honestly: it tastes great, it's actually safer because it is more closely monitored, it's cheaper, it means zero waste - it's a total no-brainer!
a trip to Belgium to enjoy the variety of beers...
My favourite sparkling water brand? "Leitungsheimer"! 😊 You won't find it at any store - it's just to say: tap water! We use one of these SodaStream carbonators.... I just was tired of toiling with those heavy water crates (we used to buy our bottled water in glass bottles because it tastes much better). Our tap water here (at "Franconian Switzerland") is of such high quality that you could literally just bottle it and sell it as mineral water. We're so thankful for our water!
All the water from the Selters area... okay, maybe not the Sauerborn... but I absolutly love Selters, the traditional one, the new one, the smaller Quellen! 🥰
nice, to have you guys here in Germany
Wir verwenden nicht Spitze gern aber vor mehr als 40 Jahren gab es die Gameshow Dalli Dalli, wo es immer Spitze war!
Easy one. I like Gerolsteiner, but Adelholzener is the ducks guts!
Go to Münster wich was once voted as most liveable city of the world for citys up to 750.000
Favorite sparkling water brand? Höllensprudel.
okay, my favorite sparkling water brand is "Bismarck" cause it's local-near hamburg
local: laberthaler, regional: adelholzener. both waters extremely... - well ask your water specialist.
video awesome, as ever.
I love talking to englisch speakers.😊
if you want a greater beer selection, go to a craft beer bar..
those exist in the bigger cities, not the small one though
a beer garden is the wrong place tp look for a huge beer variety
10:27 "Spitze gern" (great | with pleasure)
I feel like it doesn't really work that way around. "Gern" is usually either a prefix or on its own.
But "Gern. Spitze." (I would love to do that. | that's amazing)
Might actually work and could happen in normal conversations as a phrase you would use casually to agree on doing something for/with a friend.
"Spitze" on its own does mean something like "great/awesome". You may use "gerne" as response to "thank you" to signal that you enjoyed doing it like there is no reason to thank you. You can just nod and say "gerne". Lets say danke => gerne (gladly), danke schön = gern geschehen (happend gladly).
If He like to see a big Variaty of Beer look into something like Trink Gut
"White asparagus looks like a mistake" ... damn, these are fighting words my guy.
As for the germans instantly switching to English when you approach them with non-fluent German, many germans don't do it because your German is bad but because for one they want to make sure they understand one another and also because quite a number of germans who don't have regular conversations in English jump at the chance to work on theirs. If you want to work on your German, it's a good idea to outright tell them "I want to practice my German so please continue in German as much as you can and correct me as we go". That tends to yield pretty good results as long as you aren't in an environment where people are busy (i.e.: a waiter in a restaurant at peak hours may not acquiesce since they got other tables to cover aswell, but if it's quiet they may well be more than willing). Alternatively you can always compromise and let them talk English if they want to practice but ask them to correct you if you made mistakes or are fishing for words and likewise.
This is however something that's still quite split among demographics and regions. The more metropolitan areas and particularly the younger generations tend to have serviceable to very good English language proficiency (and correlating eagerness to speak it) whereas in more rural areas and older generations it's less common for people to be proficient and eager to speak in English. The gap is closing however as with the globalization and Internet making everyday use of the language more and more prevalent as opposed to something you learned in school and then barely if ever used again.
Spitzegern is supercool! I've immediately adopted it!
The sparkling water brand I most like is "Odenwald Quelle Medium". 😍 And after that I like "Gerolsteiner Medium".
Das Wasser aus der Gegend um Selters ist so lecker. Aus allen Quellen, nicht nur der originalen.
Favourite Sparkling Water Brand: Gemminger Mineralquelle (Classic)
There are many sparkling water brands (most also have medium or none sparkling versions as well) I like. _Gerolsteiner_ is ok but not on that list. Recently I bought *Eifel Quelle* frequently and always in *glass bottles* not plastic since plastic contaminates the water and its taste.
ok fine, i HAVE to answer the random question this time XD
Haaner Felsenquelle
three guesses where I was originally born. ;)
Us Bergisch Landers are very "Heimatverbunden" and even after over 15 years living in a different city, I will always be a "Berger"
Great Video! My favourite sparkling water? All of them, brand name doesn't matter, even Heilwasser slightly carbonated is nice. I drink water all the time, first thing in the morning, but mostly tap water which has the best taste where I live in Bavaria. But once in a while I fancy sparkling water and buy a case.
Favourite sparkling water brands: Ja, Gut und Günstig and Hella.
Nice Family 👍🙂 My favourite sparkling water is: Adelholzener 🙂😋
I usually buy Sprudel locally and in glas bottles/crates, so for me it is Filippo. It is also dead cheap. I have recently seen it elsewhere (further away) but then it was more expensive. On travels I like Eiszeitquell, which is more available.
I usally don´t drink sparkling water as much,but I would say "Ensinger".Its from my hometown.