American Couple Reacts: 16 Things NOT To Do In Germany! FIRST TIME REACTION! DON'T Do These!

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Guten Tag! It's no secret anymore, we are in love with Germany! And since we love Deutschland, we certainly don't want to do anything wrong when we get a chance to visit. In this video, we learn 16 things NOT to do in Germany! Some we weren't very surprised about while others really SHOCKED us! Let us know what you think of this list & what you would add to it. Thank you SO much for watching! If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support!

[@Roberternst72]

Dare I say: „We want N&D!“?

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

Guten Tag That sounds like an intestinal problem 😂 ❤ from Northeast England ❤️

[@tonys1636]

Many countries and towns or cities have similar quiet hours often between 23:00 and 07:00 and all day Sunday, except for emergency repair works. Here in Ireland there is a noise limit of 80db at anytime as well, just wish the bin lorry would turn the reversing beep off at 06:30 when reversing up my Cul-de-Sac and the neighbouring farmer not do silage cutting or harvesting throughout the night. His livestock make enough noise without Combines and Tractors adding to it. Whoever said it's quiet in the countryside never lived in it. I'm also a night owl so early morning noise really pulls my chain.

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

@tonys1636 I don't mean to laugh but 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Aye, the countryside is anything but quiet

[@ellenschmieg2247]

I don't know about the others, but I want N&D! You rock! Greetings from Germany.

[@Kari_B61ex]

Quiet hours also apply to Sundays - when I first moved to Germany I found it difficult. No mowing the lawn or DIY etc. After a while, I began to love it. Then I moved back to the UK and hated the noise on what should have been a quiet Sunday.

[@nabuli_9337]

every day: 10pm-6/7am sunday 24h holidays: 24h depending on state or county or even by house: 12pm-2pm daily or not regulated fine is up to 50K € But you have to endure certain noises, like crying babies (24h) oder dog barking (30min/day)

[@zessonateacloud]

Additional note: depending on where you are people are really serious about Sundays. In some places folks wont even hang their laundry outsite to dry which is absolutely quiet but some people get really iritated about that.

[@dschoene57]

There's even a harder version of 'quiet hours'. On some religious holidays, like Good Friday, even performing music or dancing in public is banned.

[@nettcologne9186]

WE want N&D, at least I do :-) The "cash is king" thing in Germany has historical reasons. If you use cash, nobody can track what you buy and where you buy it. Don´t forget, we had two dictatorships on German soil, which is why privacy, data protection and cash are so important to us.

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

There are still some like that in the UK In my town there are cash only pubs and shops 😊 As you say... CASH IS KING ❤ from Northeast England ❤️

[@85stace85]

​@@oopsdidItypethatoutloud yes and some of our local supermarkets you have to use the self check out and they only take card, that gets on my nerves too!

[@thorstenstuker9044]

I pay with card or Apple Pay where ever I can, but I allways carry some Euro bills hidden in the cover of my cell phone (btw. in Germany we call it „Handy“) just in case.

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

@@thorstenstuker9044 Don't... just use cash. Cash is freedom

[@zessonateacloud]

One of the only good things about Corona is that it made alternative payment options (mostly via card) much more widely available. So nowadays you have way more luck paying by card in even small shops.

[@Prof.Dr.Diagnose]

In Germany we don't necessarily dislike smalltalk. We are just not really used to it. When someone comes at us and starts a bit of smalltalk, that's perfectly fine. Many people even like that, but we're a quiet, more reserved country, so approaching someone by ourselves and just start a conversation for no reason is nothing we are very comfortable with.

[@R18jura]

But important to note is you have to have a feeling when the other person actually has time for smalltalk. They will tell you but probably still dislike the interaction. (Hope you got what I meant, not that good with English)

[@NeleCB]

I feel like my city is full of small talk loving people 😂 I don't know why but strangers start talking to me all the time and deep within I'm just like please leave me alone 😭

[@KPJLV]

@@NeleCB saaaaaame :D

[@Fruchtflyige]

I love smalltalk and unfortunately, I live in a region where small talk is rejected. In Hamburg, people talk to strangers much more than in Kassel or Munich

[@thomas.steinmetz]

​@@Fruchtflyige Toll! Es lebe Kassel und München! Das geht niemand einem anderen auf die Nerven und quasselt ihn tot!😂😅

[@thomasthuringer6060]

The quiet hours also apply on weekends with a little extra on sundays i´m afraid and as far as partys go, you have to inform your neighbours in the house or left and right if you have your own house.If you do that and you don´t party too often, the 10pm can be pushed....or, of couse, play it clever and invite your neighbours, so nobody is there to call the cops xD As far as payment goes, it has improved much, but cash is still required in many places.

[@clivewilliams3661]

The Sunday quiet time used to amuse me at my Aunt's flat in Hagen because the main church was just across the road and the bells would be ringing out quite loudly from 8.00AM until 10.30AM and of course the windows would be open to air the bedrooms so there was no getting away from it!

[@elmarwinkler6335]

We want N & D!!!!

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

Don't be silly, they are ours 😂 ❤ from Northeast England ❤️

[@elmarwinkler6335]

Public Transport is not that expensive. If you rent a car, please be careful about oneway streets and so on. Best combine both things. You can drive on the Autobahn and after arriving, you take the public transport. Parking in the bigger cities is a problem. In Hamburg or Cologne and other big cities it is easier with P.T. Elmar from Germany

[@malcolmhouston7932]

If you rent a car you're going to spend too much time driving. You will not see Europe in a Day. Many US Tourists think they can see it all in a two week visit and decide to visit the UK, France Germany and the rest of Europe on one single Holiday. I would advise Trains and Buses with perhaps the occasional Taxi. Who wants the responsibility and nuisance of a car in a foreign country? You could spend two weeks in Munich alone and still not see some of the most important things.

