Just done 2nd #EV longer roadtrip this year, in my 6/2023 BMW iX130. Have to say EVs are fab, as long as you have a *PAYMENT* infrastructure equal to ICE stations. That is certainly NOT the case in Germany. Both trips turned into pantomime of unnecessary delays despite planning🧵

2. While lots of criticism for @BMW 8.0 hard/software on my 'old' car, basics work. In phone App, put in destination, tells you where to charge, regardless of cost. However I want an Ionity 1-month sub & pay €0.39/kWh so change & send to car which ignores it & uses own route!

BORING THREAD
A mutual likes my videos made driving in Bavaria. Few weeks ago lost one driving thru High St of our county capital, Mindelheim, with its medieval towers below once English castle. I was on an 'emergency' trip to hospital last Saturday (all OK) & thought...2 2.
..you might like seeing how relaxed driving is in Bavaria off motorway. This stretch (2 videos) is old main Munich to Switzerland road before A96 motorway built 1994 to bypass town. Here stretch Erkheim to Kammlach....3

1.
Christmas Eve muddle. OH announces 9:30 'walk dog, I'm off to Munich'! On plus side remembered I needed Kicher Erbsen, chick peas for hummus, & fresh bread so dashed 1st to small village supermarket hoping something on shelves before they close at 13:00 till Monday🙏
../2 2.
Luckily some basics available in supermarkets, but only just. Then took off for walk in drizzle, seeking shelter of forest from wind. Bavarian radio announcing 'Last Christmas' was #2 in UK charts.
God is large in Nature, if you want to see God larger, stand by a cross
../3

One of most horrific events I have witnessed was British Petition system after Brexit with call for People's Referendum. How can anyone claim that Democracy exists in UK?
Not perfect, but let me tell you about Bavarian petition held about same time & has to do with this video
/2 2. (Background)
Bavaria 13m pop. 10m voters
Land mass same as Rep of Ireland, 20% of Germany's total land.
86% of land for agriculture & forest. Loads of major rivers incl Danube to Med, Main to North Sea.
Land & Water critical
Own Parliament & MPs.
Want a petition?..
/3

Going to my German village supermarket in next hour. Anyone thinking food shortages and petrol shortages are rampant here too like me to video the empty shelves and petrol station queues? Perhaps Daily Express reader out there? OK, I'm sure the requests are leg pulling but here you go, own fault.
Village 1700 inhabitants satellite franchise supermarket of national chain Edeka. It's 11am and it closes in 2 hours. The main supermarket is 3km away coming up in another clip
..../2

Brexit Revenge, guess I deserved it for being totally over the top last few months, provoking them.
Short thread.
GPs in Germany have very short opening times, typically under 20hrs/week. Last Friday was bragging about no appointment 15-minute wait incl jab, blood test
..../2 2
Dr had given me paper to get an X-Ray. Monday phoned local radiology unit, Wednesday done. Thursday dropped off X-ray copy at GP & ask when I shd come when full report rec'd. In meantime asked them to review vaccine passport as 8 (non-Covid) vaccines out of date.
Was about
../3

Der Schwoab The Swabian

Angela Merkel's beloved thrifty folk in SW Germany also homeland loving & caring.
Farmer with field bordering river & ditches, hand rakes little heaps of hay for must be kilometre or more.
At first only saw abandoned tractor.../2 /2
And then I spotted him, carefully raking each blade of grass. Normally his wife also helps. Mustn't waste anything but beavers (encouraged here) make banks dangerous for machines.
Some may find it strange walking over farmers field but here normal & in constitution.../3

Thanks for good wishes earlier. Turned out trainee (older one) as well & OH joined in too as she couldn't ride out. When they called y'day to say coming at 8:30 I replied 8:15 then, lady in office laughed. They come from 100km away & we were last drop off in morning! Germans!
./2 /2
Wagner been delivering since 2006, pellets c/h since Nov 05. Almost always had 1 of 2 drivers but on hols. This is one of their small 3-axle HGVs. I don't bother to get quote before ordering, I know they will give best price. Drivers even have slippers when entering house!
./3

Proud as Punch to have just received invitation to the #Bavarian "New Citizens Reception" #neubürgerempfang in October at the #Residenz #Muenchen from @BayStMI Home Office Minister Joachim Herrmann & with Bavarian President @Markus_Soeder This was the event held in Nuremberg in the summer for new north Bavarian citizens.

@UNBiodiversity @IPBES certainly made the headlines in Germany yesterday. Here in Bavaria, the successful petition nicknamed "Save the Bees" is due to become law in a few months. Yesterday evening on dog walk near Ottobeuren saw more evidence of why we need it urgently. This isn't the local golf course!
I guess the meadows were mown & slurried last week as we have had snow over the weekend & for the most part the weather has been cold & wet since Easter. The major dandelion flower period is not yet over & yet the first silage cut has been made.

@Jacob_Rees_Mogg is about to publish a book on the Victorian Era & says:
"In these turbulent times, we must understand the past to plan our future as a nation."
I think dear Jacob is not telling the truth. He must have German "Fugger" DNA

https://twitter.com/Jacob_Rees_Mogg/status/1123602157431922689

Area of Bavaria I live in, Swabia, west of Munich, with Augsburg as it's centre, is full of Fuggers & their legacy. The richest of this family was Jacob Fugger born in 1459 & went on to be the world's richest man EVER. Makes Bill Gates look like a beggar.

"There is no Lord so important in our land
that doesn't live from Farmer's hand"

UK's National Farmers Union @NFUtweets & certainly Mrs Thatcher have taken many a swipe (UK rebate) at the EU subventions paid to small continental farmers but do they know some of the background? A lovely doc this evening on Bavarian TV showing 5 different Alpine "huts", used for mountaineers (with some sheep), summer meadows for oxen & small cow herds & usually milk used on site for cheese & hunting lodges, Most only survive on added tourism income.

The extraordinary TV interview the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, gave on Friday has been deeply disturbing me ever since.
channel4.com/news/archbisho… My thoughts were further strengthened yesterday evening when I went for a walk with my dog along local lanes & fields. I saw this "Wayside Cross" from 1882 with the inscription "Im Kreuz ist Heil" - In the Cross is Salvation

Why @Nigel_Farage on @adamboultonSKY on @SkyNews, should anyone "Respect" the biggest democratic vote .. blah.. Referendum when it has been proven to have been criminally financed? And since when has Big meant Better.
You admitted as much on German TV doc into the Ref campaign Why do Sky throw dubious shady lobbyists (both sides) into limelight instead of doing some proper investigative journalism? I applaud Ocean Rescue & environment stuff, respect other bits other social & health issues but why nothing on biggest (!) crime against UK citizens.

This @Nigel_Farage @Jacob_Rees_Mogg @BorisJohnson is what a stateless & fatherless 25 yo. German girl went through to get a job as an aupair in UK 1952 to learn English & earn some money to help her brother get to University. This is what @eucopresident & friends are on about /2 Fatherless because as a GP, he had against Nazi rules been locked up for helping a young woman to have an abortion after rape. He died before outbreak of WWII.