The very next morning, despite feeling tired, I woke up at 5.45 AM. Not only on that day, but throughout my entire stay there, regardless of what time I went to bed, I would always wake up around 5.45 AM. This might be due to the long daylight hours in the area, as the sun rises as early as 4 AM. I decided to go for a morning walk with my colleagues, and during our 45-minute walk, we covered almost 70% of the city. It was a beautiful sight to see the historical buildings and streets illuminated by the morning sunrays, devoid of people.
Near our hotel stood a majestic old building that seemed to carry a sense of legacy. Curious about its history, I inquired with the locals who informed me that it used to be an old post office building but had been converted into a shopping mall. A small portion of the building still serves as a post office. One of the many things we Indians can learn from the German people is their commitment to protecting and preserving historical places. There are thousands of buildings in the country that have stood for more than two centuries, with the exception of those damaged during World War (WW). These buildings stand as proud symbols of heritage and history.
Europeans are highly inclined towards cycling and walking. On average, a German individual walks roughly 20,000 steps every day, which is significantly higher than what I am accustomed to. Their public transportation system is also well-equipped to accommodate bicycles for easy transport between places. At any given location, there are exclusive lanes for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.
Upon returning to the hotel after our walk, we were informed that we needed to be ready by 8.30 AM 'sharp,' which meant being prepared by 8.29 AM. A positive aspect for non-meat eaters is that many Western people are embracing vegan foods. This meant that there were non-meat food options available, although Germans are predominantly non-vegetarian. Throughout the trip, I managed with an ample supply of fruits, juices, and bread, which provided sufficient sustenance to keep me going throughout the day.
We then left the hotel for our official engagements. I noticed couple of things in the meeting- one was the use of name badges. Instead of using traditional tags or cards to identify individuals, they utilized name stickers printed on semi-paper-cloth material. This innovative approach proved helpful to me as well. I stuck the badge on my bag for easy identification ЁЯШЭ. The second noteworthy aspect was the inclusion of World-Cafe discussions. Although it delves into the realm of professional meeting practices, it may not be appropriate to elaborate on it further in this context.
For lunch, the meeting organizers had arranged vegetarian food, considering that many Indians prefer vegetarian options. It is worth noting that a considerable number of locals also had the same meal as ours, which exemplified their hospitality. However, we were in for a surprise during dinner. The official program of the day concluded at 5.30 PM, and we were invited to join a networking dinner afterward.
We were all surprised by the timing of having dinner at 6 PM! To curb our hunger, we had some juices and sandwiches before returning to our rooms. In the evening, we embarked on a walking tour to explore the surroundings. Majestic castles could be seen in almost every city of the country. These were fortresses built during the Middle Ages when Germany was divided into small kingdoms. Along our route, we encountered one such castle, which now functions as a museum.
After an exhausting day, we entered our rooms and took a short nap before heading out for dinner. Although dinner was scheduled for 6 PM, we felt like eating around 9 PM. Instead of choosing a European restaurant, we decided to dine at a nearby Punjab Restaurant. The dining area was open, as is the case in many parts of the country, and the sun began to set around 10 PM. We had a wonderful time chatting and learning about each other's endeavors. It truly felt like a personal networking dinner, which proved essential for the upcoming days.
BTW, we had Roti with Dal Makhni and Delhi Masala Chai! It was blissful!
Dinesh
Part-1: https://dineshkumarsaravanan.blogspot.com/2023/06/germany-days-1.html
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