[@elmarwinkler6335]

@@malcolmhouston7932 Sir, I am fully with you. To think you can see Europe in two week is not possible.

[@Philmaster07]

oh yes public transport IS expensive in my opinion and I am "pendler" so i know that :D

[@riccardogudenzi9886]

Use public transport in and between cities and plan in spare time for delays. If you go outside cities to visit castles, the Black Forrest and so on you will need a car. Usually there are trains and busses, but it’s just not practical and you don’t want to rely on it.

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Thank you!!

[@maireweber]

@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Gas is very expensive compared to the US, so you have to account for that when renting a car. And you can get to any destination using only PT and walking a little.

[@stephenparker8152]

I live in the UK and have visited Germany a few times. Absolutely love the country. The public transport is great - we used the buses and trains all the time. So easy to navigate.

[@klarabo7459]

what? Public transport is an absolute disaster! Far too expensive, trains are 95% late or don't come at all. Smaller towns are not connected to public transport at all. Life in the country is not possible without a car! Germany is really behind in this respect, in other countries it works much better and cheaper!

[@stephenparker8152]

@@klarabo7459 I would have to disagree. In my experience, it's completely the opposite. Now OK - I have only used it for a couple of weeks but was amazed at how easy it was for an English speaker with only a few words of German.

[@klarabo7459]

@@stephenparker8152 I'm glad that you were able to use public transport without any problems. I assume you only travelled in larger cities and only used local transport there. That works really well. But if you live out here in the country, then it gets difficult. There are usually no bus connections from there or only the school bus in the morning and at lunchtime. If you want to travel from Cologne to Hamburg, for example, by long-distance train, you have to be lucky. Long-distance trains are always delayed or cancelled altogether. Smaller train stations are dilapidated, and there is often no way for people with walking difficulties to get onto the platform. It's a huge disaster, believe me.

[@jamielindsay1506]

A really good episode choice ladies! It's always important to get some inside knowledge before visiting a new country. Would love to see more of Germany! 🇩🇪

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Thank you!!

[@James-hb6xj]

I was stationed in Germany for 3 years with the British army and loved it there

[@debbie8674]

Always good to know what to do when visiting a county. More importantly what NOT to do!!❤

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Absolutely!!

[@michaausleipzig]

Fun fact about the formal and informal way of adressing people. English used to have that too. Back in Shakespeasre's days "thou" was the informal version, "you" was already the formal version. English dropped the informal one! So in a way you're all being really formal with each other. Keep that in mind when listening to some gangster rap. It's hilarious... 😂 I think the fine for not having a ticket is still 60€. This point is important for people who are used to ticket gates in their country. Germany doesn't have thenm at all. Nowhere. Not a thing here. So since there's no physical barrier stopping you, anyone can get on public transport. Hence the frequent controls and the hefty fine. As for car vs public transport, the answer is: Yes. Both. Rent a car to get from one region of Germany to the next. Spend a few days in each region and use the local public transport to discover the area and to get to your actual destination in day trips. Germany isn't that big, so if you pick a good somewhat central, well connected place to stay per region, you can get around pretty quickly in regional and local trains, busses and trams. The best part of doing it this way: Last year Germany introduced a special ticket. It costs 49€ for a month and covers all regional and local public transport. And by all I mean all. Everything! In all of Germany. So if you use it extensively, it is insane value for money. It's technically a subscrisption thing, but you can cancel it in time so you pay for just one month. A month is about the time you should plan to use for your trip anyway. 😅 About the anthem: it's a little confusing the way he put it, cause it's the same anthem. The original song has three verses. Initially the first verse was used as national anthem but after ww2 the third verse replaced it. The music is the same of course. German anthems are a fascinating topic (at least to me), if you wanna lean more about it, check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutschlandlied for the history of our national anthem en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auferstanden_aus_Ruinen for the national anthem of East Germany during the cold war en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinderhymne for a proposed anthem written by german poet Bertold Brecht after ww2 that was never adapted in east or west and if you wanna listen to the modern national anthem real quick: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3-aiGilqtp3nrs (and I can't believe how long it just took me to find a decent version... 😅) As for the quiet hours: There's a saying in Germany: Where there's no prosecutor, there's no judge. Meaning: do whatever you want. As long as others aren't disturbed by it. And even then they'll probably come knocking and ask you to keep it down before calling the cops on you. And even if they do, all the cops are gonna do is also to ask you to keep it down. Just with a little more authority. So don't be too worried about that part. Cash is still much more a thing in Germany than other countries though payment by card is on the offensive. The vast majority of Restaurants and and all grocery stores accept cards. But when germans pay by card they usually use their bank accout's debit card. As for credit cards, Master and Visa are usually accepted, don't rely on Amex though. That one isn't very wide spread here and some stores that accept other cards might refuse Amex. The only places where you still need cash is most street food and famers markets. The jaywalking is massively exaggerated. Jaywalking is not a thing in Germany, there isn't even a word for it in German. "Jaywalking" was invented by the US motor industry who insisted that the streets, which were previousely shared by everyone, were now to be used exclusively by the cars they sold. In Germany you are free to cross the street wherever and whenever it's possible to do so safely. However - and that is what I think most people actually mean - don't cross the street when the red light is on. Be a good example for kids: walk when it's green. Only that - walking on a red light - is actually something you can get a fine for. Theoretically. I have never heard of anyone who was actually fined for that... Oh and also: We want N&D!!

