Junk Day Parade

A neighbor came to the door today, Saturday, to let us know that twice a year here in Germany, you are allowed to put out in front of your house all the stuff you want to get rid of but can't put in the trash cans like old wood and metal scraps broken furniture, old bikes etc. We put out an old metal mattress springs, some particle board, a satellite dish, broken toy stroller some old carpet, a tv, a vaccuum and broken bunk bed pieces (this stuff was all here when we moved in.)

Our neighbor advised us to move the kids' bikes to the back yard because a parade would be starting and wouldn't end until the junk trucks came on Monday. We took the advice and had the stuff out and the bikes put away but we hadn't even finished putting these out when a truck pulled up and took the sattelite dish and the bed springs. Gone! We were impressed to say the least. Now as we hear a truck pull into our turn- around (we live at the end of the street) at least every 7 minutes, our impression has turned to astonishment.

We have seen big trucks...wait a minute...there are no pickup trucks here...none...when I say truck it is like a van. We have seen small trucks. We have seen the common sedan with a small trailer and our favorite is the motorcycle with a homemade trailer in tow. It is really quite an event. These people are serious junkers. The neighbor says it is mostly the Poles who come for the stuff. I guess the Polish can get some money somewhere for the things the Germans want to get rid of. We know some people from post who get up really early and start combing the neighborhoods looking for old furniture. One man's trash is another man's treasure no matter where you are in this world.