German Quirks: Class Awareness, Exchange Huts, and Lard Balls

The graffiti in Germany is more in your face, demonstrating a much greater awareness of class positions.  I also find it interesting the German quirk of having what I think of as "sticker graffiti," stickers printed with what would normally appear as painted graffiti and plastered on signs and poles.

And, while this is exactly typical, the other day I ran across an "exchange hut," where folks can leave things they no longer need and pick up things others have left. This one is from the Altona neighborhood of Hamburg.

And to add to the list of peculiarities not available in the States, let us look at the at the German meat counter.

Here we see Schmalzbällchen, balls of lard that one can get with onion or with raisins and apple pieces.  The first time I visited Germany, I went with my wife-to-be to a New Year's party where we were served schmalz smeared on bread.  In Alabama, we pour pork fat into an old coffee can and then throw it away.  What a waste.

Germans have a seemingly endless variety of aspic with vegetables and/or unidentifiable pieces of meat that they cut like salami or bologna.