I just took a short vacation to the region around Straubing, Bavaria. We stayed out in a rural area, but made several trips into Straubing and to nearby sites. We spent some time at the Gäubodener Volksfest, the second-largest Bavarian festival (after the Oktoberfest, of course). I noticed some things during our trip:

- Bavaria is emptier and more rural than I expected. I have the strong impression that it is much less densely populated than the area I live in now. The map didn't have as much on it. The distances between cities seemed greater while driving. Some of the villages were very small.

- Bavarians are friendly. This is a trait they seem to share with the "Moselaner." The impression might have to do with it being a tourist area, but the places I have lived in in Baden-Württemberg have also been tourist destinations, and they don't do well by comparison in this category.

- Bavarians weigh more. While my wife insisted that there were many thin people in the crowds as well, I noticed more obesity or at least more people who seemed to have more pounds than they needed walking about. This might be a universal trait among rural areas in industrialized countries, however. Inland, rural areas have more overweight people than California in the U.S., for example.