Language Barriers

So, after traveling to countries where they don't speak English, I'm grateful that we chose an English speaking country to settle for six months.  One of the hardest part of not speaking the language, besides feeling like a toddler (how much that?), is the inability to make small talk.  You can't pass the time with shopkeepers, discuss the weather with waitstaff, etc.  It adds another layer of separateness which for a longer period could be quite isolating.  Of course, when I returned to Glasgow, I found I had lost a little of my ear for the accent so can't really understand what they're saying here either, then I thanked the bookstore cashier with "Danke."

Call me shallow, but I did appreciate people coming up to me on the streeet and speaking French or German to me.  Felt like I did not appear like an ugly American tourist if people were talking to me in the native language.  Of course, any attempt at being cool and local immediately dissipated when I had to say, "Je ne parle pas francais."  But at least in France I could make basic interactions -- ask for three croissants and a baguette -- while in Germany, I did not understand anything.  It feels a little rude to not be able to even begin a request in the local language.  But Germans have excellent English skills, so we didn't suffer too much, except for our pride.

Now, we're showing our friends the Thompson-Dickersons and the Baker-Heans around Glasgow for a couple of days before heading up to the Highlands for a castle tour.  Let's hope we can understand the northern Scots!

Bikes and Bunnies

Our last couple of days in Europe we spent in Munster, which is the bike capital of Germany!  It's the only place I've been where I was seriously worried about being taken out by a cyclist.  They are everywhere, and pedestrians need to watch where they walk.

red line indicates bike lane

waiting at an intersection

bikes were parked on every sidewalk

cyclists get their own traffic lights

Also, bunnies were proliferating in this town -- no natural predators, maybe?

close enough for a photo, but not to catch as the boys attempted

hanging out on a traffic rotary island

Munster also has great outdoor recreation space, where we sought the shade.  Living in Glasgow has left us ill-suited to temps in the high 80s.

manmade lake, the Aasee

Botanic Gardens

outdoor dance space with beer wagon (note the disco ball)

Also, great cafes.  We loved the lighting and couches in this one.

And, although my boys prefer French baguettes, I was wowed by the wholegrain options -- German bread was amazing to me!

Finally, in Paris we saw these bike locks on bridges and couldn't figure them out.  In Munster, we saw them again, but these had commemorative words or initials written or etched on them, so we figured it's some way to memorialize a person or event.

pretty, huh?

We're back in Glasgow now!  We had a great time on our brief European tour, but it felt good to be home, even though it's not quite home-home as our kids call Bangor.  Toady, we are celebrating Liam's birthday and beginning our packing in preparation for moving out of the apartment and going to the Highlands with our friends from the States -- the first family arrives tonight.  It will be a whirlwind finale to our time in Scotland.  Can't believe we're leaving in 12 days!!

Sculpture -- Old and New

Today, we took the funicular up to the Schloss (castle) which are really some ruins and gardens and mostly views back down to the city of Heidelberg.

We asked for a map and were told to just wander around to find things -- not that helpful.  So after asking two more people, we finally found the attractions beyond the gardens:  giant wine barrel and apothecary museum.  A little random, but actually pretty interesting.

Aesculpias, Greek god of medicine

of course, a crocodile is perfect decor for a pharmacy

Aspirin was invented in Germany, so there was a lot in the pharmacy museum about Bayer aspirin.

An interesting part of the museum explained the evolution of the pharmacy signs in Germany.  In 1930, a sign based on Bauhaus design became the choice as the uniform sign for all pharmacies.  The idea was a reminder to take your medicine three times a day.

The Nazis decided to change the sign because they disliked the modern style.  Their chosen design was based on German rune, an ancient alphabet with a mystical basis (favored by Hitler).

Post- WW2, the design was altered again to the one in current use which retains the same A letter but adds a snake and chalice emblem.

So, as a counterpoint to the historic architecture and pharmaceutical lore, we went to a modern art show called Echoes by Heide Hinrichs, a young German artist.  A little underwhelming as much modern art is, but here are two photos that show the contrast of what we saw today.

So, old sculpture

Hercules on the castle walls -- love the six pack!

and new sculpture

snakes or swans made out of washcloths

Another part of the exhibit we turned into performance art when we realized shadows came through on the other side of the screen showing this photo.

