We were on our way back from the railway station Munich East – where we had bought our tickets for the bike tour to Italy we plan to go on during the second week of the Pentecost holidays – by bike, when we, at long last, again passed die Forschung. And since the weather was so nice and sunny, we decided to indulge in the luxury of drinking a “Maß”.
Barbara drank a “Radler”, while I ordered a “St. Jakobus”. In all, we had two drinks, each one litre. There was no room for anything to eat, because dinner was waiting at home. Then the waiter presented us with the bill: the “Radlermaß” is 7.20 € and the “St. Jakobus Blonder Boc” is 7.80 €, that makes a total of 15.- €, without tips. That used to be the equal of 30 Deutsch Marks.
Now I would like to know what the same beverages cost when I first went to have a drink at the “Forschung” in 1970. I am assuming that, in those days, the money would have bought an additional two “Surhaxn” with bread (and probably even a second litre of beer).
All I remember of 1970 is that the extremely expensive beer in the wicked discotheque GOGO on Augsburg’s Pferseer Strasse cost 1.80 DM. At the time, we got really annoyed with that. In those days, and still today, the discotheque was (considerably) more expensive than the “Forschung” – which was appropriate, since music and many nice disco-witches – one of which I was to marry later – were part of the package.
Isn’t it nice that we are not currently witnessing inflation?
If you are now going to recommend I should drink the German cheap beer by Oettinger as sold by the Cash&Carry market, or, even better, the in-house products of Lidl or Aldi, then this is not really helpful.
Perhaps inflation is our secret lover, who accompanies us throughout our entire life. I even believe I like her/it. I just have not yet made up my mind about whether I find her attractive, or if she should be categorized as a “slattern”.
That reminds me of a song by the great Charles Aznavour. He came from a country I was really close to when I was young (and still am). Perhaps the same is true for another great love, such as for the Federal Republic of Germany or the Phoenician princess who was abducted by Zeus in the shape of a bull and taken to Crete to be seduced by him there (you can find the solution in Wikipedia)
RMD
(Translated by EG)
P.S.
I buy my tickets at Munich East railway station because you cannot make an online reservation for bicycles. It is difficult on the telephone and the ticket machine nearest to Ottobrunn is at Munich East.
P.S.1
If you want a little comfort, the ticket for two persons to Orvieto including bikes is 460.- € (one way!). So here is another area where it would be interesting to compare the price with what you had to pay in 1970. And we were quite lucky that there was still a sleeping compartment and bike space available in the night train to Rome at a time that was halfway acceptable for us.
P.S.2
A short time ago, I heard a presentation by an expert. He enlightened us about the fact that number two, after Augustiner, in the sales of Light Beer in Germany is Oettinger, followed by the discounters’ brands (in hectolitres sold). He also told us how Oettinger and the discounters manage to produce so cheaply. Oettinger, for instance, by demanding a minimum sale on the market of one lorry plus trailer. And the discounters making intense use of the latent capacities of beer logistics enterprises. And that the market leader in the sector of beer has an ebit of around 30 % of its turnover.
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