My last two weeks in Europe will be spent in Ammerthal, the small and not very spectacular village in Bavaria, where I grew up. People think Germany is a civilized country, but there isn’t even any shop that is open on Sundays.
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The Happy Hermit 
Bavaria is the religious area. You’re not even allowed to party when there is any religious holidays. I’m living in a classy Munich and still have to suffer from supermarket closed at 8 and nothing opened on Sunday
Not on “any religious holiday”, just the “silent” ones like Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, 1 November and a few others that are supposed to commemorate the dead.
And we should clarify that you are allowed to party in private and at home, of course. Only public parties with music and dance (and gambling and washing cars, oddly enough) are not allowed.
But still, it’s crazy.
i don’t see that shops being closed on Sunday makes a place uncivilized.
Nothing wrong with a day of rest, even leaving aside the religious aspect.
Sure, I actually have more than one days of rest per week. But it’s odd that that the state imposes it by law, based on a religion which many don’t have. Maybe the shopkeeper would prefer to rest on Tuesday.
Right, but if the city wants to create a certain atmosphere, it’s not enough to leave it to individuals.
Of course, there is the issue of personal freedom, but the question is how much of an imposition it is.
I’m visiting Berlin at the moment and I was surprised to see that most shops are closed on a Sunday. Nothing like London, where everything is open on Sunday. I think it’s quite interesting.
I know, it’s shocking. It forces you to really plan ahead with your shopping, maybe that’s why we Germans are so organized. :-)
And perhaps spend less money at the weekend.
Haha, good point!
And have more time for cultural activities or to go running.
In my small Town, Lugagnano Val D’arda Italy, population of 5000, the shops don’t open but it has a supermarket that opens on Sundays. Damn Church bell rings all day and all night though… someone should steal their clanger. Of course the bars are open…
And do your shops also have a lunch break of 4 hours, like in the south of Italy?
Oh my!! I remember visiting that beautiful place about… gosh how many years ago now.. 18 years ago.. A darling place. I would go back in a heartbeat! jealous of your office :D
Really, you were in Ammerthal? Or you mean Bavaria or Germany in general?
Ammerthal!!! One of my girlfriends took me on a tour around Bavaria, and we stopped in many places. I wrote them all in a list, and I remember Ammerthal, since we had visited three days prior Emmental in Switzerland. :D
Pretty quaint place.
Wow, that’s a real coincidence! Usually nobody ever comes here because there is really nothing to see. It’s just a regular 2,200-people village with nothing to see.
Your friend must have gotten lost. :P
But it’s fantastic that you stumbled across my blog and got reminded of it again now. I love these coincidences! (Almost equally coincidentally, I have been to Kosovo and Albania, by the way.)
AHAHA … she could have :) I am not so sure about it :D
Awesome!!! We might have passed each other in Albania :D who knows?
I was in Tirana and Vlora in July 2014. I should finally upload all the photos and articles from that trip. It was a beautiful and wonderful experience!
Yay!! I will be looking forward to them. Do please let me know when you do, if I miss them. I’d love to see!
Ohh no, that time I was here in San Diego, CA … miss it thought :(
Here are a few teasers: https://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/category/albania/
Ohh, I’m on it!
Bavaria is definitely my favorite part of Germany. I love the accent, it’s very melodic.
Even I as a Bavarian don’t understand all other Bavarians.