Fireworks and Holidays

In "Berlin Ragbag" a few posts ago, one of the (many) things I mentioned was how small business owners here actually allow themselves proper vacations – you'll pass a restaurant and see a sign on the door saying they're away for three weeks or something, no big deal.

Well, now I have a picture to add as an example. This is the friendly little Brazilian café just down the block from me; the sign went up at least a week before Christmas and says they'll be away until January 4th. Good for them, I say!

And then, because it wouldn't be the-run-up-to-New-Year's-Eve in Berlin without garish neon-colored signs blossoming everywhere to advertise places selling fireworks:

In this case it looks particularly bizarre, because this place was until recently a drug store, and still has the drug store's signs up – obviously, someone grabbed the chance to rent out the space while it's empty and make a quick buck (er, euro) feeding Berliners' craving for setting off as many explosives as possible on New Year's Eve.