Germany's national holiday. Kinda fake holiday that Helmut Kohl came up with in 1990 since he had to come up with one before the 7th of October which would have made the GDR (East Germany) 41. Couldn't have had that. . .
Fifteen years ago was in a British Forces double decker bus tooling around Potsdam and Berlin. The British forces in Berlin had this bus competent authorities could charter for just such occasions, and being Brits of course they had a full bar built in to the rear . . . so there we were - a bus load of intel types - Amis, Brits, French and Germans celebrating the new Germany in style. Made it to the Brandenburg Gate right after midnight and then walked on foot to Alexanderplatz. . . Quite a time.
This evening was much more sedate. The German Consulate had a nice do: hot munchies, and drinks. German beer and wine of course. Everybody all dressed up and being refined. Chitchat. Some comments about Bush and what a mess the US has become. No Schadenfreude here, more alarm and how could the country ever have gone so astray . . .