Pat, I think Germany is still one of the top countries in the world, with many freedoms, and in many cases friendly people who are helpful. I remember in 1986 I was travelling South West Africa, I found a small useless bar in a place calles Usakos. There were 10 cats running around. It was very hot. In the middle of nowhere. I ordered 2 beers and paid them with my Mastercard. A few weeks later I was in Germany, I could not pay for my food at a top restaurant in the middle of a big city. Germany has very good hard working and innovative people, but the government is too slow and conservative in supporting innovation, and too fast in supporting some other things...
Today, August 2017, and it´s still not possible to pay with plastic in a lot of restaurants in Germany. :D But hey, there are only 31 years between... lol
Pat, hier in Australien ist sogar unser Geld aus Plastik. Kennst Du es? Schau mal (Technologie aus Deutschland - Firma Kurz in Nürnberg):
Sieht gut aus. In Australien war ich leider noch nie. Noch nicht... Steht aber auf meiner Liste.