[@schwatterwithpaws]

Nr8 actually that is not true,it is a Law - if you call the police to report on someone because he dosn´t keep the quiet hours, they take your names and the fines can go up to 5000 euro and if I remember correctly a register in your ceritfication of good conduct! So better be careful !😉

[@ASD_HAM]

😂 That‘s correct, we usually don‘t jaywalk … especially when kids around.

[@haselmaus8054]

On the national anthem: the melody was composed by Haydn and it was originally the austrian empores hymn. The text was written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben in a time when Germany was divided in many many small states and he wanted a united state. He wrote it on the island of Helgoland - that belonged to the UK at that time and came to Germany at about 1880. So the lines "germany, germany over everything" means "I want a united county" but was abused by the nazis in the way "germany is better than others". That's why we use only the last of the three verses as national anthym. On the nazi salute: it is a crime to perform it and can get you into serious trouble. At least a heavy fine or you might go to jail.

[@germankitty]

However, singing the 1st verse IS permissible during a performance that's artistic by nature -- during a concert, say. But never as the national anthem; then as you said, it's only the 3rd verse.

[@misolgit69]

one man supposedly got in trouble for teaching his dog to salute

[@f6sun]

Exactly, and he explains it wrong in the video. The anthem has three verses: The first one - which he refers to as the old anthem, the third one - which is sung today. The second one is about wine and woman, what a coincidence ;)

[@kimmarievan-ever6599]

​@misolgit69 what was the breed of the dog ?

[@misolgit69]

@@kimmarievan-ever6599 GSD

[@MarkmanOTW]

In the UK, we have similar noise laws that apply from 11pm to 7am everyday. On the weekend e.g. Having a party, it's courtesy to inform neighbours in advance and not exceed midnight. A major event after 11pm (e.g. roadworks, concert, fireworks etc) requires a permission and a permit from the local council.

[@nickhf]

We should meet for coffee.😅 we live in cinci too. I’m German my husband is from cinci. Moved here 6 years ago. ☺️

[@raymondhardy8468]

Nazi salute is illegal in Australia

[@Herzschreiber]

It is also illegal in Germany

[@richardbrown7153]

Swastikas are illegal too, and quite rightly so!

[@malcolmhouston7932]

Better tell the Drunks that.

[@wolfi7106]

​@@malcolmhouston7932better they get in the policehotel for one night, for money to lose the alcohol

[@deejay5908]

think you mean Austria! ☝🏻 We don´t have Kangaroos in Austria!! 😅

[@dianeknight4839]

I have a Bavarian friend, she lives in a beautiful walled town called Memmingen, it has a river than runs through. Beautiful coloured buildings awash with bright flowers. Many things in this video apply to the UK too. However one they did not mention, if a German person befriends you, DO NOT rock up at their home for a visit. You MUST wait to be invited.

[@linewt9229]

Guten Abend Natasha and Debbie. We are currently touring Germany in our campervan. We are from Wales and have been to the Bavarian region and now in Triberg touring the Black Forest route. So watching you in our campervan is quite surreal as we are in Germany. Definitely travel with cash as lots of places don't take cards. This is our 2nd year touring the country, and small talk is not a good idea! Us Brits love small talk about everything, not the case here. It's not the people being rude, it's just not their thing, and don't take it personally. The quiet time is also very important, especially on the campsites as after 10 it's quiet. The people's motto is treat others as you want to be treated, and the community as a whole is just as important as the individual. We are now besotted with the place. I would absolutely recommend hiring a car and seeing the real Germany, it's a completely different experience to anything else. We adored Rothenburg, it's amazing, and check out Triberg and the indoor camping experience. Love your channel, and if you pass through South Wales pop in for a paned and welsh cake.

[@klarabo7459]

You are in Bavaria, which is a little different to the Germans in the north, east and west. Many Germans, especially those in the Rhineland, love talking to people. But maybe they have some inhibitions because of their English. I personally love England and I was surprised that in every shop you are asked "how are you". I know it is a superficial question that does not expect a deep answer, but I love this little act of kindness. England is the most beautiful country for me and I love the English! I hope you had fun and many beautiful moments in my country 😊

[@germankitty]

My son was doing some carpentry (using power tools) on our terrace one Sunday afternoon. Neighbors actually called the police on us, because weekends are supposed to be for relaxation and therefore quiet. Unless you have a mechanical, old-fashioned spindle lawnmower, you also can't mow lawns during quiet time -- and even using a vacuum can get you in trouble if used at the wrong time. (However, if you HAVE to make some noise, it helps if you inform neighbors - especially in apartment buildings - and apologize in advance.)

[@marciarichards9446]

Good morning Natasha and Debbie, and to all who are catching up. Have an amazing day.🎉

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Marcia 👋🏻

[@MelliundSpike]

10:11 from monday to Saturday: 7:00-2200 and Sunday the hole Day 😜👍🏼 and we have the "Mittagsruhe" from 12:00-13:00/14:00 are quite Brunch Time 😁👍🏼

[@Roberternst72]

11:31 in urban areas, there were changes, with some supermarkets now even offering self-checkout with cards only - but in rural areas, it’s still pretty much the same, as with taxis/cabs, hairdressers, restaurants and jobs where people need to rely on tips, or small businesses who find it difficult to afford the whole service payments to the payment systems providers and/or required hardware and/or digital infrastructure.

[@Bossman1959uk]

I love Germany and have done a tour of the country. I liked the people, the food and the scenery.

