Last Minute Decisions

Late in the week I hadn't made any plans yet for the weekend, so I decided to see what Tim and Heidi were doing. They, along with Daniel and Nicole (new Americans in the Hausgemeinshaft), were going to Karlsruhe on Saturday for "Bierborse." It was swell, I think Tim said there were over 300 different beers there. You could buy a small, .1 liter glass and fill it for a euro at most of the stands.



This weekend, the family loaded up and went to a wedding Nurnburg, so I was left in Wintersheim to myself. That meant to go anywhere, I needed to get myself to the train station in Alsheim. I biked the 5 km to Alsheim with great ease because it's mainly downhill leading towards the Rhein. The ride back was hard, particularly because it was dark (9:30) and uphill. I was glad for the workout.

We had figured out the trains beforehand and, if everything had gone as scheduled, I would have been on the train when they got on in Heidelberg. As you could probably guess, thing's didn't go as scheduled as we were kicked off the train a few stops before Mannheim because apparently there were children playing on the tracks. This was a particularly confusing moment for me because, of course, everything's in German. I was left to look for a younger person, because they generally know at least some English. Luckily the folks I talked to also let me use their cell phone so I could call Tim and tell him they wouldn't be finding me on the train as we had so meticulously planned.

Eventually I arrived in Karlsruhe and found my way on a tram to the Marktplatz and Schloss, where the festival was.

I experienced something I have never experienced before on this trip, aside from never having been to Karlsruhe. I felt a nuisance bothering my left temple/sideburn area on my face, so naturally I brushed it away. However, this wasn't some little fly and when I brushed it away it decided to sting my middle finger on my left hand! Because I had never before been stung by anything, I didn't know whether my face would puff up and I wouldn't be able to breathe or if no allergic reaction would happen at all. Apparently I am not allergic to stings because I did not get lightheaded nor did my face get puffy. The only reaction was my finger swelling up a bit and hurting for awhile, also adding to the difficulty of the bike ride home. Here's my finger after the fact:



I can't end this entry with a disgusting picture of my finger, so here are some Gus pictures.





Until next time,
Jon