Nearly as old as dirt

This isn’t just a German feature. In a lot of the places we’ve been in Europe, you’ll often see houses with a number above the front door. These numbers usually represent the year that the structure was built. It’s not uncommon to see buildings from the 16- or 1700s. The one in this picture is labeled 1667. We’ve even seen one as old as 1291!

We know you're curious!

"So how big is Germany compared to my state?" you may ask. We wondered, too. So here's the show-stopping answer. We chose (seemingly at random) 3 familiar states and put them head-to-head with Germany in the arena of size. California: 163,707 square miles. Colorado: 104,100. Kansas: 82,282.

Germany: 137,847 sq. miles.

Castle-hunting for kids

For a few days this week, we were privileged to host John’s sister and her husband and their two kids during their spring break trip to Europe. We got to see and do several fun things together, but we think that the kids particularly liked exploring castles with us (even more so when they were given the freedom to run and climb everywhere). They had fun imagining what it was like to live in one of these HUGE fortress-like castles with nooks and crannies everywhere you turned. The kids loved to climb up and down the amazingly high castle towers (again and again)!

They slept well at night, too.

How to make white asparagus

If you come from a part of the US where white asparagus is common, this entry won’t be news to you. White asparagus is a specialty in southern Germany in the spring. As you drive along the roads between villages, you’ll often see white tarps spread out in the fields as the asparagus ripens for picking. What we’ve been told is that for the asparagus to become “white,” it must be covered up to keep it out of the sun. So my question is, if it’s not a green vegetable anymore, are all the vitamins gone? In other words… do I have to eat it?!

It's not easy being green

One fine day as we were driving back from language school, we noticed that a peculiar road sign had sprung up where there hadn't been one. And then we saw something else that was new: little green barriers along the road. When we finally asked about it, we were given this answer. The area is known for its high population of frogs. Germany has strict environmental laws in place for saving these poor, helpless critters. The road sign tells us to slow down between the hours of 8 pm and 6 am (apparently a frog's favorite time to leap unsuspectingly across the road). Meanwhile, if that's not enough, the little green barriers will keep the road from turning nasty colors. We agree that there's nothing very heart-warming about having frog goo all over your tires...

Breaking the budget for coffee

Like McDs, this other American icon is popping up all over Europe. There are two within walking distance of our language school! But as you might guess, the prices for a cup of coffee (or a chai tea latte, which we prefer!) are considerably higher than in the U.S. After discovering that one grande chai costs nearly $6.50, we decided that homemade chai tastes just as good!

Sunday walks

One of the very popular things to do on Sunday afternoons in Germany is to enjoy the outdoors by going for a long walk on the nearby forest trails. It seems like most of the townspeople are out, and often you will hear the traditional regional greeting, “Grüss Gott” (Greetings in God's name), as you pass someone. On one of these walks several weeks ago, we discovered a fortress castle ruins about 3 km away from where we live. It is high up on a hill that overlooks a valley with small villages scattered all around. If you’re brave enough to make the steep climb inside the ancient castle tower on a clear day, you will be treated to a breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps!

Gasthaus zur Schnecke

We’re not really sure what to say here except that we liked the look of this sign. “The Snail Hotel” seems like an interesting place to stay… You’re all invited! J

Furry terrorists…

It would seem that we have a creature that frequents the car park below our building. It’s a common problem in this area of Germany. These little furry animals, called Martens, are about the size of a cat and apparently like cars. They particularly delight in getting under the hood and chewing on wires and insulation… It’s an annoying problem and one that we can really do nothing about. Other folks in the area have tried and failed to come up with a good remedy, and it’s against German law to kill these pests. So we are resigned to the fact that we will occasionally see little faint paw prints on our car hood and front window, letting us know we’ve had yet another visit…

Jogging and Yogurt's mysterious connection

As we remember from living in Europe before, yogurt tastes amazing here! We're not sure why it's so different from the U.S. versions, but it is REALLY good. When we began shopping for it the first few weeks we were here, we had to glance closer at the label because we noticed the German spelling is slightly different than the English. It is spelled Joghurt here. We pondered that a bit and then realized that it indeed does makes sense. Have you ever seen a smiling jogger? Personally, we've always equated jogging with pain and toil. And here, right on the label of a yogurt container in Germany, the truth was confirmed forever: Joghurt. Jog Hurt. Jog=Hurt. The things you learn in the grocery store...

BYOB

Shopping for groceries in Europe takes a little getting used to. The first time we went to the nearby store for groceries and paid, we realized, "Oh... WE have to bag all this stuff ourselves." But where were the bags? Oh... In Germany it's BYOB (bring your own bag). There is no giant plastic bag stack or dispense-o-bag apparatus at the end of each check out lane like in the U.S. With a determined shrug, we agreed, "We are back in Europe now! We will adjust to this." So we gathered up all our purchases in our arms and headed for the car, hoping we wouldn't drop or spill anything. Oh... Wait a minute... We didn't drive, we walked to the store. On the way home, as we juggled our purchases, we imagined a big flashing neon sign hovering over our heads that proclaimed, "FOREIGNERS!!" We've been good to BYOB ever since...

Not the arches we're used to...

McD's is everywhere and it's certainly all across Europe! There are two that we know of within a 20-minute drive of our house. You can instantly recognize the familiar golden arches here, sometimes accompanied by Mr. Ronald himself. Recently, however, on a trip to Freiburg, Germany, we almost didn't notice this highly contextualized and culturally-appropriate McD's.

Another interesting development: discounts are given to police officers (in uniform) who patronize McD's in Basel, Switzerland. It's apparently an attempt by the fast-food chain to provide a safer environment for families. What will they think of next?

