Germans Work Hard, Play Hard (In Cemeteries)

“A growing number of Munich residents looking to escape crowded parks in favor of more tranquil landscapes have adopted the cemetery as part of their fitness route. Neon-clad runners, their ears stuffed with iPod earphones, sometimes appear, puffing and panting, in front of a solemn funeral procession. Such encounters usually happen in the morning during the first funeral of the day, or after offices have closed for the evening. The offenders are usually women, because ‘they are more figure conscious,’ Pausch says…. Elsewhere, new mothers spread out picnic blankets for their offspring, and children’s birthdays are held in the shade of large crosses. Tai chi groups gather here at dawn to greet the new day. Those seeking serious relaxation even unfurl their hammocks.”