Automaten

Vending machines.

AGP may have mentioned these in passing, but we've used them a lot this week while using Internet at a university building, so here's some more insight.

When you approach a U.S. vending machine, you often must decide on the least of all evils beckoning you in their shiny wrappers behind the glass. Salt, sugar or gum? Bottle of soda or can?

The German vending machines goes above and beyond the typical duty. A little alcove here acts as a café without workers. One machine, of course, offers the salt or sugar. There's a coffee machine, and the soda machine offers glass bottles, which you can return for the deposit in a machine across the alcove.

Other machines offer a proper lunch or snack. You can get what is called a belegtes Brötchen - rolls with various meats, cheeses and vegetables. These come in a dozen different combinations. Grab a piece of fruit, milk or juice if you choose. Then check out the dessert machines. Bakery-fresh pieces of cake and torte fill the compartments, brought in each morning.

And all this tastes great and costs very little. See today's afternoon snack in the photos.