Snow Removal in Germany

Happy Anniversary!

Today I have had my blog for exactly one week! Unfortunately, I don't really have too much exciting to relay today. It has been extremely cold and snowy here in the Munich area the last few days, (Gee, in some ways, I feel like I never left the MidWest!) and I actually have barely been out of the house since Monday.

However, I do have a few words to say about Snow Removal in Germany.

First of all, people are supposed to scoop their walks, but in actuality they don't do a very good job. On top of that, our apartment building is on "Main Street" in our little suburb. So the street that I have to take to the train station has businesses on it. Now, you would think at least these people would scoop their walks. BARELY! Usually it is just a little path that may or may not be ice-free. Overall, I guess people aren't as "sue-happy" here in Germany as they are in the States and so these businesses are not afraid they will get sued if someone falls on their ass in front of their store.

Second of all, in the "snow bound" states in the US, the DOT uses salt and sand on the roads (and many people do on their sidewalks too!) to help manage the ice and snow accumulation, right? The salt is particularly helpful, because as we all know, salt water freezes at a different temperature than salt-free water. (If you want some scientific information on the subject, just click here... http://www.picotech.com/experiments/freezingofwater/freezingofwater.html)
But, anyway, here in Germany they do not use salt and sand on the roads, (I think it has something to do with the Environment... the Green Party is powerful crazy here) instead, they use CAT LITTER! Of course it has a different name, but when it gets drug into my house... well, as the owner of 3 cats, I know cat litter when I see it! Does this really help? NO! It just makes a mess in my hallway!

Boy, I can't wait until SPRING!!!