I worked here for a good deal of time- 3 of every 4 weeks for a year. That was almost 19 years ago. Just as reunification was starting I was leaving. The two events are not related. But I was looking forward to returning to a place I had thoroughly enjoyed.
Today Germany, that area where I worked, the Cologne to Munich stretch, is far more crowded, more developed, dirtier. Any charm, once so abundant in even Frankfurt, is gone. Surliness and noise define interaction. The string of heavy trucks lining the Autobahn are endless and from every country between Spain and Russia.
Germany in this region is all about work. Working to continue to pay the cost of absorbing the East. Working to manage the conversion to the Euro, a significant disadvantage to Germans. Working to be the industrial leader of Europe. This is their equivalent to our East Coast Don't get in the way unless you are moving like your hair is on fire.
In France the national industry is tourism. Every village is working to help you appreciate it. Here they are too busy to notice if you are being ground up under the wheels of the giant Mercedes trucks, so don't risk admiring the view from your car window at 130 on the Autobahn. Yes, Germans around here are tough.
Tomorrow we will search a little bit for the charm of Germany. It will be a quick search, since we can't afford to stay here long! The cost of hotels is dictated by business travel.
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