[@grannyframmy]

We want N and D!! Hi found you a few days ago, binge watched! Almost 60 yr old german granny who lived 13 yrs in SC, NC and TX with my 2 sons still live in SC (they are american by their fathers (my X) nationality. I didnt comment so far but will cuz videos can tell a lot but not everything of cuz! Love your both chemistry and fine balance between seriousness and goofyness lol- very authentic and real...really refreshing on the tube! Keep the videos going yall!! Much love from Mannheim, Germany

[@FelixBaenfer]

We want N&D! I just love your honest Reactions🎉 Keep them coming:) Greetings from Germany🎉

[@Roberternst72]

8:19 fun fact: the melody of the anthem is actually a hymn praising the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, written by Austrian composer Josef Haydn… With regard to the lyrics, the official lyrics are the third verse of a poem set to that melody („Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit“, meaning something along the lines of „Unity and Justice and Liberty“) - the frowned upon verses are the first two, 1: „Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles“ - „Germany, Germany, above everything!“ - especially problematic because the Nazis added their party hymn to it, praising the Schutzabteilung… - and 2: „Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue, Deutscher Wein und Deutscher Sang“, „German women, German loyalty, German wine and German song“, well, that one didn’t really work as a standalone… and sounded creepy as whatnot even back in 1949 when the issue of the anthem came up.

[@alexamurawski4524]

...but it's not forbidden to sing the first and second verses. It's just not usual, misunderstanding and might provocate others

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

There's an old saying in Germany, which I learned as a small boy from my German-born great-grand-aunt. "Don't call any adult by their Christian names, or use du, until you've eaten a bag of salt together." It takes a lot of meals and a long time to get through a bag of salt.

[@clivewilliams3661]

That is what I was always taught but on our last trip to Germany the more familiar du and christian names were being used more commonly

[@TarunoNafs]

There's a Cantonese saying about salt too! An elder person could say "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice" when lecturing a youngster, which means "I've more life experience than you so listen to my advice." It's interesting that Germany has a similar phrase.

[@zessonateacloud]

I am also German but I've never heard that. Very interesing.

[@Larilafari]

Yes, but that is not true anymore. I hardly say Sie to anybody anymore. But I (born in the 80s) remember reading my mother's young adults books from the 70s and found it so weird that young people call each other Sie. If you do that nowadays you will be the weirdo 😂 But my grandmother still called some people by their last names who came to her birthday for decades.

[@clivewilliams3661]

@@Larilafari Agreed, I used to go to Germany to visit family in '50-70s and sie was always the polite greeting to anyone who was not close family of personal friend. I was surprised when I went back in 00's to find the widespread use of du and when I used sie to most people they thought that I was being unusually formal. Standards have dropped!

[@kristinapettersson1948]

Interesting video, always good to know what not to do when visiting another country😊 Great video. we want N&D❤️

[@caroleharden3055]

Quiet hours is brilliant, wish we had that here in U.K. also motorway/autobahn law is good, supposedly law here but it’s not monitored enough!

[@MarkmanOTW]

@@caroleharden3055 We do have similar noise restriction laws between 11pm-7am everyday in the UK.

[@Roberternst72]

10:01 it‘s actually state laws, based on the federal law on emissions („sound“/„noise“ counts as an emission) which in that respect are pretty similar in all 16 states though… and they make keeping the lawn at an acceptable height really difficult, if you‘re only at home on Saturday outside of „quiet hours“… With regard to the weekend, Sunday and public holidays are 24 hours „quiet hours“. Some states - like for example Hessen - have additional forbidden activities on certain religious holidays like Good Friday, due to different state laws which regulate public holidays.

[@SandraLinke-u7j]

Hi Ladies, love the show ❤. The thing with smalltalk really depends on the people you meet. I, for example, looove to chat but sometimes people look at me like I came from Mars 😂. On other occasions I got to know very nice people and had quite the time withthem. Just try it. There is nothing to loose 😊

[@Karin-io8xj]

We want much more N&D. Greetings from Germany.

[@balli7836]

If you have a good or at least decent relationship with your neighbours, you can let them know that you will have a party until late at night in advance. Then it's normally not a problem to party through the quiet hours. It also helps if you invite your neighbours to the party.

[@felixlenz7202]

Just rent a bike its much saver and you see a lot more of the City + to drive as an amarikan in german rushhour is even for skilled divers Not easy ❤😂😅😅😊

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

The driving in the correct lane... that is another benefit of roundabouts as they sort that out. ❤ from Northeast England ❤️

[@AndrewPope-Moore]

Just a heads up ladies. I know that you enjoy anything Military and this week in London we have a Musical event called “Beating The Retreat” This is in my opinion a fantastic way to enjoy our Military bands and takes place in London each year over a few days. Keep up your great channel. You give great joy to a lot of people. Love and best wishes to you both. ❤️❤️

[@grahamstubbs4962]

Public transport for the major bits of getting about. It's fast and it's easy. Hire car for the tricky bits

[@CDHatch]

Definitely want N & D. I'm really enjoying learning about Germany with you two.

[@raymondhardy8468]

Re have recycling in Australia on aluminium cans plastic bottles etc. 10 cents per item

[@stephsteph4574]

Quiet hours are great! And of course you can have a celebration, from my experiences my neighbours are fine with that! But in general it's great to have a "silent night" 😄 Sunday is a quiet day, too. Supermarkets are closed, so make sure you get everything you need before!

[@michelletrudgill4573]

That was interesting and done so well. I knew quite alot of what was mentioned but not about quiet time and yes want to know about weekends. Must admit it was one of the reasons we moved was because of the noise. Well done again very informative. ❤👏👏👏👏

[@lilydawnpippard625]

Great video, I myself got a fine for jaywalking back in 84 when living there 😁also where we lived you couldn’t do washing or hang washing out on a Sunday and I think it was washing cars in the street as well ( if I remember correctly) next time I pop over I’ll double check with my friend… I’m loving the German Wednesdays 😊

[@andreaswilferth3580]

Good morning from Germany, dear Ladies, regarding the returning of shopping carts: I visited Florida this April and went to ALDI grocery stores. They have the same system there, so you need a coin to get the cart and need to return it to get the coin back 🙂. I think, this is common in other states in the US, where ALDI groceries are, too.

