When soldiers march by the pool
It could have been so idyllic: the noise of the sea, a bright blue sky and a beautiful swimming pool with a view of the bay. Pure postcard idyll – if it were not the men in camouflage uniform with machine guns that marched along and down on the swimming pool. The difference could hardly have been greater: I in absolute tourist mode, with swimming trunks and cocktail on the deck chair, just a few meters away several soldiers armed up to the teeth.
But what had happened? I was on vacation in a country on the Arabian Peninsula. Its ruler received the ruler from a neighboring state at the same time – and of all people our hotel became the scene of this state meeting. We were just as surprised as the other vacationers.
This seemed more than unusual for a holiday resort.
I didn’t get the slightest of the actual state visit, from the security measures. I was already taking care of when I arrived at the hotel. At the entrance there were heavily armed soldiers, also on the reception patroyed uniformed men with a strict look. This seemed more than unusual for a holiday resort.
Vacation or downfall?
It got even better when we wanted to go to the pool. For a short time it was probably the best -guarded swimming pool in the world. The way there led through a safety check with a metal detector-almost like at the airport, only in flip-flops and swimming trunks, so at least the annoying belt and jewelry took off. Machine guns then waited at the pool instead of bath towels.
But the next day the spook was over – no more soldiers and no more controls. The state visit traveled, the idyll returned, and we were able to enjoy the rest of our vacation in peace.
From the life of the LW journalists
The “gazettchen” is an informal column in which the authors legally tell about their everyday experiences or even give an insight into their thoughts. This has a long tradition: On December 3, 1946, an opinion with the title « Today » appears for the first time at the top of the side left on the first local side in the « Luxemburger Word ». On January 13, 1971, the « Gazettchen », which has been extremely popular with readers, then became the « gazette », which has kept its Premium-Platz in Luxembourg’s top-class daily newspaper to this day and across all layout.
