Saturday, September 29, 2007

Closing Hours

It is still raining today. It is coming down hard enough at the moment to keep us cooped up here at our place. We need umbrellas, as I previously mentioned. I had to quick read my last post this morning to make sure I didn't post anything naughty. It is fine, kinda funny, I guess I am not that crazy of a drunk, nor was I that drunk. I am regretting the Riesling I drank, too sweet, I have a headache now. I had a great bottle of Sauvignon Blanc just before I left Tennessee. I could go for some more of that. Though, it is a tad more expensive than the wine here.

I feel some compulsion to always have a photo to post. Here is me playing poker a few days before I left.

They have some weird laws here. For instance they do not allow businesses to be open later than about 8pm. Also, nothing is open on Sundays. There are some exceptions, bakeries and newspaper stands, things like that. The effect of these laws is that it is difficult to do any shopping after work during the week. Then, because this is the case for most people, everyone shops on Saturday, so it's crazy. On Sunday if you walk around you will see that everything is closed, but there will be all sorts of people walking around looking into the shop windows wishing to buy things. They have these laws to protect the workers and such. Inevitably it is just the government micromanaging things. They should just let the system work itself out.

There are other examples of laws like these. None of them act to directly repress you, but there is that continual undertone of control that is annoying. It is interesting how different the mentality is between here and the US with respect to freedoms (or maybe it is a lack of caring about all the details.) It is subtle, but we can feel it. I am not saying that we are perfectly free in the US, I wish we could dissolve a lot of government programs. All government ever manages to do is make a mess and waste money. And the majority of politicians are incompetent fools, this we know. Why we trust them to make laws, determine our taxes and spend them is beyond me.

Ok, enough of that rant. We leave tomorrow for Munich :) Finally we will get to see people in lederhosen and large breasted women carrying around huge beers. -Eric

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guys, you ought to listen to me when I tell you something. Shops in this state are allowed to open 24/6, i.e. only your sunday statement is true (which is annoying enough, I totally agree).

Daniel

Anonymous said...

It's hilarious to see how you understand German laws that do not allow things that are allowed in the US as German oppression - however everything that is allowed here but not in the US is not US oppression but a German oddity. :-)

You did seem to enjoy nudity in the magazines (you would enjoy it at the beach, too, I'm sure), a beer in public (no you didn't - too well trained, I guess, trying to cover it with a jacket before a US cop will fine you, no wait, you're in Germany), driving as fast as you can on the Autobahn, etc.

Try to work on your 'being opressed in the US' reflexes at the Oktoberfest NOT hiding the beer you're drinking in public and have a great time! ;-)

Daniel