[@tim1812h]

Fascinating video and some of these Do Nots are obvious but some are surprising. Looking forward to more reaction videos on Germany (World WIde Wednesday). Love, hugs and prayers from Sussex, UK PS Sorry if my ugly mug scared people on the live broadcast on Sunday. 🤣

[@MarkusWitthaut]

On credit card payment: Cashless payment is on the rise, but credit cards are rarely accepted (usually only at hotel chains, car rentals and the like). Better get a debit card that is accepted in Germany.

[@tommyringunzelringunzel]

That‘s just wrong. Each and every super market accepts credit cards. Also most bakeries, restaurants, cinemas, ticket vending machines… I‘m German and I rarely have cash on me. Mostly just my phone with the credit card on it (Apple pay).

[@Capt.-Nemo]

Cash is King in Germany, but most stores accept debit/credit cards

[@IngoKersten]

You guys are so funny and lovely - I like your videos soooooooooo much! Topic cash / credit card: Since Covid there has been a massive change in using cash but paying with card or your phone. Nowadays you can almost pay everywhere and any amount contactless. Topic travelling: I would suggest to use a car for travelling with your suitcases from one city to the other but within the cities or within a certain regional area you should use the public transportation. Greetings from Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein

[@RustyXXL]

re smalltalk: That's a somewhat more difficult question to answer. In general it is certainly right, that smalltalk especially between strangers is not as much of a thing here. BUT it heavily depends on the region and the individual. I am from west germany, near the netherlands, and it's not uncommon, when I meet strangers that I have a little bit of smalltalk with them. Same when I go shopping, or with the cute waitress at the cafe. ^^ But that has a lot to do with my own personality, and it certainly is not something you will see happen regularly. But if you are the communicative type, and develop a little bit of a feeling about the other person, you can certainly have some amount of smalltalk. Though they are right in that you'll have to accept, that there will be plenty of people who will not be interested in smalltalk, especially in a foreign language.

[@DannyK84]

WE WANT N&D!!!!! Hey lovely ladies, to answer some of your questions. If you're in a bigger city like cologne, berlin or munich, it's better to rely on public transport. Public transport is pretty good in germany (except for the deutsche bahn 😅) and in bigger cities it will get you everywhere and is not to expensive. You can rent a car if you want to visit some smaller towns, but you shouldn't rent one when you're just in one larger city. For the quit hours, germans love the quit hours, in every state or (Bundesländer) you have quit hours from 10pm to 6am the next morning and in some states additional quit hours from 12pm to 2pm. And on Sunday it's completely forbidden to make noises, you can't wash your clothes unless you need them for your job, no vacuuming, no lawn mowing nothing like that. You can party on the weekend but you should write a small note and give them to each neighbour to inform them that it will be a lil bit noisy, some people even invite their neighbours to the party, that depends on the relationship you have with your neighbours.

[@RustyXXL]

re Houseshoes/taking your shoes off: Again this is a very regional thing, and from my feeling it's mostly with people who live in a house rather then an apartment. I can't remember the last time someone asked me to take my shoes off. It's probably also way more prevalent in more traditional/conservative areas, like most of the south of germany. Though nobody will look at you strange for asking if you should take them off. If at all you'll be seen as overly polite, which is still better then the other way around. so as a general rule of thumb it's probably not bad advise to just ask. :)

[@JenniferRussell-qw2co]

Germany is one of my favourite places to visit, especially Munuch which is so beautiful. You can get around the cities, and the countryside, easily on public transport, another big plus with that is you can watch the glorious scenery go by. My only issue is the amount of smoking compared with home, which is common in mainland Europe, but I cope because I love the people and the shopping, etc etc. Debbie & Natasha, you should definitely visit Germany 💖🇬🇧🙋‍♀️

[@namewithheldbygoogleforsec673]

we have coin based shopping trolleys (carts) in Australia, yet people still abandon them in the car perk and take their shopping home in them if they live close enough to the shopping centre/supermarket. Soemtimes they take more than one and dump them joined together to get their money back. So paying for shopping trolleys doesn not stop them being dumped. In fact most shopping centres/supermarkets have designated people to go round the carpark to retrieve them, and drive through the local area to retrieve the ones people have taken home.

[@vanessacare2615]

Great video again if i ever go to Germany i know what not to do now . Thank you for all the great videos

[@AdrianCurtis-n7f]

To be honest it is a very clean country , with great beer 🍺🍻 and scenery x

[@jantheripper]

Hello from Germany. Regarding your question about car or public transport: I would say take a car to get out in the countryside and the more rural areas. Therey public transport can be a problem. But if you go to the bigger cities you should definetly take public transport or walk. Driving and espacially parking can be quiote difficult and time consuming in the cities. To answer your question about credit cards ors cash I can say that card payment is advancing in the last years, but mostly with so called EC-cards (electronic cash). As far as I know credit cards can be declined at a lot of places. And espacially smaller shops, like bakeries, still have cash only. So you should definetly make sure to always have cash on you. Regarding the quiet hours there are differences from city to city. the 10 pm to 6 am rule is as far as I know used all over germany but there are also quiet hours from like 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm in some villages. And last regarding the small talk I would say that it also depends on the region you are and if you are in a big city or a small village. But I would say that it is just not that common in germany to have small talk with strangers when using the public transport or something like that. But I also think to just talk to them and get to know them. If they know you most of the germans can be really talkative. Please continue these kind of viedeos aand definetly come to visit germany. Greetings from the south-west of Germany.

