A terrible cold struck me in Nuremberg. Who would sell me legal drugs that day? It is an official holiday that we do not celebrate by shutting down businesses. I recall it was a Thursday.
“Why are the stores closed today,” I asked the concierge at our small hotel in the middle of the town. She scratched her head, looked a little worried. “Poppas Day.” Oh, Fathers Day! And the stores were closed. Yes, all of them, even the pharmacies.
I looked it up later. German Vatertag occurs every year on the fortieth day after Easter in May. It’s a day for men to drink beer and feel honored. It’s more like a national men’s day, rather than to gift dads, I think.
We walked miles and miles trying to find an open pharmacy as I sneezed every other step. A sign appeared across from one of the gargantuan churches on a nearby pharmacy, saying something in German. I looked for someone with white tennis shoes and sure enough, she spoke English and explained that if I stood in line at 2:00 p.m., someone would come to the window to sell me what I needed.
I was number three in line. Through sneezes, blowing my nose and a fake cough, the smiling German lady sold me something that worked. I had no idea what it was.
It was an adventure I could have avoided if I had known. I don’t take preventative medications with me, only the meds I take regularly. I cannot predict every known possible malady. Liquids do not bode well on airplanes. If you have a favorite cold remedy you might want to tuck a few tablets into your pill box or a small plastic bag, but most people are helpful worldwide.
If this happens to you, think of the wonderful people you’ll meet and the streets you would never have seen if you had not started sneezing. You might ask your travel agent if the countries where you’ll visit have any holidays while you visit each location.
Photo by T. Glover – On Our Walk Near the Pharmacy