2meirl4meirl

This was about 20 years ago and we drove off the main highway to try to find the smallest road stop we could find. Driving in Germany is a nightmare by the way ... but the people were fantastic. This was just before the period of easy to use GPS, we had to keep stopping to ask for directions. People were always generous, especially when we told them we were Canadian. They gave us detailed directions, suggestions and even led us to friends restaurants and bed and breakfasts where we could stay. At one point, one guy showed us directions on a massive national highway map book. When he was done giving us directions, he said keep the book and that we needed it more than him.

I don't know if the young man had the job of pumping gas at the time .... I remember we talked to him about lots of things, including how to operate the pump, how to pay and what it all cost. We so confused with everything that he ended up pumping the gas for us. We felt like children that didn't know how to find the toilet.

I've travelled lots over the years and in many places in the world, we always saw the ugly German international traveller - the loud, ignorant idiot that gives everyone a hard time. We were afraid of driving in Germany because of this but the opposite was complete true. Average German people were some of the most generous, kind and helpful people we ever met. Danke!