Day Trip and Customs

I’m writing this in a “new to me” Mac application called Pages. I’ve always used Word from Microsoft so we’ll see how this goes. Reason is at the end of this post.

Christoph drove us to Vogtsburg-Oberrotweil to Gasthaus Baeren we had been to about this time last year. www.baeren-oberrotweil.de

View from the table

I remembered it served tasty German food so we went back and had a wonderful lunch sitting outside. 

Eclectic collection

There was a wedding happening in the church next door, sadly didn’t see any of the party. Then we went to Burkheim for a coffee. It is a very charming village with half timbered houses. 

Lovely peonies on white wall

Half timbered restaurant

While at coffee we witnessed an argument at a table next to ours. Christoph said the person was from Northern Germany, he could tell by her accent. He explained the difference in cultures between North and South which I won’t go into here but it is the same in every country isn’t it? Canada’s West Coast is culturally very different to the East. When travelling we are careful to respect how things are done in a region, we watch how things “work” and follow. For example, it is expected on a busy day at a restaurant that you share a table with strangers, in fact, that’s how we met Christoph. This does not happen in Northern Germany, Spain or Canada either. At first I was uncomfortable with it but sometimes you get to meet people that way or sometimes the parties just stay in their own “bubble”, beyond “pass the salt and pepper please”. Another little thing, we always assume people around us speak English or can understand it. We do not comment negatively about people or customs to avoid offending anyone by being a “boorish” tourist. Okay, enough, I’m off the soap box!

Many doors like this handsome one

Both towns are in the Kaiserstuhl so once again we are driving through small towns and vineyards, which is always interesting to me. There are large berms along the roads of dirt, must be ten feet high in places. Christoph said they were created by rivers running through the valley and have been there for centuries. The rivers left dry rocky soil which is why the area is so successful with grape crops. 

Bruce has had a few incidents of spilled drinks on keyboards. No warranty covers this (and believe me I've looked) because it is the operator’s error. Last week I spilled a glass of wine on mine and either it wasn’t thirsty or maybe didn’t like the “taste” of the wine but it died. Attempts to revive it with a fan didn’t work and we know from past experience the cost of repair is just about as expensive as a new machine. 

Downtown to the computer store to buy another. Apple has a new product out called MacBook, not Air or Pro. It comes in a gold colour too! So girly, glad it’s not in pink.  I didn’t research it very much and bought due to it being the lightest machine they have. I won’t get technical here but found out it needs another two parts to make it work for me with my older backup, printer, camera. Disappointed, but my fault entirely, I’ll be darkening their door again. Got it all set up and found low battery the next morning, Lexi decided to taste the cable! We have computers out all day, every day she doesn't bother with, I don't know what got into her this time.

Bruce purchased new lenses for his glasses and sunglasses and is pleased to be able to see better. He could function but not read small print so this is grand! I’d just gotten used to seeing him without glasses on his face but he looks good and the important part is he can see properly again.

Bruce has seen a picture of a hippo in a bachle and it’s been bugging him as to where it was located, http://www.freiburg-geniessen.de/de/freiburg/freiburger-baechle.php like the crocodile one you’ve seen. We finally went to the Tourist office and asked. They are truly helpful there! (Unlike a Tourist office I have mentioned previously in Spain.) He showed them the picture and they figured out there was an art installation in 2009, artists put sculptures in the bachle. Too bad they were taken out in my opinion. We now know and Bruce can “rest”, curious minds again.

I can’t believe how much I missed writing for about five days! I tend to write daily and thinking I needed Word on the machine in use at the moment kept me from doing so. Doh, me and technology, in front of my eyes all the time. Bruce and I talked about this, he’s been using computers for over thirty years.  His theory is he’s no longer willing to learn all the new programs and applications, good luck with that Hon! Mine is I’ll learn what I have to, to function, which has always been the case even when I worked in the field.

Your weekly Mundenhof picture.

I saw how fast this ostrich can run! One of the zoo people drove by in a golf cart and I think this guy or gal thought it was feeding time so it chased the cart.

Cheers Bx2 & Darn Chewing Lexi Cat