Seebach, Germany

Seebach is a little village in the Black Forest. The name is pronounced "Zabock".

We were there there a couple days without a car so we strolled around seeing the sights and simply 'chilled out'. I was told the population is about 1300, and about 300 distilleries, a couple are licensed to sell. They produce snapps, or what I prefer to call 'rocket fuel'.

OOPS

In all the activity leading up to our trip to Germany and Poland, I totally forgot about renewing my Ohio carry license. Yesterday at work I printed off the required forms to apply for renewal. On the way to the printer I stopped to converse with one of my people. While there a clerical worker saw the forms on the printer and loudly asked whose they were. I claimed ownership and was asked if I really wanted to carry a gun, to which I replied that I’ve been licensed to carry for years. She handed me the papers with a dirty look and stomped away. There sure aren’t many fence sitters on the issue.

So today I again jumped through the hoops and applied for the license renewal. I was informed that I probably won’t receive the new license until about July 4. When I informed her that my license expires May25 it was suggested that I not carry during that time period, but if I do be sure to have the renewal paperwork with me. It may not be an issue because my Florida license is good until June 18 and I sent in the renewal forms at least a month ago.

I consider myself to be a lawful citizen, but if my licenses become invalid for a short time period, I’ll most likely carry anyway. It’s a right protected by the state and federal constitution.

BTW, I sure felt naked traveling without a weapon. They froun on such things in Germany and Poland.

Concentration Camp Near Krakow Poland

The part I'll never forget for the rest of my life was the guided tour through the first(?) Nazi concentration camp in Poland. It’s where the evil men perfected their methods of abuse and mass murder. When the Nazis invaded Poland, with help from Russia on the west, they incarcerated all clerics, politicians, academics and scientists in an old Polish army military base. Just wearing glasses to see was cause to be imprisoned because they made you look like an academic. Later they added Jews to the mix. Prisoners were stripped of all their belongings, including their hair that was used to weave fabric for the German military. That’s also where gas chambers were developed.

As thousands of Jews were rounded up, two more camps were built nearby. The second camp was huge. I’d guess it was at least 1 square mile, with living conditions that we’d consider cruel to animals. There were 3 large gas chambers and many furnaces for disposing of bodies. We were told that 3,000 people lost their lives each and every day for 5 years.

The Boss wanted to go there, but I didn’t, and I’ll never, ever go back to that place of such evil. I was fluctuating between extreme sadness and barely controllable anger throughout the tour. The only explanation for such cruelty is evil, pure and simple.

Anybody that doesn’t believe in evil people should visit that place. It becomes obvious that not only are acts evil, but people are evil. The only way to stop evil people is to destroy them. They can’t be rehabilitated.

Never, ever give up your right to self-defense. Never, ever give up your arms. Another Nazi regime is just a breath away.



Most all of the wooden barns were destroyed, but most of the brick buildingd remain. The 3 gas chambers were hidden way back in the trees.

Freiburg, Germany

The old part of town

View from the Hotel

Our Trip To Germany-Poland

The Boss and I got home from our little trip to Germany and Poland yesterday, and are still fighting the effects of air travel and the 6 hour time difference. Thankfully the trip improved with time, as we were delayed leaving by 5 hours due to mechanical problems on the plane. We sat in the Cincinnati airport 5 hours before starting the 9 hour flight to Frankfurt Germany.

We were 2 days in Donaushidgen where I spent both days in business meetings. Then drove to Freiburg for 1 day and 2 nights. We left the rental car in Freiburg and traveled by rail to a little village in the edge of the Black Forest where we ‘chilled’ for a couple of days. Then again by rail to pick up another rental car and see a rather impressive castle and back to the village. The next day we drove back to Frankfurt and caught a plane to Warsaw, and then switched planes to Krakow Poland. We stayed in an apartment in Krakow near the ‘old Jewish quarter’. We were there 3 days and 4 nights. Each day we were on a tour of the old city section, Auschwitz (concentration/death camps), then the salt mines respectively. It was then 2 planes back to Frankfurt, spend the night, and home again.

We were on 6 planes in 12 days. I hate airplanes.

A few general thoughts about the trip.

Germany was a lot like the US in a lot of ways. Initially it was hard to tell the difference except for all the German cars and not being able to read signs or converse with a lot of people. The highway (autobahn) was better maintained, cleaner and lacking all the big advertisements that we see here. Even the older parts of the cities were well maintained and the people friendly and helpful when we got lost or asked for directions, which was frequently.

Poland on the other hand was dirty and not well maintained, even the newer sections of the city (Krakow). I always felt like I was walking through a ghetto, but the interiors of shops and restaurants were spotless and well maintained. I was impressed by the contrast.

If you’re sensitive to the heat, don’t go there during the heat of the summer. We stayed in 3 hotels, 1 guest house and 1 apartment, none had air-conditioning.

Oh, and the Volkswagen Passat we rented had no problem at all cruising at 180 Km/Hr (about 115 MPH) on the Autobahn.

Jet Lag - - Bummer

As I type this it's about 3:30 AM local time, but my European time adjusted body thinks it's 9:30 and time to get up and about. Additionally, being on 6 airplanes and 2 European countries in less than 2 weeks has played hell with my sinuses, so I was drowning while in bed.

Just took some allergy meds that may help. Back to bed.

Bye Bye

Just finished throwing water on all the issues that always come up just before being out of the office. Everyone needs notice that I'm not going to be here for a while, which is an open invitation to slam me with last minute stuff from others. And since I'm now a supervisor I also have to touch bases with my people to make sure they'll be heading in the right direction in my absense. They're good people so I expect direction from me won't be needed as often in the near future.

I'll be calling in daily until Friday evening. After that I'll be on vacation and out of touch as far as work is concerned. I know the ambitious would call in even while on vacation, but not me. I've long outgrown that nonsense.

In a few minutes I'm heading home for lunch and the last bit of packing. Then we're off to the airport. We have a flight out of Cincinnati direct to Frankfurt Germany. That's about 9 hours crammed in a small and uncomfortable seat. Sure hope we can sleep on the way because we'll arrive in Germany tomorrow morning their time. Then it's a 3 hour drive to the hotel for the 2 days of meetings.

Have I ever mentioned that I hate being in an airplane? I also hate being treated like just another cow in the security line. And speeking of lines, I hate standing in them also. Basically, business travel, to me, is like being punished. I don't mind being there, I just don't like getting there and back.