We loved Heidelberg's laid back pace, delicious ice cream, cafes which each served their own brand of beer, and pool (described here).  Tomorrow, we're off to Munster!

Daredevil Jumping!

Yesterday, we visited the Heidelberg Zoo which had its fair share of adorable animals, including some of our favorites like the red panda.  But it also had a few sights you wouldn't see at an American zoo like this wheelbarrow of meat just sitting in the middle of the tiger house

maybe the meat was for her lunch

Or the nest on top of a zoo building.

We named this zoo the fighting zoo because many of the animals would seem adorable when we came up to their enclosures or cages, then they would start brawling with each other, often singling out one for the chewing, drowning, beating.  None seemed to get hurt so maybe it was just play, but it looked pretty fierce.

cute otters before the fighting

An animal that was in the gift shop

After the zoo we hit the Schwimmbad, which was an amazing outdoor pool complex with a lap pool, diving pool, shallow pool with slides, kiddie pool, playground, basketball and volleyball courts, cafes... It was so nice!

even nicely landscaped

Cormac showed his bravery in the diving pool when he jumped off all the platforms.

The low one

The middle one

The highest one, which must have been at least forty feet in the air

Declan showed serious style while he kept to the lower platforms

So much fun!!  And as we hoped a very non-tourist day finished off with dinner with a Fulbright from Indiana and her cute five year old daughter who showed us her favorite climbing tree and the frogs in the botanical gardens near their apartment.

Hallo Heidelberg

We arrived in Heidelberg yesterday afternoon after a three hour train ride from Paris on the ICEE train that went 200 miles per hour!  We love traveling by train -- so relaxing.  Someone in Glasgow asked me why the US doesn't have trains like in the UK and Europe, and I had no answer for her.

We're staying in the old part of Heidelberg which is very touristy (since it's so quaint) and studenty (since the university is located in this area).  Our hotel called the Hip Hotel has a great gimmick of each room is decorated as if it's in a different country (check out the link to see the rooms' decors).  We're staying in Marrakesch which has fun details like a mural on the ceiling, tin lamps, and a tile mosaic sink.

We walked along the pedestrian streets of the old section of Heidelberg in search of dinner and sights. Lots of shops, ice cream places, cafes, river views, etc.

River Neckar

Found the famous monkey statue where local lore professes that touching the mirror will bring you wealth.  I'm not sure what using the statue as a mask will do, but every kid was doing this.

We're looking forward to exploring this historic city; its smaller scale is a nice respite from the size and scale of Paris.  As a total anti-tourist day, we're off to a zoo and an outdoor pool.

Au Revoir Paris

Yesterday was our last full day in Paris, and we decided to explore the area around our apartment more.  We're staying near the Stalingrad metro stop in the 10th arrondisment, so it feels like a world away from the touristy areas.  

We headed out towards the Canal St Martin which becomes a pedestrian area on Sunday mornings.  Despite the rain we saw lots of runners and this flea market which seemed to specialize in kids' clothes and toys.

 A few Pokemon cards and figures later, we continued along the canal checking out more cool stores and stopping for a delicious baguette sandwich and Nutella crepe.

Then, we went to 104, an open studio space with some art installments.  When I said open, I meant literally large open spaces where people were practicing all kinds of dance, performance art boxing, pilates, and singing.  Mixed in with these performers using the space for rehearsal or hanging out were families picnicking and kids' party complete with costumes and crowns, and a DJ.  Maybe due to the rain outside, but 104 was an amazing scene with something new to see in every niche.  

The three formal installations were also very cool. 

Bâtiment by Leandro Erlich -- an optical illusion that you could climb on to make yourself appear to be hanging on the exterior of a building.

The Treachery of Sanctuary by Chris Milk -- a screen where your shadow deconstructed into butterflies and your arms became birds' wings.

And  Le Labyrinthe by Michelangel Pistoletto -- a paper maze

We all loved this art space!!

Unfortunately, it was still raining when we went on a long and fruitless search for the baguette vending machine which had been reported in the NY Times last year and for a restaurant recommended in Time Out Paris -- both closed!  So tired, wet and cranky, the day ended a little less happy than it began, but that is traveling for you -- ups and downs.  Off to Heidelberg today!