The national cemetery in the hills above Sigolsheim, France, contains the remains of several thousand soldiers who died in the Battle of Colmar which ended on February 9, 1945. The tombstones are a sobering sight. I have been to Canadian war memorials in Belgium and France, so standing on this hill is not the first […]
Ever hear of the Battle of Colmar? Neither had I, and when I was younger I used to read a lot of Second World War histories. One of the great things about not having an agenda when you travel is that you are open to unexpected discoveries. You don’t have to get back on the […]
When I was growing up, the western was a television staple. There was Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Big Valley, Have Gun Will Travel, The Rifleman and a host of others. The myth of the American West was burned into my psyche. It was a time of larger than life characters, both heroes and villains, […]
My Spam folder is filling up with urgent messages these days. Most purportedly from retailer Amazon. Though if they really were urgent, they wouldn’t be flagged as spam. I wonder why the spammers are so sloppy in their pitches. Maybe it is that their time is valuable. Why waste it on people with brains? The […]
There’s wi-fi on this train, so it feels as if I should write something. After all, I paid for it, or somebody did. Most of the trains I take in Germany are local. No amenities other than washrooms. And in a year no-one has ever checked my ticket. I’m on an ICE train this time […]
It is February 2, Groundhog Day, the day North Americans believe a rodent will emerge from its burrow and tell them when Spring will arrive. I don’t believe it. That is because I used to be a groundhog. Before you wonder about my sanity or spirituality, I should say it has nothing to do with […]
Just some pictures today. I wasn’t sure what to post, but I knew it had to be something that wouldn’t take time I didn’t have available. That meant I couldn’t edit one of my almost finished posts. So I grabbed these random photos from a trip to Brussels five years ago. I like Brussels, which […]
I can’t decide. Is German a rich language full of imagery, or one with a weak vocabulary that fails to provide adequate scope for expression? The latest linguistic curiosity I have come across is the German word for glove. You know, those things you cover your hands with when it gets cold in winter. Not […]
Just a picture post today – the hills above Britzingen and the Weinberg in Flammen festival from Saturday night.
Most people have heard about the big festivals of the world, such as New Orleans Mardi Gras and Rio’s Carneval. But you probably haven’t heard of Weinberg in Flammen. Saturday night was the annual “Vineyard in Flames” festival in Britzingen, or maybe I should translate that as Wine Hill in Flames.” Britzingen is about five […]
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