At present however, the supermarkets are still thronged with our summer visitors, the Dutch, perambulating through them like brightly-coloured fishing floats, bobbing around, well proud of the swirling surface created by the rest of us.
Why is it that the Dutch are so tall? Our Dutch settler friends say they are largely from the north of Holland, but that doesn't explain why so many choose here for their holidays. They also seem to make up the majority of those who have chosen the émigré life here in Xaintrie. There must be a historical context there somewhere.
Speaking of supermarkets - I'm always amazed at how trusting they are here. The two photographs were taken this morning. Literally loads of stuff on display outside the main entrance; finely-tuned products for the summer visitors such as, tents, camping chairs, lilos, camp cooking equipment and lots, lots more. All highly portable and totally un-monitored. Not a single member of staff, let alone the beady-eye of the dreaded cctv camera. People are left to choose what they want, then take it inside to purchase it. Those who subsequently walk off with their choice without paying (and there must be some) are not contemplated by the management. People are trusted to do the right thing.
Unlike the UK. The surveillance society there doesn't want to take their monocular off the naughty public for one second. And for good reason, they say. Britain is now a nation of nickers. People will nick anything. A few weeks ago, listening to the BBC Today program we heard of the latest UK klepto craze due to the world shortage of metals. Never mind your church roof with its covering of grey-gold (lead) - thieves are now carrying off whole bus-stop shelters. Lots of good stuff there for the scrap merchant.
I wonder if it has occurred to the spying authorities in Britain that people might behave better if they were trusted to do so.
It seems to work here.
Mapmaker.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment