Bacon, Buddhism and Walmart: a quick update

i got into frankfurt last tuesday late morning, walked round the town of mainz for a while, then spent 4 hours in this spa-bath house behind the station. it was awesome--just what i needed after a long flight--a shower, some exercise (i'm a weak swimmer so even crossing over say, the length of the jacuzzi usually does me in), a long warm soak indoor and out, and a nice nap on the lounge chair. i highly recommend such an experience for anyone coming off a long flight.

after a few days in mainz and frankfurt i came up to hamburg, where i am now. so far i've stayed with friends, friends' parents, and am now at the local buddhist center, because a dancer friend of mine from russia, victor, lives in the buddhist center here in town. they have a couple of guest rooms and victor managed to get me in even tho i'm not buddhist.

i was expecting quite spartan accommodation, with a monk-like existence, gong-ringing, floor scrubbing, etc but no, the german buddhists here have set up quite a nice center, complete with cafe (+ espresso machine), shared kitchen and living room, wireless internet and a popular sunday brunch which serves bacon--yes, BACON!

awesome...i kind of thought all buddhists would be vegetarians cos of the reincarnation thing, but they don't seem to mind--the brunch (an all you can eat affair for only five euros) had bacon (real american-type bacon, not this round canadian crap), smoked salmon, smoked bavarian ham, as well as cheese, eggs, fruit, etc etc. now that's a kind of buddhism i could get into...

also lots of interesting people from all over the world here, so that's fun too. i'm here for a week then have to find my next place to crash, unless they let me stay a bit more.

i've also discovered the redeeming quality of walmart (there's one at the tube stop i get off at): not only are they CHEAP, but more importantly they take credit cards! (most shops here, even big supermarkets, DON'T take them, instead opting for the german EC card--a german debit card, basically). now i can buy all the food and other junk i want and not have to keep taking money out of my account back home--damn those service charges.

i have to say that germans in the north seem much less uptight than those in the south; maybe it's the nordic mix up here, or the mellowing effect of the sea, wind and rain, or the fact that hamburg has a red light district (the reeperbahn), but people here seem noticeably more relaxed. i haven't once been scolded for crossing against a red light.

all for now. btw, hamburg is damn rainy and windy. they tell me it's not always like this but i don't really believe them.