The German sidekick of two blokes I have done a bit of work for, one of them German, forwarded me a smallish sum of money today, promptly as always once all the ducks were in a correct row.
Her email ended: 'Greetings from Berlin'.
I don't know why, but I was charmed. Can't remember having dealings with a nasty German or Japanese ever, quite the contrary. Am I Pollyanna?
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I deal with a lot of Germans in the course of renting out our holiday apartment, and in relation to our own holidays, and they are in general polite, and keen to offer greetings from their area! Even the letters accompanying speeding fines in our part of Austria are signed off "with friendly greetings", which softens the blow a little :-)
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>> Even the letters accompanying speeding fines in our
>> part of Austria are signed off "with friendly greetings", which softens the blow a little
>> :-)
Like the French coppers who are said to wish you 'bon journee' after relieving you of a speeding fine?
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When I have travelled to Germany I have found Germans to be very charming, especially the frauleins ;-)
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I like the way French allows you to wish anyone bon or bonne just about anything. Bon appétit late in the morning is my favourite - even in the ironmongers.
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A friend of mine works in the Snowdon Mountain Railway booking office. He was recounting a tale of a German who came in to try to get some tickets - upon being told that there were none for that day he started to leave - his parting comment was "You piece of s***" bit unfair on an professional earning an honest crust. Not a nice one.
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He came a long way for some railway tickets.He was P/Off.
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I fear he may have been talking to his Audi or some other such piece of sh........
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>> A friend of mine works in the Snowdon Mountain Railway booking office. He was recounting
>> a tale of a German who came in to try to get some tickets -
>> upon being told that there were none for that day he started to leave -
>> his parting comment was "You piece of s***" bit unfair on an professional earning an
>> honest crust. Not a nice one.
My response would have been...
"Sorry boyo, no trains today - unexploded bomb found near the track, seems you lot could hit the side of a mountain after all"
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I suppose it must be 12 years or so ago now, since my French boss was caught speeding on the A14 by a patrol car. He was politely invited by the cops to accompany them down to the station - where they extracted a large amount of money from him before sending him on his way.
He was most impressed by the politeness of our police compared with their French counterparts.
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Pitching our tents at Uberlingen, about 20 feet from Der Bodensee, we were hit by a sudden mini whirlwind and rain. It was dark and the job wasn't easy. A man and his frau came out of a campervan next to us and a Belgian couple also appeared. They helped us out until all six tents were up after a fashion then made us hot drinks before we turned in.
This was 2001. We visited again in 2002. We'd just pitched again, in the Sun this time, when our German helper walked past and recognized us. There was much Wilkomming from him to our delight.
I kept in touch with him by post and email for some years but in one of his last mails, he said he was very proud of his English friends and that he was having some trouble with his blood. The mails stopped so I guess he died.........top man ! Manfred Feyrer of Weil am Rhein. I still have the couple's photo in My Pictures.
I never did get to explain cricket to him !
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Thanx Cranx............That's him..age about right, big white moustache, wife's name correct and I think they had bikes with them in the campervan.
I did google him and got a result but it was years ago and that one you found was last year.
I'll try an email when I've read it properly and maybe a letter if that doesn't work.
Perhaps he thinks I snuffed it ! I'll let you know if I get a result.
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Our eldest son is a cricket fan.He has a collection of Wisdom books from the year 1949.
He was a decent player when he was a youngster.The times he has explained the game to me is plentifull.Still can't take it in..;)
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Stereotyping people never works.We had a few days in Paris.Had coffee and cakes.The girls in the café couldn't be more helpful with my wife's wheelchair.
I have travelled over the border in Germany plenty of times.They like order and discipline until the drinking starts.>:)
Last edited by: Dutchie on Thu 11 Sep 14 at 13:47
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>> Her email ended: 'Greetings from Berlin'.
>>
My German mother-in-law always starts her postcard to Mrs BB and I "Greetings from (wherever)", so it must be a translation thing. I mean we would never say that to one another, would we?
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>> it must be a translation thing. I mean we would never say that to one another, would we?
'Translation things' do arise - don't I know it! - but only because different nations have different cultures as well as different languages.
Only the faintest signs so far of a ghastly Brave New World speaking some universal newspeak gobbledygook, based I am sorry to say on a sort of hybrid cobbled up from 'World English' and Computerese.
Vivent toutes les différences, that's my view. Makes the world more interesting. And a whole lot more charming of course.
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Touche it would be boring if we where all the same.
Remember that program I forgot what if was called when they did pranks on people.
Somebody pinched this bloke chips whilst he was eating.He laughed more of a grimas and pulled his plate towards him.
A German would more than likely give you a smack.Les Differences.>:)
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Charming - Mike H
