A view from Germany

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Ben@Forest
Posts: 3647
Joined: 28 Jan 2013, 5:58pm

A view from Germany

Post by Ben@Forest »

Have been in North Rhine Westphalia for the last week. Some comparisons with UK.

I arrived to find all trams and buses on strike, the third 24 hr strike in seven days.

On the day of heavy snowfall the kindergartens were shut, about 15% of trains were cancelled and a further 25% late. Mine was 45 minutes late.

There's very little obvious support for Ukraine. I've seen maybe 5 flags, and no stickers in windows or graffiti'd flags (both of which I've seen in the UK). One of the flags had 'Give peace a chance' and the German equivalent in the centre of the flag, which resonates of wanting a negotiated settlement fairly quickly.

There are increasing numbers of beggars, panhandlers and presumably homeless people in Germany though some are middle-aged women of the Roma/Sinti communities for whom begging is a common profession. They are well-fed and well-equipped for the task. Others have very good-looking and well-cared for dogs to interest the passing public. 25 years ago this was extremely rare.
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