Lusting After Ice Cream?

In honor of the fact that today is National Ice Cream Day (who knew?), here are some photos of an ice cream vending machine I spotted in Germany last week.

I particularly like the question on the machine, which a German guy standing next to me said could be roughly translated as “Do you really want some ice cream?” He said the German word “lust” has a much broader scope of usage than it does in English.

Here’s how the thing works: After you put your money in and make your selection, the lid of the freezer inside the machine opens up. The contraption dangling above the freezer positions itself above your selection, then slowly lowers itself to the item. The suction thing-a-ma-bob on the end of it grabs the ice cream bar and slowly lifts it out of the freezer and drops it into the door area, whereupon you take and eat.

Those clever Germans!