in Germany, not only weather wise. The first snow has fallen, enough to have to clean the driveway twice in the short time I am there. Again it snowed on Wednesday morning, for the whole day, dumping more of the 'white stuff'. It looks nice if everything clean white and bright, but unfortunately it is also ice cold and wet and icy. Then on Friday we are supposed to have temperature of about 10 plus and rain, not really nice but what to do, this is nature. The trip was not planned but necessary to look after my dad as he had a medical procedure done. I hope all will be OK now for some time to come, he is going on 83 but does not look it, even the doctors in the hospital remarked on that. This my friends, runs in the family :))

I am convinced that a healthy mistrust in dealing with doctors is essentials. From what I experienced, even hospitals and health sector in general has come down to being just a business like everything else. Every patient is viewed as an opportunity to make some money, to generate income for the 'business', in this case, the hospital. The bad side of privatization? I think so. The good old days of well run and respected Government Hospitals, were you would get an honest opinion from doctors, not having in mind the money to be made from the insurance, are gone. Even the press commented on this very fittingly last week in Germany, explaining that a study found that doctors and hospitals in Germany generally are to fast in proposing operations, backed up by statistics from the insurnces. Indeed, every operation is money for the hospital, beds to be filled, new equipment to be amortized and so on. In the end who cares if the procedure was not really necessary, or even if it goes wrong, well things happen, but nobody really seems to be concerned as long as the money is coming. I think, in cases were operations go wrong because they were not really needed, no payment should be made to the hospitals, doctors should be taken to regress and patients be compensated. Ah oh well, not in this world I believe.

Not much photography so far, only a bit of the last autumn colours in leaves with snow as a backdrop and Whiskey running through the snow. He has been given some medicine from his Vet and now he is much more agile and responsive. I was tempted to try it out, but then hey, I have not yet sunk so deep that I am withholding or stealing medicine from my dog! :)

I have to go on to visit Asia soon, I need a break and change of scenery from Germany and the Middle East. I need nice warm weather with sunny beaches and clear water, nice and smiling people around me and being able to photograph. Back in Lebanon photography is becoming more and more restrictive, I mean one has to watch very carefully what to photograph, especially in the south. Always suspicion is there of being a spy. Trouble is the last thing I need these days. So all things going well with my dad and him being in good hands with Ursula, I shall be on the road to redemption!

Until the next time, bye and take care all. Oh, let's see what happens on December 21, if the Mayan were right. Couldn't it be that they meant the 12.12.2012, and turned the numbers around? Would make more sense, wouldn't it? If that was the case, it is past.