Bayern: Wo die Bäume aus Holz sind

Both of us here at OD have intimate (no, not that kind of intimate...) affinities to that blessed piece of earth known by the humble name of the Free State of Bavaria. We know of its wondrous landscapes, its delicious cuisine (if you're not a vegetarian), its charming people and its amusing accents.

The Wife, in fact, can sing most parts of the Bavarian state anthem, having been thoroughly indoctrinated at a tender and impressionable age. And a catchy little ditty it is.

Thus, nobody needs to tell us about the many attractions to be found and joys to be had in the state that I've somehow come to think of as Germany's Texas.

However, the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport and Technology seems to feel that their homeland is unappreciated, and they've undertaken (no doubt at great expense) an ad campaign organised around the snappy slogan 'Bavaria, where progress is a tradition.'

Now, that's all well and good, and the region is certainly not short of either progress or tradition.

Nevertheless, they may wish to re-think the implications of some of their advertising materials.

Behold the exciting (yet somehow disturbing) interplay of text and image:


(Source: Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport and Technology, Bayern/Bavaria: Where Progress is a Tradition, München, no date, p. 22.)

Yes...'Bavaria -- where a holiday becomes an adventure.'

The kind that you'll never, ever forget.

Of course, there's more to Bavaria than public crucifixions. (And sexy political scandals.)

There is, as we said, the great food.

And the...interesting...restaurants.



Mahlzeit!

(From Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus)

More here.