Note: Due to computer problems this is being posted a day late. I had more adventures today (Sun. Feb 18th) but in this post “today” refers to Sat. Feb. 17th.
Well, I supposed it wasn’t much of an exploration, but Friday and Saturday I went out alone to discover what came my way and felt good to be free of duty even though I didn’t actually go to a city I’d not been to before.
Friday after class I stopped at home before trying to get to Germany alone for some shopping. I missed my train about 10 seconds and had to wait a half hour, but I found stuff to do. I managed the trains and trams and buses, going a different way to each town. I’m happy to say I had no trouble and it was a successful shopping trip. I took a different stop into Weil Am Rhein and was rewarded with this nice view.
These are the steps I took the picture from. I had fun watching the roller bladders try to get up the half pipe. . .
Walking into town this way led me past an Italian ice cream shop and I decided that would be a perfect treat. I couldn’t see any prices, so I decided to go for one scoop and guessed it’d be a few euro. I couldn’t believe my ears when I was asked for 60 cents!!! Oh, I guess the euro is strong so I should say 80 cents. I walked away feeling liked I’d been given a present. On top of that, my lemon cone tasted just like I remember zitrone gelato in Italy. Guess who’s coming back for more!
That night (after some work) we watched a Danish movie in German and I had a difficult time understanding it. I find it really helps to watch lips, so dubbed movies are difficult to begin with. The sound quality is often muted somehow with dubbed movies, and this one in particular did very little to differentiate between actor voices. It doesn’t fit the peculiar expressions and personalities of the characters, which is much of what I enjoy in a movie. Still, this movie had a lot of action (old action that was actually funny and interesting) so I could follow along. In contrast I watched Finding Nemo (Findet Nemo) today and I could understand quite a bit (no subtitles). Sure it helps to know the story, but the actors’ voices were clear, appropriate and interesting. Nemo had a little kid’s voice, unlike the middle-aged Hermione I heard in Italy . . . I have no verdict yet whether it’s really helpful to watch movies in another language. Of course you learn something, but I haven’t decided whether the time is better spent at something else. It makes it easier to chill to a movie when you can say “but it’s educational!”
Today I had the bug to go exploring, but I didn’t get far. I’d noted that the Lörrach fastnach (festival) was today at 11am but I was too early to head there first. I decided to go into town and pick up the walking audio tours that the information office rents out. I ended up spending four hours walking around the old town and along the Rhine (maybe I should spell it in English since I’m writing in English). It covered mostly places I’d been before, but it was interesting to learn more about those places. I can’t say I remember much from it because it was a lot of names and dates and I haven’t found a way of making them stick in my brain yet. Believe it or not, it was my first walk along the Rhine. I’d been across it many times by foot and by tram, but hadn’t taken the detour to explore it yet. There’s a really neat section of the old town wall still standing.
The ferry was fun to ride. Here it is coming in. It moves fast! I’d have to run across the bridge to keep up with it. Remember, it’s just driven by the current! You can see the silver lever that is flipped from side to side to change direction.
Here is a closer look at the lever attached to the pulley on the cable across the Rhine. I hope it’s clear how it works.
Here’s another view of the river and Gross Basel.
I learned that the figured bearing the Basel coat of arms at the head of Wettstein bridge is a basilisk. Here is the favored arm bearer as a fountain. Notice that thirsty dogs can get a drink, too!
After my four hour exercise I relaxed on the number 6 tram for half an hour as it took me to the German boarder at Lörroch. It was a longer walk into town that I’d guessed, but still reasonable. The festival was still going on, and though I couldn’t say a lot went on, it was obvious what did happen was important to the people. I ordered a schnitzel from a vendor and ate it watching the brass bands play on a portable stand, while two “monks” watched in front of me. Each band had its own crazy costume scheme to rival the Worlds Worst Marching Band.
All they did was blast popular songs with somewhat coordinated movements but with loads of enthusiasm. Though the costumes and craziness might rival a Japanese school festival, the Japanese win hands down on choreographed movement. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about watch THIS) Walking all around were people in bands that were finished but were still in costume. Even the little ones get to dress up.
Everyone enjoyed the show, and you could tell they enjoyed attending to every detail of their costumes!
2007-02-17 Loerroch fastnacht band short.mpg
Check out the face paint!
This tops it all for randomness. What is it?
All that and I was home around 4pm. It’s now time for bed and I have more exploring to do tomorrow! We have a plan, but I’m not telling yet. ;)
