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| Still in Deutschland, almost there! Ish. |
The day started off with a forecast of afternoon showers, but I decided I would bring a raincoat and umbrella and go anyway. I seriously think I have used my raincoat more here than I did in Scotland.
I sort of knew the way there, or at least I knew I should follow the bike trail signs to Lindau and go from there. Somewhere though, I missed a turn or took a wrong turn or was teleported to an industrial part of Kressborn. However, it took me a bit to officially conclude I was lost.
You see, as beautiful as my bike rides have been, the trails all look alike. Fruit orchards, green fields, and houses that I must work hard to wrap my mind around the fact that people actually live there. So when I saw some fruit orchards I didn't know if they were the same ones I saw on my way to Lindau, or new ones. When I saw cows, I didn't know if they were new cows, or ones I had seen before. I didn't recognize the industrial buildings, but maybe I hadn't noticed them before. I had only done the ride once, afterall. Finally, I decided I was too far from the lake for this to be the right path.
Here is the thing. I have recently acquired a smartphone. I don't really use it for more than I would a normal phone. But I think it has already made me a less resourceful person than I would be had I not had it at that moment. Because I was able to just pull it out and check where I was in comparison to the lake, and go on my merry way. Where is the adventure in that?! If I didn't have it I probably would have followed the signs to tourist information and asked for directions, or looked at a map there, or just biked in the general direction of the lake, but still-I will never know!
So, the ride to Bregenz was long, involved some detours, but I got there and it still hadn't started raining.
Here is the other thing. I don't really travel with much of a plan. I kind of just show up and see what happens. I had no idea what was in Bregenz, other than a mountain I visited with my host family a couple of weeks ago.
The day was spent wandering around town, I saw an outdoor opera stage on the water. A new one is built every two years for a month long festival in the summer. I was also really, really, hungry. So I wandered towards the "Old town" to look at the buildings and find something to eat.
I mentioned it was Sunday, right? Thus many things were closed. There were a few ice cream places, bakeries, and a pizza place open. These are all my favorite things. But for whatever reason I wanted none of this at the moment and kept wandering. Finally, my hunger outweighed what my tastebuds wanted, and I found a cafe to have coffee and cake in.
There were so many types of cakes. SO MANY. And we all know how good I am with decision making. So I stared at the cakes for a long time. And I stared at the coffee drinks for a long time (there were Austrian coffee and Italian coffee beverages).
I must have a "A" pinned to my chest (either for American or Ausländer). The woman behind the counter asked if I spoke English. I realize that the assumption was that because I had stood there for so long just looking, I was foreign and didn't know what to do (this situation has maybe arisen more times than I would like to admit). Although this is obviously true, I have just as hard of a time making decisions in America. She was very helpful and told me to sit down and that someone would come take my order shortly.
I had a linzertorte, and a coffee. The coffee came on a little platter with a glass of water, and a little cup of cream. I put the normal amount of cream I usually use in (about half the little cup), and took a sip.
It was so so bitter. SO BITTER. I added the rest of the cream (please, someone roll me around when I get back? If I can fit in my plane seat), and it was much tastier.
Afterwards, I walked around some more and looked at more buildings.
Then, I said to myself. Why don't I climb to the top of the mountain? How long could it possibly take? Yes, it was already after 5. Yes, I really had to use the bathroom. And yes, I had to bike back. But I mean, why not? So, I started following the signs for the trail to the top. After a while, the signs disappeared. So, I kept walking in a general upwards direction, remembering what happened last time I said "Hmm, where does this go?" and wandered into the woods.
I was walking.
And walking.
I really had to use the bathroom but was pretty far into the woods by now. I considered copying my middle child and peeing outside (he enjoys this activity greatly).
Finally, I found this sign:
I knew I was going to Pfänder. But I had no idea what Std meant. All I could think was Standard Deviation. But that would make no sense and not be proper notation. So I kept walking.
Then I remembered the German word for hours. Stunden. It would be two hours until I reached the top.
I kept going.
I did the math in my head. Two hours up. Two hours down. Two hours to bike back. It was 6pm. Which would put me in at midnight.
I kept going.
I could, afterall, take any number of shortcuts-either taking the trolley down from the mountain or taking the train back. But.... I am really not one for shortcuts.
I kept going.
It started to drizzle.
But....I kept going.
