Anyone Got a Light?

Europeans smoke more than Americans.  Teenage smoking still seems to be a rite of passage.  I remember people telling me that smoking goes with drinking, and kids can drink beer or wine over here at age 14 when with parents or 16 in general.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age.  Thanks goodness they don't drive until 18.  But if you are having a glass of wine or beer, and you are a smoker, then you are much more likely to light up right?

There is no smoking in restaraunts here, and that is a big difference from when we were here last time.  Our friend from England, who smokes...yuck, had her pack on the table and I "took a gander" at her smokes.  The warning labels are a little more clear. 

That is a little different than, "The Surgeon Genral...blah blah blah."  I've seen German cigarette packs that warn smokers about sterility.  That may change things a bit for some smokers.  One would have to be a real "nube" to smoke if it would shrink one's "Johnnies".

Lightbulb Laughter

Sometimes words in other languages just make absolute sense.  The German word for a lightbulb is "Glowing Pear" or in German, Glühbirne.

A Pear



A Glowing Pear ...Glühbirne



Hiking Trails

A farmhouse restaraunt with a beautiful stone patio under the big trees

People have small yards in Europe.  But they can walk on trails between all the farms.  No one can stop them from walking on these trails.  

There are also well maintained trails through the woods everywhere. 

Walking path down the hill to the local swimming pool

While walking, its not odd to come across a bar, restaraunt, or farm that offers drinks, snacks, or meals along the trails. 













Walking clubs are common in small towns, and so are trips to the Alps to hike up mountains. 

A hiking group walking past a mountain stream in the Alps near Garmisch.

Weekend walkers

Since most villages and cities are very condensed, most people live close enough to farms, woods, and trails to go for walks everyday without having to drive to get there.

New Year's Eve in Europe

Last night was my eighth New Year's celebration in Europe.  They do pretty much the same celebration here as they do in most places.  The main difference is the fireworks.   They don't do one big show run by the city or a private organization.  Everyone buys firesworks and they shoot them off all over the place at midnight for about half an hour.  There are fireworks everywhere.