Categories: seasons, words, austria
Date: 05 December 2007 00:10:20
A little seasonal news for you: I have learned that a “refuge”* is to be set up in Salzburg town centre where women can leave their male partners for a few hours while they do their Christmas shopping. The men will be able to play computer games, read the newspapers or have a drink with co-suffering “shopping widowers”. Apparently, men in Germany have an even greater aversion to shopping than the Austrians and there are plans afoot to set up permanent Männerhorte (pl.) for all-year-round escapes.
I am not a great fan of shopping myself and the fewer people getting in my way the better (there's just one problem: I don't live in Salzburg) as far as I'm concerned. But why don't these men just pick their partners up once the dreaded transactions have taken place - and keep the ladies happy by going for Kaffee und Kuchen with them?
*This was translated as creche in the report I saw. It can be a creche if referring to a place that children are cared for...but it can also be a refuge, shelter, haven, sanctuary - all of which might be applicable to the facility mentioned above. Unless it is a deliberate dig at the perceived immaturity of the men who make use of said facility? Discuss.