Finally, I stopped to reason with myself. The mountain was not going anywhere. It was raining. I did not want to get home at midnight and miss the game (as it turns out I could have done this and not missed the whole game). My legs would hurt so much. Also. I really, really, needed a bathroom. So, I turned around and marched back down. I passed some more pretty things and found a bathroom. Whew. I then waited around a bit under my umbrella (with some ice cream) for the rain to stop so I could bike back.
I only got a bit lost on the way back! And made it home in time to see the last million hours of the game :)
You see, as beautiful as my bike rides have been, the trails all look alike. Fruit orchards, green fields, and houses that I must work hard to wrap my mind around the fact that people actually live there. So when I saw some fruit orchards I didn't know if they were the same ones I saw on my way to Lindau, or new ones. When I saw cows, I didn't know if they were new cows, or ones I had seen before. I didn't recognize the industrial buildings, but maybe I hadn't noticed them before. I had only done the ride once, afterall. Finally, I decided I was too far from the lake for this to be the right path.
Here is the thing. I have recently acquired a smartphone. I don't really use it for more than I would a normal phone. But I think it has already made me a less resourceful person than I would be had I not had it at that moment. Because I was able to just pull it out and check where I was in comparison to the lake, and go on my merry way. Where is the adventure in that?! If I didn't have it I probably would have followed the signs to tourist information and asked for directions, or looked at a map there, or just biked in the general direction of the lake, but still-I will never know!
So, the ride to Bregenz was long, involved some detours, but I got there and it still hadn't started raining.
Here is the other thing. I don't really travel with much of a plan. I kind of just show up and see what happens. I had no idea what was in Bregenz, other than a mountain I visited with my host family a couple of weeks ago.
The day was spent wandering around town, I saw an outdoor opera stage on the water. A new one is built every two years for a month long festival in the summer. I was also really, really, hungry. So I wandered towards the "Old town" to look at the buildings and find something to eat.
 |
| Part of Festspiele. This year they are performing The Magic Flute. |
There were so many types of cakes. SO MANY. And we all know how good I am with decision making. So I stared at the cakes for a long time. And I stared at the coffee drinks for a long time (there were Austrian coffee and Italian coffee beverages).
I must have a "A" pinned to my chest (either for American or Ausländer). The woman behind the counter asked if I spoke English. I realize that the assumption was that because I had stood there for so long just looking, I was foreign and didn't know what to do (this situation has maybe arisen more times than I would like to admit). Although this is obviously true, I have just as hard of a time making decisions in America. She was very helpful and told me to sit down and that someone would come take my order shortly.
 |
| Linzertorte and Austrian style coffee |
I had a linzertorte, and a coffee. The coffee came on a little platter with a glass of water, and a little cup of cream. I put the normal amount of cream I usually use in (about half the little cup), and took a sip.
It was so so bitter. SO BITTER. I added the rest of the cream (please, someone roll me around when I get back? If I can fit in my plane seat), and it was much tastier.
Afterwards, I walked around some more and looked at more buildings.
Then, I said to myself. Why don't I climb to the top of the mountain? How long could it possibly take? Yes, it was already after 5. Yes, I really had to use the bathroom. And yes, I had to bike back. But I mean, why not? So, I started following the signs for the trail to the top. After a while, the signs disappeared. So, I kept walking in a general upwards direction, remembering what happened last time I said "Hmm, where does this go?" and wandered into the woods.
I was walking.
And walking.
I really had to use the bathroom but was pretty far into the woods by now. I considered copying my middle child and peeing outside (he enjoys this activity greatly).
Finally, I found this sign:
 |
| Pfänder: 2 Std |
Then I remembered the German word for hours. Stunden. It would be two hours until I reached the top.
I kept going.
I did the math in my head. Two hours up. Two hours down. Two hours to bike back. It was 6pm. Which would put me in at midnight.
I kept going.
I could, afterall, take any number of shortcuts-either taking the trolley down from the mountain or taking the train back. But.... I am really not one for shortcuts.
I kept going.
It started to drizzle.
But....I kept going.
Finally, I stopped to reason with myself. The mountain was not going anywhere. It was raining. I did not want to get home at midnight and miss the game (as it turns out I could have done this and not missed the whole game). My legs would hurt so much. Also. I really, really, needed a bathroom. So, I turned around and marched back down. I passed some more pretty things and found a bathroom. Whew. I then waited around a bit under my umbrella (with some ice cream) for the rain to stop so I could bike back.
I only got a bit lost on the way back! And made it home in time to see the last million hours of the game :)
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