What an interesting world we live in! I could wax lyrical about all the interesting things we saw on this part of the trip, but the breakfast room in an international hotel in such a city as Munich would have to be one of the most fascinating. This morning we had a wonderful example of not only the different types of people that live in this world, but how they can sometimes influence others.
First there were the Germans. Men in their fifties and sixties, short blonde/grey hair, well cut business suits, crisps shirts, and rimless glasses. I'm sure they must have been Senior executives for B.M.W. Who can afford to breakfast at The Westin, before going to work at the company's massive headquarters just down the road. Then there were the German women, very tall and incredibly thin. All long blonde hair, high heeled boots, skin tight jeans and light coloured tops. They walked across the room like gazelles, with the cool controlled arrogance of a model just about to step on the runway.
Perhaps when they weren't on holiday, the young Japanese men modelled themselves on the Germans. They too, may have been more comfortable in business suits than holiday clothes, lives centred on a corporate world, and reaching Senior Executive level. So that they too, can enjoy all the creature comforts that hard work and Senior status can bring.
The groups of young Japanese girls that accompanied them were definitely influenced by the Germans. They also wore high heeled shoes, but they were still short! Bright western designer casual clothes finished off the fashion statement. But unlike the Germans, these bright young things, laughed a little too much, gestured a little too enthusiastically, and perhaps had a little TOO much champagne for breakfast.
Then two tables down were two Chinese women who seemed identical in every way. They looked like they may have worked for China Airways, or another company that required them to wear identical grey jacket and skirt uniforms. Their jackets were in the "Chairman Mao" tunic style. Cut straight with a round collar buttoned at the throat. Their skirts were cut straight with a hem line below the knee. The clothes part of their uniform was finished off with light coloured stockings, and "sensible" black court shoes with low heels. The only colour that I could see, were small name badges with a gold border. But their uniform appearance did not stop there. Both had white skin, and the black hair on their head was so tightly pulled back, that it looked like it might hurt! The whiteness of their skin only emphasised the redness of their lips where they used a deep red lipstick. .... Then the Arabs came... And the whole scene. .. took on a film/James Bond aura.
The little procession came in, single file, and approached the seating waiter at the door. Leading the procession, was an Arabic man in his thirties perhaps early forties. He was dressed in traditional Arabic head dress and white long robes. He was followed by three women dressed from head to toe in black, their black burkas only revealing their eyes. Ending this little procession of six, were two young men in western dress. I couldn't help,thinking that judging by his appearance, this gentleman in the lead might probably have been someone who told the B.M.W. executives mentioned earlier what to do.
This mysterious leader approached the waiter's desk. Nothing was said. The waiter bowed just slightly, and lead the procession to two tables in the corner of the room. In the walk to the table, nobody left what seemed to be their assigned place in the line. The men disappeared from view, and I could only just see the women from my table. Once seated the women uncovered their face and I could see that one woman was much older than the other two perhaps their mother or chaperone. They remained with their faces uncovered unless they had to walk across the room to get breakfast when the veils went back on.
Eventually the first young western dressed man appeared. He was tall, white skinned, slim and bespectacled wearing a white shirt, and suit trousers. He could have been a young German businessman but the prayer shawl draped across the front of his body suggested otherwise. He was closely followed by the second young man in western dress. But he was different. His deep olive skin, closely cropped black hair and beard, along with the tight black tee shirt, and expensive black suit screamed the word body guard, and a pretty ruthless one at that.
I looked around the room again. What a fascinating way to,start the day! I only wish I could have taken photos. However all this imagination was ended by a reminder that we were here not to observe people and make up fantasy stories, but see the sights and take photos which is just what the next part is about.
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