[@PeterBuwen]

The quiet hours: yes, even in the wwekends there are. But you are allowed to have a party of course. But you should discuss it in your neighborhood - and maybe invite neighbors too :-) Small talk: just try it out. It's also a bit of a generational question. In my experience, young people are often more open to small talk, while older people may not be so used to it. But sometimes it's the other way around. Try it out.

[@BadBlackLion]

6:00 I've relied on public transport for over 30 years and, as in any good relationship, I've sometimes been disappointed, sometimes pleasantly surprised and most of the time it's just normal.

[@eralor2007]

15. In Spain is the same system.

[@Rainerunsinn828]

That's not right about the national anthem. The first verse "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles" is not prohibited by law. No normal person still sings it, but it is not forbidden by law. At least not for private individuals. However, state institutions are instructed to play the third verse. And as for the Nazi salute, it is forbidden by law. Section 86a of the German criminal code "Use of symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations"

[@zwiderwurzn5908]

With regard to quiet times, you can make noises at room volume, i.e. watch TV, listen to music, take a shower, etc. If you live in a house with several parties and want to have a birthday party, you can of course invite the others, so they won't be disturbed 😁 or you can put a note next to the front door saying that it can be a bit louder that evening. In most cases, nobody will say anything if it's not your birthday too often... The small talk thing varies from person to person, of course. Roughly speaking, people in the south are more relaxed and open to talking to foreigners. (It's also not uncommon to sit down at a table with strangers in a beer garden, even if it's gradually becoming rarer). The younger people are, the less time they usually invest in "unproductive" conversations or they only look at their mobile phones anyway and don't even notice other people.

[@itsAmeliiie]

Fun fact about the shopping carts: as a child my brothers and I always had a deal with my dad. We would bring the shopping cart back and he would pick us up with the car. I loved it as a child and sometimes my brothers and I had a fight about who is the chosen one to bring the cart back 😅😂

[@dreamcatcher2175]

Some points they mentioned really depend on which region in Germany you are in my experience. Public transportation for example is great for bigger cities and a car would be a pain, because of the traffic. So if you’re traveling I personally would recommend traveling to the bigger cities by train because in the end it’s also cheaper. Same for paying with card. If you’re in a bigger city, big chance you can pay by card. Still there are smaller shops or restaurants who do only accept cash though. I recommend you ask right when you walk in a shop. And being talkative is for me a regional thing too. Maybe Germans are not that talkative like Americans. But if you come to cologne, where I live, you will experience people randomly starting talking to you on the streets about anything. Happens to me a lot and I do it too 😂 on the other side people from the north or Germany are quite more distant, especially Berlin. These are just my personal experiences 😊 You two are so cute 😊

[@schongeist5945]

When you visit germany is there a plan ? Greetings from Stuttgart. And pleas keep going with this cool germany /us videos i like it so much 🥰

[@norbertzillatron3456]

Quiet hours depend on your neighbors. If you want to party late or do some loud work, you should talk to them. They are often ok with it and give you permission, but sometimes they have good reasons to deny or restrict the time. Sundays is the whole day quiet hours.

[@uwemarquardt9818]

We need more N & D

[@Michailelksav]

Learnt some new today. Didn't know that about the German Anthem i thoughtit was the old one. The new words are still sung with the old Anthem theme? N & D im obsessed with Cuckoo Clocks 😂 need to visit the Black Forest soon to help with my collecting problem. Do a video on the Cuckoo clock town. Can't remember the name of it. Keep up the good work both of you 😊

[@dominique2812]

Hi lovelies 😊 We definitely need more N&D ! In fact there is a guy with a channel name RobWords who talks about the top 10 untranslatable German Words that the Americans would like to steal from Germans. It’s pretty funny so maybe you want to check it out. Love, love, love your content especially about Germany 🇩🇪 So I’m hoping to see more of these videos every Wednesday.

[@Philmaster07]

So: The Smalltalk part depends on the Situation. In touristy areas you can find smalltalk. But in general, yes, we germans are very reserved. Cash you should indeed have with you but most restaurants or shops will accept credit card, mostly the little "imbisse" or "kiosks" won't accept it. Or little bakeries.

[@soloatre]

Cash: Yep ^^ just a few hours ago i went to get ice cream (Spaghetti Eis FTW XD) and that parlor doesn't take cards. Small Talk - heavily depends on where you go and when you talk to people. Here in cologne small talk is pretty beloved ^^

[@CC-wl5gq]

We want N&D

[@terra3142]

Hola. 😊 I really love the way you are thinking about Germany. And, because of that, I want to get a suggesstion of what cities to visit. 🙃 First of: visit Cologne. One of the nicest cities in Germany,not gonna lie. The Dom and the whole city is ammassing. Second: Munich. I know that all of my american friends love the "Brezel and Sauerkraut" vibes this city has to offer. Kind of expencive to be there, but its worth it. Last but not least: visit Dresden. You won't get more of the flair of the "old Germany" then on this place, I swear. Love to see you around here.

[@bemike7580]

Not forgetting Düsseldorf, the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. We have castles, ruins and beautiful estates here. Lots of green spaces right on the Rhine, a beautiful old town and the longest bar in the world. From art to culture, everything is represented. I would be delighted to show you my city. Best regards from Düsseldorf.

[@PortCharmers]

Yes, quiet hurs apply on the whole of Sundays as well, and Saturday afternoons. On the other hand, I remember the day they started replacing the roof of the appartment-house I was living in. I heard a truck quietly moving in the yard and someone quietly treading on the roof in the very early morning. The second the church bell rang seven, the first stack of old roof-tiles came down three stories into the yet empty steel-bed dump-truck in the yard. Everyone in the vicinity way wide awake now. Friends of a friend (yes, that sort of tale) were on vacation at an FKK facility with a nude beach and even a little nude supermarket. It took them a while to get used to it but they managed. When they returned the next year, They again took a bit to realize things had changed and now they were the ONLY naked people in the market.

