OK, time to get on the soap box…what the hell is wrong with our country in terms of utilizing renewable energy? Of course, I know what is wrong…big oil corporations getting huge tax subsidies and using their lobbyists to encourage legislators to vote their way and put the kabosh on any movement toward using the most natural resources of air and sun. But, regardless of your political preference, it just makes sense to use that which is free and abundant when powering our homes and cities. No matter where we travel in Germany, we are passing dozens of wind turbines in addition to the massive numbers of solar panels, both on house roofs and in fields. And this is a country with not near as many sunny and windy days as we have in Florida, especially along the coast. Not to mention the number of people we see on bicycles…bringing them on the trains or parking them en masse outside the stations. We have not seen one large SUV being driven on the streets. If they drive their own vehicle it’s a small, gas efficient car. The only  American auto we see here is Ford, and lots of them, Ford Focus as well as other small models I’ve never heard of. Add VW’s, Saab’s, Audi’s, Mercedes, all of which are small versions of the monster trucks we see in the states (BTW have not seen a truck yet). Of course, their system of trains, regional, intercity and high-speed long distance, are available throughout the country. Even though their diet is made up of mostly carbs and fatty meats, we don’t see too many chubby Germans, mainly because they are walking or pedaling their bikes everywhere. Our country tends to look at Europe as a region we do not want to emulate…perhaps we’re not ready for their socialist method of government but they are the smarter ones in terms of keeping the planet and their bodies healthy. End of soap box…