... or how to avoid stains caused by other people's sausages, chips, cigarettes (Yes, the non-smoking in public policy is not yet where I'd like it to be) and red red wi-ine ...
What a weekend it has been! Neustadt has been host to Rhineland-Palatinate Day 2010, more or less the whole town has been blocked for traffic, every car park transformed into a stage of some kind, thousands of visitors, loads of bands, activities and even more .... food stalls.
Ok, all these visitors need to be fed and watered (or rather wined in this area) and not everybody is lucky enough to live within a stone-throw of events (We've been "camping" at the new place since Friday) but why is it that people need to have their sausages DURING a concert and attempt to walk through the masses with them? I was really enjoying some "easy snapping" happy reggae with UB40 live on Friday night apart from constantly dodging people whose mostly greasy food items came dangerously close to me. What is so hypnotic about food stalls that they keep attracting people even when you can - for the limited time a concert lasts - do other things like enjoy the music and - heaven forbid! - move to it?
UB40 have been around for a good thirty years, I remembered them from way-back-then, my teenage days in the 1980ies and honestly had no idea what they were doing nowadays and that they have a new album out. It was a great show on Friday night, good, fun, feel-good music and for me seeing and listening to Red Red Wine live went full-circle, having seen the original performed by Neil Diamond Open Air in 1984 (just after it had been a hit for UB40). Another memory to add to the special pile ...
Big fireworks tonight to end the celebrations after public viewing of the football in the market square and elsewhere and tomorrow the town will turn back to normal. Have a great week! Hugs, Mel
