On Blip Duty

Today is Tractor Tuesday and armed with the camera set off for yet another early walk in Ottobeurens Bannwald to enjoy the shade in the woods. We were not alone, I was lucky to find a spot to put the car in the overcrowded parking lot.

No tractors spotted so then down to the market square. Again no tractors so gave up, sat myself down at one of the outdoor tables belonging to Pedro' Ice Cream Parlour and treated myself to an iced coffee while enjoying last weeks newly introduced free Wi-Fi on the market square and twittering to Nogbad in the UK and waving to Luna's original parents in Berlin on the excellent towns webcam.

I think it must be 5o years+ since I sat down at such an ice cream cafe to be served. Last one was probably with my uncle Jochen (who I spoke to this evening) in Weinheim near Heidelberg in the early 60s when Italian ice cream was enjoying a boom on the wave of people discovering exotic summer holidays with their VW beetles, crossing the Alps to spend three weeks on the Adriatic Sea at Rimini and the likes. Italian Ice Cream and Pizza restaurants are as much a part of today's German culture as beer gardens. Back then the mass of Italians (later Greeks and Turks) were described as "Guest Workers" seeking a better life in northern Europe. It was heartening to hear that the 3000 Syrians who arrived at Munich railway station last night were overwhelmed today with voluntary helpers and donated food, drink, nappies etc so that the charities had to ask people to stop bringing more donations. I am not going to get into this subject further but ask that one looks at the facts and treats these people as humans in a dire situation. We can work out the rights and wrongs, find the people to blame and sort out the long-term solution later. But for now, they are here and need to be looked after. These events are not new ...Iron Curtain falling, Balkan war, Boat People, Uganda,...... we will find a way eventually. I am as "scared" as everyone else but certainly far less than the 4-year-old girl couped up with her parents in the back of a lorry being transported across borders with 35°C outside temperatures...... Makes one's Iced Coffee taste less good.