Reflection

Had wanted to try and catch a photo of the Alps today but it was another cold, murky, windy November day. Now having the Dogwalk-Mobile back after passing it's biennial TÜV (MOT) road worthiness test, the dogs and I set off to the hill above Ottobeuren on the edge of the Bannwald forest but out in the open.

It was "fresh" with 4°C and an icy wind but we managed the round course passing the Observatory which is undergoing a major rebuild. Seemingly all being paid for by the local parishes, towns and county bodies and a number of local companies and banks. No EU money it seems.

Back in the warmth of the car, back down in to town, a quick stop at the Basilica to pick up some candles. Normally I would have lit them there but today I wanted to take them home and have them for the start of the original Advent period which starts tomorrow.

Known often in Bavaria as the "Stade Zeit" it's the period from 11 November to 6th January. A time for reflection, a time of quiet and tranquillity, a time of fasting and in the original form a time when celebrations and dancing were banned.

Modern day Advent is of course the time starting on the fourth Sunday before 25th December. But the Bavarians have sneaked in two extra days - the opening of the Christkindlmarkt in Nürnberg  (Nuremberg) on the Friday evening of 1st Advent weekend. Radio stations thankfully keep pretty much to the rule of not playing Wham & Co until then. The supermarkets have fallen to the centuries old USA pressure to mix everything up so that one has no idea what is what - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday. Even Harrods turns on it's Christmas lights before Armistice day.

We had the rather amusing situation with our Austrian neighbours a few weeks back on Halloween. Austria has been getting more and more right wing nationalist and in the recent elections voted in a right wing party with their teenager leader. They had on 1st October put in to force a burka/habib ban. On the eve of Halloween the government had to quickly make a 24 hour exception, the justification being the need to allow Austrians to celebrate TRADITIONAL cultural events. So the Trick & Treat brigade were saved fines and being locked up but there have since been cases of people being fined after dressing up in various full body suits. I suspect Disney won't be going ahead with any plans to build a Disneyworld in the Alp Republic.

Rest of the day fitted my mood. Angie did do a bike ride in the rain with Luna so that she got some proper exercise and later I did a stroll with Flash in the evening dark and drizzle.

I didn't bother to watch the "friendly" England vs Germany football match at Wembley. Was a bit put off by some of the ridiculous events on the periphery of the event. Instead watched another 0-0 drawn event - the opening of the French-German First World War memorial in Alsace today and enjoyed hearing the words of the two countries presidents and salute in particular the French for their attitude towards the past, the present and the future. History is our greatest teacher and our future - Vive la France.