In 2025, the number of people in Germany paying by credit or debit card overtook the number of cash payers for the first time. At first glance, it seems that cash (coins and banknotes) will eventually become completely obsolete here too. I’ve personally noticed this: I pretty much pay for everything via my smartphone now and hardly ever carry any cash with me. It’s so convenient, and when abroad, you don’t even have to go through the hassle of exchanging money.

Many other European countries are already much further along in this process. Sweden, for example, moved almost entirely away from cash nearly 10 years ago … BUT … they are now realising the downsides of a purely digital payment system, such as a lack of financial inclusion, cyberattacks and fading trust in international financial partners … and are turning back the clock! Back to Cash!

It is therefore only logical that, while investing in its own digital euro solutions, the EU is simultaneously addressing the replacement of the ageing euro banknotes. These efforts, which have been underway since 2023 in the form of a design contest, have culminated this year in a shortlist of 10 new designs for the future banknotes, which are to be assessed by the end of the year before a winner is chosen.

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I’ve already posted most of the following photos in my first post about Sicily, but here they are all again, along with the ones I’m not using as header images. Colours and shapes… you know what I mean ;)

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There are insights, vistas, glimpses and perspectives that don’t fit into any particular pattern or category. I like to call them scenes, and as photographs they always have their own charm. Here are a few of them from our trip to the wonderful island of Sicily, as the fifth part of my photo series.

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For many years, what interested me most about photography were shapes and colours. People didn’t play a major role, because they didn’t fit the pattern. That has changed in recent years, and I very often press the shutter button when I spot an interesting scene. Not like a street photographer who actively approaches people to get a good shot, but more as a spectator and observer. By-catch. I don’t really know why those photos work always better when I edit them into black-and-white images afterwards. Can anyone explain this to me?

Of course, I came across a few such scenes again on our trip to Sicily, because although we were there quite early in the year for tourists, there’s hardly a corner of the island where you don’t come across people.

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I came across Martijn’s post on Bubbles today and would like to take this opportunity to answer his question from my point if view …

I can already hear you complaining that you shouldn’t use tables for layout. Why exactly?

CSS is simple, stop making it hard

Or: how to embrace 1997 CSS

blog.brixit.nl

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We’re currently experiencing the second major heatwave in Germany. After the 41 degrees Celsius we had a few weeks ago in June, the 35 degrees now actually feel quite pleasant. Contrary to my usual habit, I didn’t manage to get around to taking photos in Thomas’ Garden in June, so I’m now posting some new photos from July … and I think there are a few lovely ones amongst them.

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Sicily is an island where, over the centuries, just about every culture in the Mediterranean has left its mark: Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, etc. We didn’t spend much time exploring the history during our trip in May because it was meant to be a relaxing vacation, not a history lesson, but it’s definitely fascinating, and we’ll certainly return and visit a few more cultural monuments made of stone. We haven’t seen the south yet …

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