Sun Bed Wars: Brits vs. Germans

Party-Animal and I were lounging by the pool in Limassol, when we heard shouts coming from behind us. Two British men were shouting at a young German couple over the fact that they had placed their towels on the deck-chairs and then sat at the bar for one hour. The towel-wars have already begun. Usually the scenario goes as follows: the German tourists would get up, at the crack of dawn, lay their towel on the deck chairs and go and have breakfast. The British would get up, five minutes before breakfast ended and with a hangover the size of Texas, wander down to the pool, only to see all the sun beds were ‘taken’ by the Germans who were busy organising their digestive patterns.

Watching the fight between the Brits and the Germans set Party-Animal and I into a fight.
‘I can see why the Brits are so angry’ he said ‘you should get the sun bed when you go to the pool.’
I disagreed. ‘But, why should the Germans be punished for being organised? If they are prepared, and quick enough to get up early, get a seat by the pool, and go for breakfast, then they should be allowed?’
‘Are you telling me that you think it’s right for the Germans to get the sun beds so early on and have a three and a half hour breakfast while the Brits have nowhere to sit?’
‘If you are up early, prepared for the day, organised, why shouldn’t you be able to do this? There is no law against this is there?’
Our conversation escalated, and we got into such a heated debate that we ended up throwing each other in the pool.

The Germans and the Brits meanwhile had sorted out their problems with the management arranging to bring out two set of deck chairs.
I suppose that if you can’t beat them, join them. Either the Brits should get up early too and claim a seat, or the Germans should compromise (although I can never see this happening). And if you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten. In fact last year, in Greece, one British man did have them beaten, with insects. He poured honey and cream all over the Germans’ towel and sunbeds.

On a further note:
‘Bild’, a German tabloid listed a variety of holiday destinations, frequented by British tourists, and advise Germans to avoid them. The list includes Malia in Crete, Faliraki in Rhodes (places I have never been to) and our very own Ayia Napa here in Cyprus (a place I have been too, three times, and once I was driving through). ‘Bild’ claims that Ayia Napa is where the British mingle with the Scandinavians and so should be avoided by Germans. Instead Germans can be found visiting Nicosia, where the Green Line has parallels with Berlin. Although I don’t see anyone rushing to claim a spot by the checkpoints.