[@leDespicable]

German intercity trains go to pretty much any major city, there are even many medium-sized cities that get ICE or IC services. So, unless you want to visit many countryside locations, public transport is probably your best option for getting around in Germany. You can of course still rent a car when staying in a particular place where you need to go somewhere that public transport doesn't serve, but for getting around between big cities, trains are your best bet, since they're usually faster than the highways. Regarding cash: The video is still relevant. Things got better during the pandemic, but there's still many places that don't take cards, or require the amount to be above a certain value (often 5 or 10 euros) in order for card payments to be accepted. Furthermore, a sizeable number of places that accept cards don't accept any debit or credit cards, only German girocards (basically a type of debit card that only exists in Germany).

[@alisonholmes7655]

Lived in Germany for many years (a while back tho before dryers were common place) and you weren't allowed to hang washing out on a Sunday, no lorries were allowed on the roads. Sundays were nice peaceful days either at home or on a family day out.

[@HanneRahn]

We want D & B!!! ❤ About the cash… It’s still true! Examples could be using public toilets…for the trolley in stores…smaller stores, bakeries etc could also only take cash. Just a few examples 😉

[@Terkina__]

Renting a car isn't necessary, especially im bigger cities. It's usually cheaper to buy a weekly ticket for public transport (tram & bus) Quiet hours on the weekend is between 11 PM and 8 AM I believe. Since CoVID more people use card. But smaller stores like imbisses often don't offer card payments I loved your video.

[@Serryy]

Week late so someone else probably commented on that. Usually you can just tell your neighbors if you have a party on the weekend that it might be a bit louder even after 10 pm. Most will be fine with it as long as you are not loud deep into the night. Of course there will always be some who see it as a personal affront or have a good reason for not agreeing to that, like having to get up very early for some reason.

[@jbreitenstein8368]

Hello ;) I am from Germany Nuremberg. The quiet hours ist 7 days a Week . If

[@namewithheldbygoogleforsec673]

i gotta say, the law about quiet hours between 10 pm and 7 am is common in most countries. It's a law in Australia for weekdays, Saturdays are midnight to 7 am. Sundays are pretty lax on noise. Construction is not on, but music is aok to play loud, mowing lawns is allowed, but permission from councils needs to be sought or neighbours have to say they dont mind the loud noises of tools if you are wanting to do renovations, etc, to your house.

[@HaraldSeiwert]

All points are still quite accurate. About the small talk - it’s always easy to spot American tourists because they approach you and chat without any distance 😄 In most European countries it is considered quite weird. You will of course receive an answer because most of the time people are polite. It’s, as Deanna said, a cultural difference

[@chrisf.8177]

Topic rest times: The legal rest time is usually 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday. In some German federal states even between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. For example, you shouldn't mow the lawn. There is a 24-hour rest requirement on Sundays and public holidays. Whether you stick to it is another matter.😉

[@Frahamen]

Depends what/where you're going. If you're going mostly to the countryside you best rent a car, If you're planning to mostly go to towns or cities, you'll get everywhere by public transit. Just expect delays on DB. Also we want N&D

[@s.h.741]

Concerning rented car vs public transportation: that really depends on your plan. Rural areas: you probably need a car to get from place to place, so if you plan to visit the beauties of the Plöner Seenplatte or Unterfranken, Altmühltal: do yourself a favour and rent a car. If however, you plan a city hop, Intercity trains from one city to the next and public transport within the city will be the easiest solution. You don't have to worry about parking and the next U-Bahn or bus will be just around the corner. So for Berlin, Hamburg or München: buy a tourist ticket and get all kinds of reductions for museum entrance etc. You can check all the options for a city of your choice beforehand and order your tourist ticket online. There may be different options (Berlin offers three or four different options), so do your homework ;-)

[@Carl-Hancox]

Morning lovely ladies , this should be interesting , i think one of them should be dont drop litter in the streets , as when i was last there it was noticeable how clean the streets were , whereas in my Country dropping litter in the streets is a national sport (along with winning the Euros of course , lol ) 🤣🤣 xx

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

Too soon Carl! 😆

[@Carl-Hancox]

@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Thats what my ex girlfriends always used to say , lol 😂😂 xx

[@TheNatashaDebbieShow]

@@Carl-Hancox 😆😆🤣🤣

[@simonmeadows7961]

With regards to the old anthem, you can still hear it in many English churches, as the tune has been used with the lyrics swapped out. Have a listen to 'Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken'.

[@matt47110815]

We Want N&D! Heck, if/when you guys make it to Germany, I would love to meet up with you guys.

[@ChrisSeilerLFD]

12:24 It's depending on the person you met. I like to make small talk if the person seems nice. I also sometimes just smile at people who seem stressed or sad, for example.

[@Give0002]

Hello you two I've been following your channel for a few weeks now and I find you very likeable.. It would be interesting to see how you two listen to and watch German bands and singers for the first time I recommend the band Rammstein to you ;-))

[@GabrielleMcClymont]

I grew up near Glasgow in Scotland and Jwalking is a must. Without Jwalking you would never get anywhere. I moves to Guildford in England and my brother and myself would freek out our new friends with how we crossed roads. It took a while to change how we crossed roads but 35 years on and the Weegie the nick name for Glasgow is still in us.

[@stefanberndt3312]

depends where you are. If you are in Big Citys use public transport. usualy very reliable, and gets you nearly everywhere.

