Friday, October 30, 2009

Game shows...beware

Last night David and I decided to go to our favorite place to grab a bier (beer), Vogelbrau. We walked in and looked around for a seat. The place was packed, so we sat at the bar until a table opened up. We hadn't even gotten a chance to place our drink order, when we saw a couple standing up and putting on their coats we made a beeline for their freshly deserted table.

Once seated, I looked up and found myself 2 feet from a big TV screen that was showing the USA vs. Germany soccer game. I thought to myself, 'sweet, prime seating.!' So we settled in, ordered our drinks and a piece of onion pie.

The restaurant was quickly becoming more and more crowds. Shortly, after our beers arrived, we found ourselves sharing our table with an older German couple. The man looked at empty half of our table with the same look that my dog Millie will give me when she wants food. We gladly welcomed the couple to our table. ( This is fairly common in Germany as all seating is self-seating so often in crowded restaurants and bar you end up sharing your table.)

Soon our food arrived and we dove in. At this point the soccer game had ended ( 0:1 USA) and a German game show was playing. About halfway through my food, I looked up and to my horror saw naked people running around on the screen. I turned to look at David, eyes wide with shock, "They can show THIS on TV? Here?" Apparently, I was the only one in shock. I quickly turned my head back to my food, although by now my appetite was gone. Apparently, the couple sitting across from us noticed my reaction. They looked at the screen to see what had me so upset. Once they took a glance at the screen, they turned around and gave a little chuckle. The man then asked me if I was American(Despite speaking English, my reaction to nudity made it clear that I was American and not British). The couple were quite lovely. . I told them I was from Atlanta, Ga. The man replied that he knew of Atlanta from the Olympics. He told me that he and his wife had just returned from Budapest. He asked me if I had been, and I sadly replied no. He said it was wonderful and reminded him of Vienna, but not good for a relaxing 4 day holiday. Too much walking from place to place. ( Sidenote: Budapest is a very expansive city that straddles the Danube River. It is actually two cities Buda and Pest, each corresponds to a different side of the Danube.) I should point out that European vacations are typically much longer and slower-paced than American vacations. As an American, I often travel to a city and cram in as many sites and activities as possible in a few short days. Four days in Budapest, would have been a good amount of time for me. However, too a European I can understand and appreciate how that might have felt rushed.

More to come soon...I'm going to a fish restaurant for dinner tonight. I'm sure I'll come home with a good story or two.

3 comments:

  1. What kind of naked game?

    I mean, your readers want to know.

    *twirls*

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  2. Apparently, the naked people running around on the beach were supposed to represent East German culture in the 70s.

    All the contestants were celebrities...the topics had to be something they understood.

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  3. East German culture in the 70s was them running around naked? I didn't realize that Eastern Europeans were nudists behind that iron curtain...You learn something new everyday. :)

    ReplyDelete