OT: Travelled to Germany

["Belt, Stephen D" <stephen.d.belt@intel.com>]

This isn't really Jetta related, but I thought it might be interesting
anyway.  I just returned from a 9 day visit to Germany - specifically 
Walldorf/Heidelberg near Frankfurt.  Walldorf is about 80 km South of 
Frankfurt, so I was afforded the pleasure of some serious klicks on the
German Autobahn.  What a pleasure!  

Unfortunately, my rental was a Mercedes A class (1.4 litre gas), that's 
much like a minivan, except smaller.  160 kph (100mph) was about all I 
felt comfortable doing, due to the weak suspension and floaty feeling
it had, though I saw others going a bit faster.

A few observations:

	1)  You can see just about every type of car on the road.  With
	    Daimler's purchase of Chrysler, Chrysler was the best
represented
	    of the big three (if you don't count Opel as GM, which was
perhaps
	    the manufacturer I saw the most).
	2)  Asian cars were seen in far greater numbers than I ever would
	    have guessed.
	3)  Small cars rule...especially hatchbacks.
	4)  Sport Utility Vehicles are almost non-existant.  (I saw two Jeep
          Grand Cherokees.)
	5)  100 mph on the Autobahn is still not that fast...I'd call it
	    typical.
	6)  When there are speed limits, the typical driver is fairly law
	    abiding.
	7)  The typical driver is very defensive, anticipating your need to
	    pass and merge, and actually making room!
	8)  I didn't see a single Jetta, though I was told it is considered
	    and old person's car.  I did see quite a few Golfs.
	9)  I saw one pickup truck.  It was clearly owned by an American
	    Expatriate...one with very bad taste in wheels.
	10) The typical German citizen is quite accomodating and takes the 
	    effort to try to communicate in English.
	11) The food us much better than England, but not quite as good as
	    Ireland.
	12) 4 out of 7 SAP Executives drive an Audi...and they can drive 
	    anything they want.
	13) Beer is cheaper than water, and tastes better too.

Steve.