From: Fishkill Bill on
On Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:11:34 +0200, Martin <me(a)address.invalid> wrote:

>On Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:25:49 -0400, Fishkill Bill <lederer123(a)optonline.net>
>wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:28:08 -0500, "Gregory Morrow"
>><TheKillingOfSisterGeorge(a)mercycroft.net> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Martin wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:01:10 -0600, "Pat" <Pat(a)starrynight.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >
>>>> >"Fishkill Bill" --thanks for the satire, Bill. I enjoyed it. People need
>>>to
>>>> >lighten up and realize satire when it appears.
>>>> >
>>>> >Pat in TX
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the tip Pat. Here was me thinking he had copied and
>>>occasionally
>>>> misspelled the autobahn signs from the online Michelin Map.
>>>> Cathy does a better more detailed virtual trip report.
>>>
>>>
>>>What does did she think about the vineyards in Germany, especially the
>>>grapes...???
>>
>>Greg,
>>
>>We were there last year, in May. We saw lots of vines. This September
>>we saw them full of grapes. Imagine how they work on those vineyards
>>on the slops near the Rhine river!
>
>in the slops?

No, on the slops.
From: Cathy L on
On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:42:04 -0700, VainGlorious
<vaingloriousDUMP(a)THIScomcast.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:20:24 -0400, Fishkill Bill
><lederer123(a)optonline.net> wrote:
>
>>Well Cathy and I have returned from two and a half weeks in Germany.
>>The first ten days were on a Cosmos bus tour and the last seven were
>>in a rented car.
>>
>>Here are the places we visited:
>>
>>Heidelberg-Bacharacher-Cologne-Bremen-Hamburg-Wittenburg-Berlin-Potsdam-Dresden
>>-Nuremberg-Rothenburg-Nordlington-Neuschwanstein-Munich-Oberommergau
>>-Peiting-Donauworth-Nordlington-Dinkelsbuhl-Anbach-Nurmberg-Bamberg-
>>Schonbrunn-Burgebrach-Werzburg-Schwinberg-Tausberbeschofsheim-
>>Rottingen-Creglingen-Heilbrann-Dieburg-Dormstadt-Buttelborn-Grob-Gerau-Frankfurt.
>
>In other words, rather than slow down and relax a bit and get to know
>each place even slightly, you rushed right through and walked away
>unimpressed. Wow.
>
>>We would have to say the cities are quite unimpressive. A lot of 50's
>>style plain looking buildings.
>
>Maybe that's because the Americans and British bombed most of Germany
>into dust about 60 years ago. Had that thought ever occurred to you?
>
>At least Germany has an excuse. Why is it that American cities are so
>painfully bland? My guess: because they are populated with people like
>you.
>
>
>>The little towns are the cleanest we
>>have ever seen. Most look the same though. Down near the Alps is
>>probably the best area.
>
>So, when glancing off the highway, you liked the Alpine areas better.
>Well. They must be better, then.
>
>>Driving is a dream in Germany. Not a pothole in the entire country.
>>Not the most friendly people though, (not like Ireland).
>
>Germany and Austria invest in infrastructure. Thus, they have nice
>highways. But if you leave the numbered thoroughfares and venture into
>villages, you will find potholes. Lovely German potholes.
>
>And in those villages, you will find people who speak German. They
>don't understand English. So when some doofus American retiree comes
>waddling up to order lunch and cannot read the menu or engage in
>simple pleasantries in German, the locals aren't impressed.
>
>With that, I dispose of you. I strongly suggest you remain home with
>your idiot wife and stop imposing yourselves on Europe.
>
>And now, a general comment from an American who travels in Europe and
>has a brain (ie, me):
>
>Compared to golly-gee midwestern Americans, Europeans may seem
>somewhat aloof. Since I grew up in urban New Jersey, I have an
>understanding of this cultural affectation. Like New Yorkers,
>Europeans do not suffer fools gladly. That's the crux of it. And
>eastern Europeans are even tougher nuts to crack. They have steep
>requirements before trusting acquaintances. But once you are "in", you
>are IN.
>
>I don't see this as a bad thing. Now that I'm living in the
>plastered-smile insincerity of the American west coast, I yearn for
>the days of honking car horns and soup nazis. At least you knew where
>you stood with New Yorkers. And Europeans are often the same. That's
>partly why I enjoy Europe so much. And eastern Europe in particular.
>
>Here's my favorite anecdote to illustrate the joys of not suffering
>fools gladly:
>
>Twenty years ago, there was a small hamburger stand in central New
>Jersey called "The White Rose". It was housed in a renovated Airstream
>(an aluminum caravan of sorts). At the White Rose, you entered in one
>door, ordered your food, moved along the line, paid at the end then
>got out. They had three choices: hamburger, cheeseburger and
>California cheeseburger. French fries came along. At White Rose, there
>were rules, much like the soup nazi rules. As soon as your turn came
>up to order, you ordered quickly and clearly. If you failed to do so,
>the burger nazi would yell "NEXT!" and you would be elbowed out of the
>line by the next person, who quickly shouted their order.
>
>There was a lot of yelling at the White Rose. But I loved it. I
>particularly loved seeing idiots who had been standing in line five
>minutes (staring at the simple menu) then stammering to place their
>order, be immediately punished and tossed out on their ear. It was a
>place that did not suffer fools gladly.
>
>And oh, how the dispossessed would cry and wail! "Not fair! Wait! I
>want...I want..." as the local businessmen and blue collars literally
>shuffled them out the door to the back of the line.
>
>I'm sure the Cathy's and Bill's of this world would view such behavior
>as rude and un-friendly. But not me. I see it as warm, inclusive and
>invigorating. If only MORE idiots were instantly isolated and
>disregarded, the world would be a better place.
>
>So, meine Europ�isch freunde, nicht nachlassen!
>
>- TR
>
Why do you people have to be so nasty?? Can't a person express their
opinion without being called names? It's so childish.
From: dgs on
Cathy L wrote:

