From a grassy spot, Justin and I witness where the Rhine meets rivers flowing from the Swiss Alps to make Lake Constance. We are still in bliss after discovering spicy food from Karma, a restaurant made with colors that complement (purple flowers and greenery!). We bask in the sun with others who roam freely and uninhibited as they should.
"We're worshipping the sun together on a Sunday," Justin says as he implies that everyone around us is happy as ripe peaches ought to be.
Giddy children play in fountains, and we help one fill his water bottle after basking all day in summer's sun.
Sitting on a train coming back from a weekend in the melting pot city of Constance, we hear a man playing guitar in another train car. He sings along to his cover of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
Meanwhile, a stranger from Croatia tells us that he lost his wife and daughters in a world war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War
"Minefield in a forest. Long time ago... It was a dirty war. It was a war without honor. In the first world war, they fight...Croatians and Serbs. A brother fights the side of the Croatian and another fights the Serbs. One shoots the others. Ten or fifteen years has passed since the war, but they still kill each other. Many wives kill their man because they are Croatian and she is a Serb.
My great Mom remember the second world war. In the second world war there was Russia. Lots of Germans. Now the war is more and more harder. In the second world war, Germans steal five chickens, but they leave 10. Russians steal 15 chickens, but they leave three. Croatians come and steal all the chickens and kill the family.
I think it will need two to three generations before they can live together. In this city, if there are Serbs.
[Where I came from, once known as Bosnia] if you go to a place and you call something the wrong word, it is dangerous. The land is separated by a bridge. Croatians go in the street with certain flags. If the police come, they have no chance. The army must come. The only reason [for violence] was [cause by] a soccer game.
Croatia was a part of Austria-Hungary. They always make war with the kingdom of the Serbs. There has always been. In the second war TITO from Yugoslavia was much like Bush. Three generals died . At the end, 90 percent of generals were Serbs. Police--80% to 90%--were Serbs. Police were being in jail for two years. The judge was ---.
The marina--everything is in Yugoslavia. Throwing stones. Blame switches. The biggest problem were political. They make big propaganda. They built up anger.
People had guns. Were given guns. I hid my gun."
In my head I am begging to know what is perpetuating such anger and violence. Justin and I discuss that it's a tit for tat thing. Years ago, someone killed someone, and a family or political group wants revenge. While some people accept uncontrolled injustice and move on with life, others place blame on an entire group of people. Associations of hate are made and affirmed. But why, why,
why?
"My cousin is living in Croatia from the first day to the last day with army during the war. He destroyed a pillow during his sleep because of a nightmare. Before the war, he don't touch alcohol. Today, in the morning, he drinks a liter of vodka. Today in Croatia, a lot of people have a problem because of alcohol.
At a party. Men were together in Rome. Men from different sides. Someone asks a guy for a EURO. What do you want? One EURO. The guy would not give him the EURO, so they beat him. People go to party. People shoot BOOM BOOM BOOM in the air. "
It's hard to believe that in this country of Germany, at least in the towns and cities we have visited, pedestrians obediently obey crosswalk signs even when traffic is not coming. Law is supreme, and common courtesy reigns supreme.
"It's a problem. From year to year, it will be better. [Sometimes even now] give someone from another country a picture, 500 EURO and a plane ticket, and he'll go kill another man. The places where the tourist are are not dangerous because the police have strong control. Children drive cars. No problem. Time will make it better."
I hear, "Time will bring peace." I feel that the intensity of the subject matter is brought down, but violence continues to be mentioned and observed:
"If you go to a stadium, and you want to watch American football, it [is a good time for all]. If you go to Germany, it is not peaceful. A lot of fans come from Frankfurt to Stuttgart just to fight."
Justin and I joke about American sports. Baseball rules the Northeast, while football takes over the South. I've never been a fan of sports because I've never understood rules and rivalry.
The mentioning of sports competitions in Europe reminds me of Martina's interpretation of Cologne and Dusseldorf. Citizens from both German cities hate each other. Martina, who is from Dusseldorf, goes to Cologne frequently because she feels her homosexuality is more accepted and celebrated there. However, she tells me she does not understand the fighting between the two cities.
Neither do we.
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