[@june4976]

We want N&D! :) 1) Autobahn: It's not only that you should not drive slowly on the left, but it's illegal to overtake on the right here, so if you drive on the left, you really block all the traffic! 2) The public transportation system in more populated areas is quite good, and the train network is great to connect between big cities, too (although the trains are not always on time. Deutsche Bahn didn't get the memo of Germans being punctual.) And there is the 49 Euro ticket, so, if you spend a few weeks here (or even stay for a few months), definitely look into getting that. It's a subscription thing, though, so don't forget to cancel it if (sic!) you leave. You can use any non-high-speed train, bus and tram with it (2nd class). Even if you don't want to buy that, or if you want to use the high-speed trains (ICE trains), if you know in advance when and where you will go, book it early. You can get very much discounted rates. I looked into a ticket from Aachen to Frankfurt the other day, and if I do everything right, I can get it for about 42€, first class, with seat reservation, and get there within 2 hours (compared to about 6-8 with regional trains). So, it's not totally necessary to rent a car, if you don't want to travel to rural places. But if you know that you will go to a lot of places that are not as well connected, sure, rental cars will do. 3) Quiet hours are on the weekend, too, but if you want to have a party, you just tell your neighbours and they will usually understand (especially if you're on a good standing with them and invite them, too XD). It's worse, too - all of Sunday is always considered to be quiet, too! In some towns, there are mid-day quiet hours between 12 pm and 3 pm, too, but I have not yet encountered someone to enforce it. 4) My dad once asked a police officer what would happen if the police saw him crossing the street 100 feet from the traffic sign, and the officer said "If you are dumb enough, you may do that. I won't do anything. Your insurance might see that differently, though." 5) Last, a question: when will you move to Germany already? 😀

[@tomuberlin896]

We want N&D !!!! Greetings from Berlin/Germany 🇩🇪 U r amazing 🥰

[@MichaEl-rh1kv]

No. 8) "Ruhestörung" is mostly translated as "disturbance of the peace", but is rather "disturbance of the quiet" and a "Ordnungswidrigkeit" (public order offense, contravention). The exact duration of the "quiet hours" is stated by municipal or state law (municipal law beats state law beats federal law in this case); it is in most cases about 10 pm to 6 am at workdays and the whole day at Sundays. To rest at Sunday in quietness and to spend the whole day with the (whole) family is a constitutional right in Germany, which is why most businesses are closed at Sunday (except cafés, restaurants, service station shops, railway station shops selling to travelers; bakeries are allowed to open during the morning). No. 9) It is still recommendable to have some cash on you for small purchases. A few years ago the commissions and fees charged to the sellers by the card companies were lowered, which caused more shops to accept card payment. However most German customers and shops prefer the EC debit card system over credit cards. The mostly accepted credit card providers are Visa and MasterCard; only a few hotels with international customers accept American Express. ApplePay and GooglePay are accepted in many shops in the bigger cities and by many chain stores, not so much with smaller shops in smaller towns. But paying e.g. a single buttered Brezel in a bakery with card will still cause at least raised eyebrows (because which such small amounts the fees charged by the card suppliers are still often disproportional high), and at farmer markets only very few stalls will have a mobile card reader (and probably none of them a genuine farmer). You can find however ATMs at nearly every corner in the shopping districts - but most of them will only accept EC, Visa and MasterCard. 10) It depends mostly on the situation, but also a bit on the region. 11) Most restaurants don't offer free water, but you can always ask for a glass of tap water. (Don't expect a pitcher however, and they are entitled to charge you with a "Gedeck" (place setting) fee for the use of the glass.) Many places do make a big share of their money with selling beverages, while the profit margin with food is lower. And since they have to pay at least minimum wages to the waiters (instead of making them dependent on tips) they have a bit higher costs than US restaurants anyway. They are obligated to offer at least one bottled alcohol-free drink cheaper than beer - that will often be bottled water or some soft drink. (Fancy restaurants could however also offer some bottled water more expensive than beer.) Also traditionally most Germans are used to drink sparkling water and prefer it, which comes nearly always bottled in restaurants, and bottled water will always have a price.

[@MarioMarioD80]

I grew up in an area with multi-floor apartment blocks and our neighboring building had a raging party way past quiet hours (up to 2-3 am) once a year. they'd put up a tent with seating for ~50 people and PA system for music. police came by and gave their speeches.. they turned down the volume.. police went away.. they turned it back up.

[@feschannette4227]

Hi Natasha and Debby, yes, the cash thing is still a thing. In Germany the bank will charge you for taking credit cards, so if you are just a little shop or vendor it would cost you probably more than you earn. Number 11 with the free water: I have a child and when I ask for tap water for him, I always get free water. Also- when you are at a Cafe you can ask for water, if you drink coffee. So not true in these specific situations Yes, take the shoes off, please! At home we have solid wooden floors. They would be ruined with dirty shoes

[@harrisonandrew]

Loved that episode. I never knew that there were two versions of the German National anthem. I only know the naughty version - my bad. The cash only stores can’t still be a thing, surely? I haven’t carried cash for years. Love the idea of the quiet hours. On jay walking, I was working in Poland in the 1990’s and I was with a couple of colleagues in a small village, late at night, it was snowing hard. We came to a crossing, the red man was showing, there was no cars on the road, no people around. We crossed on the red man and from nowhere a cop appeared and started shouting at us for not waiting for the green man. WTF!

[@AgnesEnglerth]

Chash only is still a thing in a lot of shops. And especially in markets and direct selling farms

[@MeisterHamburg]

We want N & D ... quiet Time ist also on Sunday (24h) and between 1 to 3 o'clock p.m. (13:00-15:00 o'clock)

[@reginarickborn8554]

I love this American view on my country