Post-Modern Medieval

The historic main square in Frankfurt is a pretty cobbled place. There are buildings on three sides with black or red timbered faces. There are cast iron sign brackets and from them hang attractive shields emblazoned with the names of traditional German restaurants, the wine cellar, the Black Star, the Stone House. City hall is …


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A One Ring Circus

“You’re not joking, are you? Please don’t be joking.” “Not at all. They put up the tent yesterday afternoon. There are animals in a corral by the lake. I think I saw goats. There’s a show tomorrow at 2.” “Can we go can we please can we please I REALLY want to go can we …


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Graz, Afternoon

There were four of us, and it was nice to sit outside and eat ice cream and catch up. I sat with my back up against the building and it was hot in the sunshine. The coffee in my ice cream float froze and made crunchy little coffee ice crystals on the vanilla ice cream. …


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Dachstein Glacier

We had an absolute bluebird day driving around the Salzkammergut — a sort of lake district near the husband’s home turf. We bought gingerbread, stopped for coffee, had lunch lakeside, took the gondola up to about 4500 feet and then, hiked up higher, even, where I took this picture of the Dachstein Glacier. After, we …


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Views from the Sky Deck

Cruising down the Rhine had not been on my list of Things I Wanted to Do. While certainly you can take me on a road trip anywhere and I will be giddy with joy, I’m squirrelly about boats and I’m not crazy about organized tours. Also, I have to totally shut up about that now …


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I’m On a Boat

From the moment I step foot on board it is clear there will be no impartiality. We are berthed so the bow of the ship just clears the pedestrian bridge. At 7:00 pm, the bridge is covered in people, shoulder to shoulder, blowing soap bubbles in our direction. The mayor of Frankfurt has called for …


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