Big Tree

I drove into town this morning, to get some paperwork sorted at the city hall and bank. 
The bank was a bust. I was there to terminate one of my mother's bank accounts that isn't needed anymore, but costs money every month. The bank knows my mother and me, they know I have full power of attorney, and even hold a copy of that document in their files. But all that was not enough - I should have brought the original document with me. So I have to go there again. 

Then I went to the brand new Bürgerbüro (citizens‘ service center) next to the city hall. My biometric ID card isn't good enough for travels to the UK anymore, so I needed to apply for a passport  That went relatively painless, although I didn't like the new Bürgerbüro at all. It used to be in a well-lit and busy mall, but now it's situated in a newly built and deserted office block with a long, dark tunnel as an entrance (see extra), that's already smelling of urine. All of it seems to say "keep away, citizens, and don't bother us with your problems".

Afterwards, a walk around the farmer's market and the soon-to-open Christmas market helped to cheer me up. I don't think I'll go there when it's open, as the stalls have been put up very close together, just like in pre-pandemic times. Social distancing won't be an option when the market is packed with people. 

But it was nice to see the sparkly lights back in place (although not yet lit), and big Christmas tree next to the city hall getting decorated already.