German Changes

It has been over twenty years now since I've last been to Germany, and while it is wonderful to be back, I am surprised to see the changes that Mrs. YDP and I are encountering on our travels.  Some things of note:

• English is everywhere.  Many of the signs and advertising are done in English and not even in German, and this isn't for travelers.  This is plainly for domestic consumption.
• Speaking of English, folks were always fluent here, but now it is off the charts.  Many don't even have accents.  As American citizens, we should be ashamed at our lack of secondary language ability.
• Russians were everywhere in Munich.  It's remarkable to me that when I first came to Germany back in the early 80's, we were worried about the Soviets invading western Europe.  As it turns out, they kind of did.
• Germany is now culturally different.  Let's just leave it at that.

There is plenty that is the same - the Alps, bier, autobahn, weinerschnitzel, bread, coffee, and gemütlichkeit.  What a wonderful, wonderful place.