A First Full Day
Jet lag does scary things to your brain, and the West-East time adjustment just makes those things even scarier. For instance, I fell asleep this afternoon while reading a rather good New Yorker article about pasta preparation, only to be awakened by a fifteen-minute symphony of clanging church bells (possibly a John Cage piece). Length aside, it was actually quite pleasent to hearing the pealing ruckus float in on the warm afternoon sun.
(This bell-ringing event has been independently verified. It was not a figment of the author's imagination. -- Ed.)
Frightening mid-afternoon jam sessions aside, this town is absolutely wonderful. After spending the better part of two days exploring, I have discovered a number of charming and diverting places, such as:
1) Die Greifenklau Braüerei -- a local brewery, complete with its own Biergarten with a view of the Altenburg, 15 minutes up Kaulbergstraße by foot; had a nice Dünkelbier there, although I don't think it was the (in)famous Rauchbier.
2) Der Regnitz-weg -- a walking/biking path that begins almost at my front door and runs for about 2km to the southern tip of Inselgebiet (my neighborhood); I followed it as far south as the B22 overpass, but the overwhelming noise of the trucks turned me back.
3) Der Grüner Markt -- the daily fresh market; nothing beats getting up early and watching the market being set up while sipping a warm coffee in the brisk morning air.
4) Austraße -- the funky local hangout, set back from the main square and thus not so clogged with tourists; this street is home to a collection of interesting cafés and wine bars, and my strategy is to hit them all in whatever order I can manage (current favorite: Café Müller -- rank 1 of 1).
5) Funky bridges everywhere -- Bamberg's heart is on an island in the Regnitz river, and bridges are the main arteries to everything; bonus Funky points to the Altesrathaus, which was built in the river and straddles two bridges. (Only one bridge is visible in the picture. The second is located at the opposite end of the building. -- Ed.)
Certainly, the beauty of the Regnitz-weg is compounded by the friendly families out for a Saturday stroll. Between the distressed woman whose pet ferret insisted upon rolling on the ground and the three minute conversation about a fish, my language skills were somewhat taxed.
She: "Do you see that fish? Do you know if it is called a Hecht?"
I: "Yes, I can see that fish. I'm do not know..."
She: "Yes, I'm certain it's a Hecht. It snaps up smaller fish."
I: "I am not familiar with that fish. I do not know its name."
She: "It is a Hecht."
I: "No, I don't know its name."
She: *Gives me a patient look*
Equally bizarre were Mallard ducks who defied my limited expectations of them by diving underwater. In many years of watching ducks of all sorts, I've never seen a Mallard dive; in fact, I always thought they seemed somewhat disgruntled by other diving birds nearby. Not only did they dive, but they showed impressive cardiovascular fortitued with stints of up to 20 seconds underwater.
Nevertheless, Bamberg seems to be a place I can enjoy and where I can feel at home. After a summer spent indoors, attached at the hip to the zombie-waking glow of CRT monitors, studded soda IV drips, and surrounded by platters of reheated Pizza Rolls, the leisure of talking a two hour walk around the town after lunch is welcome exercise. Having afternoon coffee in a buzzing café is refreshing in a way that Mountain Dew can never match. Buying your own fruits, vegetables, cheese, and other groceries in an open-air market (with live two-part string accompaniment) is wholesome for everyone's internal gourmand.
(This bell-ringing event has been independently verified. It was not a figment of the author's imagination. -- Ed.)
Frightening mid-afternoon jam sessions aside, this town is absolutely wonderful. After spending the better part of two days exploring, I have discovered a number of charming and diverting places, such as:
1) Die Greifenklau Braüerei -- a local brewery, complete with its own Biergarten with a view of the Altenburg, 15 minutes up Kaulbergstraße by foot; had a nice Dünkelbier there, although I don't think it was the (in)famous Rauchbier.
2) Der Regnitz-weg -- a walking/biking path that begins almost at my front door and runs for about 2km to the southern tip of Inselgebiet (my neighborhood); I followed it as far south as the B22 overpass, but the overwhelming noise of the trucks turned me back.
3) Der Grüner Markt -- the daily fresh market; nothing beats getting up early and watching the market being set up while sipping a warm coffee in the brisk morning air.
4) Austraße -- the funky local hangout, set back from the main square and thus not so clogged with tourists; this street is home to a collection of interesting cafés and wine bars, and my strategy is to hit them all in whatever order I can manage (current favorite: Café Müller -- rank 1 of 1).
5) Funky bridges everywhere -- Bamberg's heart is on an island in the Regnitz river, and bridges are the main arteries to everything; bonus Funky points to the Altesrathaus, which was built in the river and straddles two bridges. (Only one bridge is visible in the picture. The second is located at the opposite end of the building. -- Ed.)
Certainly, the beauty of the Regnitz-weg is compounded by the friendly families out for a Saturday stroll. Between the distressed woman whose pet ferret insisted upon rolling on the ground and the three minute conversation about a fish, my language skills were somewhat taxed.
She: "Do you see that fish? Do you know if it is called a Hecht?"
I: "Yes, I can see that fish. I'm do not know..."
She: "Yes, I'm certain it's a Hecht. It snaps up smaller fish."
I: "I am not familiar with that fish. I do not know its name."
She: "It is a Hecht."
I: "No, I don't know its name."
She: *Gives me a patient look*
Equally bizarre were Mallard ducks who defied my limited expectations of them by diving underwater. In many years of watching ducks of all sorts, I've never seen a Mallard dive; in fact, I always thought they seemed somewhat disgruntled by other diving birds nearby. Not only did they dive, but they showed impressive cardiovascular fortitued with stints of up to 20 seconds underwater.
Nevertheless, Bamberg seems to be a place I can enjoy and where I can feel at home. After a summer spent indoors, attached at the hip to the zombie-waking glow of CRT monitors, studded soda IV drips, and surrounded by platters of reheated Pizza Rolls, the leisure of talking a two hour walk around the town after lunch is welcome exercise. Having afternoon coffee in a buzzing café is refreshing in a way that Mountain Dew can never match. Buying your own fruits, vegetables, cheese, and other groceries in an open-air market (with live two-part string accompaniment) is wholesome for everyone's internal gourmand.
<< Home