Just made it to Frankfurt, Germany. Sitting here grabbing a McDonalds burger in the airport.
It seems weird being in a different culture again, even if I’m only seeing Germany from the airport. Being yanked from one culture to the next is rattling.
Walked outside and it’s cold. They had snow here yesterday. Where I was this morning in Kenya it was quite hot.
Here people speak as if they have marbles in their mouths, so it seems to me.
Little things are surprising. Like here at McDonald’s the drinks are self-serve, but that’s the first time I’ve had a self-serve drink in probably five months. And everything disposable is surprising. I’m used to always using real plates and silverware.
Last night I ate in a small Mom and Pop’s shop in South Nairobi close by my guest house. It was dark and rainy when I walked down there, and electricity was out across that area of the city so they had the tables lit by candlelight. Not having electricity didn’t stop anything, they were used to it. My chicken shish-kebab with spices was hot off the grill. And they don’t use a cash register, just write up a receipt by hand and pull cash from an old wooden drawer.
Where I am now is a far cry from that: in the center of polished veneer of modern German civilization: marble floors, rich upholstery, well lighted interior, everything ship shape Bristol fashion.
On to Venice!