that#s different

So, Germany = awesome. I thought this would be the case but was happy to have it confirmed. Let me give you an example of the random awesomeness. Today I was walking down Unter den Linden, the main street of the former East Berlin, a few blocks from the Brandenburg Gate. There was a tiny little police car and a motorcycle blocking the intersection and I wasn't allowed to cross, and one by one this cute white and green motorcycles went through the intersection.

Well, I'm from a world capital - I knew this was a motorcade. I waited, more motorcycles went by, more, then a police car or two, then finally the dignitaries started going by. At home, the motorcades involve a few limos and a lot of giant SUVs, many with open windows and threatening-looking, heavily-armed dudes.

This motorcade had a half dozen or so compact Mercedes and Audis and one smallish limo. Not an SUV in sight. No tinted windows, even, and all of the cars had four people, and one unlucky set of important people were riding in a minibus. (An ambulance was bringing up the rear, just in case, I guess - that's a touch we don't get at home.)

I ran into this motorcade at another intersection a couple of minutes later, then for a third time when the dignitaries were out of the car admiring the Brandenburg Gate. Turns out the prime minister of Ireland was visiting and he and Angela Merkel were out seeing the sights. (I asked a news photographer.)