man drinks 12.1 liters of pure alcohol per year. It is much more common to have beer or wine with dinner than a soda or water. It's no wonder - southern Germany produces some of the best wine and beer in the world. If Germans invite you for a drink, it means they intend to pay. Having a drink with friends means toasting. Lots of it. In a group setting, you'll hear calls to toast - Prost or Zum Wohl - continuously. When everyone raises a glass, be sure to clink with each person and make eye contact as you do so. Lighting up a cigarette is still fashionable in Germany. A larger proportion of Germans smoke compared to Americans, especially among the younger generation. Germans don't typically ask permission to smoke in your presence. They just do it. Non-smoking sections of restaurants and even hospitals are rare. I am going to commit a large part of my essay to the German Fests. While Germans may seem reserved, the truth is they take every opportunity to let their hair down. Almost everyone has heard of Oktoberfest, the famous Munich event that dates back to the 1800s. Between six and seven million people visit the fairgrounds each year to visit the seven huge beer halls or peruse hundreds of smaller stands. Oktoberfest isnt just popular for its beer; there are also roller coasters, Ferris wheels, helicopter swings, and bumper cars. Waiters and waitresses deliver tons of rotisserie chicken, ham hocks, sausages and pretzels. While the patrons drink their beer in the famous one-liter mug, bands blare inside the massive tents. Summertime brings a steady flow of fests. Every village, no matter how small, has at least one fest. Some celebrate foods and others just celebrate. Germany is not known internationally for wine since Germans drink most of it, rather than exporting it - but vineyards have been cultivated since Roman times. Even cold weather can't keep Germans from their fests. The winter holidays of Christmas and carnival each bring t...
