What is a Frankfurter?

Over the past few weeks, as I've settled into life in the office and the city, I've attempted to realize what it means to be a "Frankfurter." (I think that's what they call the residents here, although it's also possible Frankfurter is another word for hot dog.) I try every day to notice what people who work jobs like mine wear, what they eat, and even what they do in their free time. So far it can be said that the majority of businessmen here wear a suit and tie everyday, drive a black Mercedes (although you do see some riding a bike), and eat at fancy restaurants. I read an article the other day about a man and his friend who ate in a famous restaurant in Munich and between the two of them paid $420. Is this the life I want to lead? Do I want to drive fancy cars and eat at expensive restaurants?

On Sundays it's rather frustrating because nothing is open. Even the bakeries, where I get the majority of my food, close very early if they're open at all. It forces me to go on one of my expeditions, where the goal is to discover something new and exciting. This past weekend I discovered a Chinese garden not far from my apartment. I wondered to myself what a place like this was doing here, and concluded that perhaps a large Chinese minority exists here. In any case, it's surrounded by a huge flower garden, and is a good place to go to reflect quietly on the previous week. There are festivals here after all, usually at least one event going on every weekend. Many Frankfurters find themselves at these, especially on Saturday evenings and during the day Sunday. They love their music, especially Jazz, and are furiously proud of their ingenuity, as evidenced in the many inventions displayed in museums.

The city of Frankfurt itself doesn't feel like a typical German city. The skyscrapers make it feel more like Manhattan, and because the majority of people out during the week are wearing suits, one feels as if he's walking around a microcosm of an office building. There aren't as many parks as I'd like, but if you have a bike it's pretty easy to find one nearby. There are many more museums than you'd expect from a city of 650,000, and the Main River (pronounced mine) is a great place to spend the day biking or relaxing.

After my realizations about life in a banking city like Frankfurt, I have gathered that there must be something more to life than these things. Happiness, for one, cannot be served on a $200 plate. Nor can it be earned by trading stocks on the market. I tend to rather enjoy my simple, traditional Sunday dinner - because I don't have an operational kitchen I go to this local pizza place owned by an Italian family every Sunday. It's cheap (about $8 for a pizza and salad), delicious, and made by good, honest people. Not that the people serving $200 plates aren't honest, but I have a problem paying that much for a dinner when there are people in this world that don't even have a slice of bread to eat.

In reality, I'm sure I still have a lot to learn about being a Frankfurter. Here, it's always cloudy, so I've found myself consistently carrying around my umbrella without second thought. I've also become accustomed to not getting carded when I buy beer, a custom practiced here because of the "loose" culture when it comes to alcohol. And when I'm hungry at a fair or other event, I usually look for the bratwurst stands. Apple wine is pretty good, too.

Oh, and according to American Heritage Dictionary:
frankfurter (n) - A smoked sausage of beef, or beef and pork, made in long reddish links