Speed limits

Contrary to popular belief, Germany does have speed limits, except if you are specifically driving on the autobahn (or freeway system). Unless otherwise specified, speed limits are set at 50 kmh in town, 100 kmh between towns, and 120 kmh on highways. You don’t usually have to worry about the police pulling you over for speeding, but you do have to worry about electronic speed traps (equipped with a special camera) that are set up in various places, and then moved from time to time. We’ve been told a speeding ticket over here can be hefty (we’ve been careful not to get one so far!) and will usually arrive in the mail, sometimes 2-3 months after the incident.

What's a parade without...? (part II)

What's a parade without...? (part I)

The colorful Fasnacht costumes in the parade included clowns, demons, witches, bears, wolves, storks, pumpkins, snail princes, antelope-goat creatures, and of course, flaming thumb-head people. Very interesting...

Take me to Confetti City

In the Fasnacht parade, various clubs and community organizations sponsor floats, usually tractors or vans towing decorated trailers. All the club members get dressed up in matching garish costumes. Some play horns or drums. Some are armed with huge bags of confetti and candy to throw into the crowds. Some sneak into the crowds and surprise onlookers with a hug and a handful of confetti stuffed down the back of the their shirt. Watch the parade at your own peril! No one is safe from being showered with confetti, not even the Police (Polizei)!

Front Row Seats

Since we live in the middle of town, we had a great view of the big Fasnacht Parade. All related pictures were taken from our living room window. Included here are images from before and after the event. You might notice a little confetti on the road!

Fasnacht

We'll, we've experienced one of southern Germany's most celebrated holidays and lived to tell about it! We had heard all kinds of things as to what Fasnacht is and so we were a little unsure of what to expect. Many folks compare Fasnacht to Mardi Gras because it is celebrated at the same time of year. We've been told that Fasnacht is pagan in its origins, but is somehow tied to Ash Wednesday and Lent as well. Fasnacht is celebrated with the idea that one must revel excessively before Lent comes, and then at that point, and until the next year, it is expected that you'll behave with the proper level of German reserve. One of the main highlights of the Fasnacht celebration is the Fasnacht Parade.

The download has begun

German language class has taken over our daily activities. If we are not sleeping or eating, we are studying. It is challenging and exhausting, but we're pushing through and we're learning a lot! Our first language module ends mid-March, and until then, our blog posts may be less frequent. We do have much we still want to share about our experiences here in Europe, however, so keep checking in with us! (Or sign up to be alerted when we post a new blog entry.)

The Gazebo located directly over the center of the Earth

Here is our quaint little town. It is surrounded by hills and other smaller villages. The hill to the north is fun to climb. It is a steep 30-minute walk from our front door. We made this hike this week with colleagues Jim, Thadd, and Laura. On the hill directly south of us is a World War I memorial. Both views are nice. In the second picture you can see the locations of the Gazebo, our apartment, and our future office space, the Barn.

Germany's national past time is not soccer

People have asked us what has been the biggest cultural adjustment for us so far. Each time we're asked, we look at each other and then reply most emphatically, "The recycling!" Now, we know there are parts of the U.S. that put a big priority on recycling and the environment, but it would seem that this particular area of the world takes a peculiar interest in what happens with our garbage. Every time we turn to throw something away, we have to go through a mental process to determine which one or more of the six possible bins it could go in. It takes some extra effort, but in the end, we throw away maybe a tenth of the trash that we used to in the States. And we probably sleep better at night knowing we're helping make the planet "greener."

Click on the above picture to see our interpretation of the system.

Look! Up in the sky!

There are things we encounter in life that we are not meant to understand. We have the privilege of observing them, learning from them, and accepting them. This is not one of those things.

One Sunday morning, we woke up to find men's and women's undergarments hanging neatly over the streets of our quiet little town. This amusing display was baffling to us and seemed at odds with the reputed German reserve.

We have since discovered that these undergarments are decorations heralding the mirth and revelry associated with fasnacht, the German version of Mardi Gras, which is held in February. More on fasnacht later...

Good Design, Bad Design

Being graphic artists, we're always looking around for examples of good design, whether it's a billboard, a book, or a bicycle. When we came across this storefront in a nearby village, we did a double-take. It is not often you see someone actually promoting "bad design." But we had to quickly jump out of our English-speaking expectations. We soon remembered that bad in German, at least in this case, means bath. Sure enough, upon closer observation, this business does in fact design baths and bathrooms, and we guess that, despite what they say about themselves, their designs aren't that bad at all!

The little engine that could

In 1998 when we were living in Belgium, John saw a Smart for the first time. They've occupied a place in his heart ever since. These tiny and unique vehicles are seen all over Europe and now, after 10 years, they are heading to the US. Folks in big cities will love them for their excellent fuel economy and they are very practical: you can park two in one spot. Although they remain one of the least reliable cars on the road, they are relatively safe and roomy for you and one friend. You can even tote something small like a deck of cards or cell phone around in the trunk.

Prepare for Battle

We had a wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration with three other American couples, playing games, eating a ton of food (that must be tradition everywhere!), talking, and watching the entire town explode with fireworks. The rule here on New Year’s Eve is that there are no rules with regards to fireworks, and fireworks on New Year’s Eve in Germany are a BIG DEAL. It was actually really fun, and we only feared for our lives a couple of times. There were bottle rockets all over the place; people were lighting them every where you looked. We were mainly in the town square, but they were also launching them in small streets and alley ways... So unless you were indoors, you were pretty much taking your life in your hands and hoping that you would actually see the rest of 2008. The entire town square was so filled with smoke at one point that we thought we’d have to get out the gas masks to breathe. And of course, it was FREEZING outside!! One special treat was that we got to play with sparklers, something neither of us have done for years.