> Why do you people have to be so nasty??

Tell ya what. I'll agree to be less nasty if you'll agree to be less
stupid.

Deal?

You can start by figuring out how to edit a post to which you are
replying, like, f'r instance, not quoting the entire thing and
adding two lines of whining commentary.
--
dgs
From: Dave Smith on
Fishkill Bill wrote:
>
>
> We would have to say the cities are quite unimpressive. A lot of 50's
> style plain looking buildings. The little towns are the cleanest we
> have ever seen. Most look the same though. Down near the Alps is
> probably the best area.
>
> Driving is a dream in Germany. Not a pothole in the entire country.
> Not the most friendly people though, (not like Ireland).

I found Germans friendly enough everywhere I went. As I have posted here
previously, the friendliest, most sincere hospitality I ever experience
while travelling was in Bavaria.

I agree about the roads. While we did most of our travel on the Autobahn,
we did get onto some secondary roads and found them to be in excellent
condition. The only potholes I encountered where in a construction zone,
and that road was being rebuilt, not just a new coat of asphalt or a few
patches, but stripped down to the gravel base and re-paved.

The small towns we stayed in were very clean. There was no litter, no road
sand on the side walks. In one town in which we spent a few days the
children were sent out on Saturday mornings to sweep the sidewalks and the
roads in front of their houses.
From: Gregory Morrow on

Martin wote:

> On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:36:21 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
> <evgmsop(a)earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Pat wrote:
> >> "Fishkill Bill" --thanks for the satire, Bill. I enjoyed it. People
need to
> >> lighten up and realize satire when it appears.
> >>
> >> Pat in TX
> >>
> >Are you SURE it was intended as satire? (If so, the "Cathy
> >and Bill" posts are works of pure genius, because they NEVER
> >give any indication their ingenuousness is counterfeit!)
>
> You maybe didn't read all the comments some of us made at the time. I
didn't
> believe any of it. I was only surprised that Cathy was not a victim of
> pickpockets in 12 countries in 12 days.


I was thinking...could Our Magda have pulled the "Cathy n' Bill" scheme as a
bit of japery...???


--
Best
Greg