trains

You know, everyone should have free access to trains. I had to go to a nearby town today (well, it took an hour and a half all told, but that was because I had various train/bus connections), and trains are one thing I always miss in the States. There's something about riding trains that makes you feel like anything is possible. I love the train metaphor in Deathly Hallows. Trains are all about choices. Don't like where you're going? Get off and hop on one going in the opposite direction. But always check where that train is going!! I almost got on the wrong one today because my train and the one leaving from the same track before it had very close connection times. And some trains split in the middle of the journey, and if you're on the wrong end, prepare for a surprise. And there's nothing quite like the mad rush inside a train station, or the things you see from the windows of a train--blips of forest, moss-covered roofs, distant hills, deep rivers....And all the while the train runs along on its straight, silent* course. (Well, silent unless you have four energetic kids along, but that's another story...)

I know this all relates to writing, but right now I'm just feeling happy about the whole train experience. I'll post pictures of the town soon.


*In western Europe most trains are electric, and travel much faster than Amtrak.

Glasses in Germany

And another Germany post. (This seems to be the day to Inform You All of German Culture.) Nearly all Germans wear glasses. And they are cheap! Most insurances pay for at least part (the lenses, maybe?) Our insurance is neither German nor American. Because DH is here under a fellowship and not as an employee or a student (although he does teach classes sometimes at the university), we don't qualify for regular German insurance. So we have a really, really annoying kind that nobody knows what to do with. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is that the entire glasses cost is up to us, and we have two kids who need glasses. So I went to the Optiker's thinking I'd be spending $100-200 per pair. Not so! You can get kids' frames for FREE (take that, Walmart!), all the way up to 115 Euros. A pair of kids' lenses is 25 Euro. We ended up with frames between 25-35 Euro, and so the total cost for both pairs is only around 100 Euro. Not bad at all! (Knowing how hard kids are on glasses I figured it was worth it to spend a little and get something sturdier than the freebies. My oldest has worn glasses since age 3, and I've also had contacts or glasses most of my life.)

Lauf

Okay, last post for today. Here are pictures of Lauf (which means "run").

There are two train stations for Lauf, even though it isn't very big. The reason is that the Pegnitz river cuts through it, and one train line runs on one side, and the other on the other side. I came left-Pegnitz and went home right-Pegnitz, so you will see pictures through town this way. First we have a castle that has been rebuilt after it was initially destroyed. Um, but the rebuilding was done in 1360, under the direction of Emperor Charles IV of Prague, so it's not exactly a new renovation.



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