07 Jul 2016

1. They do not celebrate the fourth of July here! Weird, right?  So I wore a T-shirt with an American flag and the words "Independence" and "freedom" on it.  No sparklers either (until New Years.)

2. We made reservations and had dinner at a really good, authentic Chinese restaurant. Here's how the reservation call went:

Beth: Sprechen Sie Englisch?
them: Yes
Beth: We'd like to make a reservation for four at 6:30 please
them: Ok.
Beth: Do you need a name to put it under?
them: No, everyone else is Chinese
Beth: Oh, Ok.
them: Do you know what you want to eat?
Beth: No?  Can we decide when we get there?
them: Sure.

It was largely empty when we got there, but the food was amazing.

3. Renaissance Fairs (or Middle Ages Fairs, as they call them here), are great.  People dress up, but not as elaborately as the ones we went to in the states. And they're held in cities that are actually FROM THE MIDDLE AGES!

Bretton was founded in 1504

We went to a festival called the Peter and Paul festival:

You could buy "Peter and Paul schnitzel".  We did not.

4. Traffic signals are on the near side of the street (or the side on which you stop at red lights), rather than on the far side.  That means that if you're the first at the signal, and you're tall, you have to scrunch down rather a lot to see when the signals change. If you end up out in the intersection a little (past, or next to the light), you're screwed and can't tell when the light changes.

And then there's the funny walking man light

5. Some intersections are crazy complicated.  They have 4 way signals, signs (for when the signals are out), and if there's a tram crossing, there are signs and lights for those, plus signs and lights for pedestrians and bicycles, and then the trams themselves have traffic signals.. It can be VERY confusing.

(look closely, that's really an american intersection)

6. It can be hard to do small things like getting rid of yard clippings. The trash folks won't pick them up.  I think we need to find a recycle station or dump.

7. I've written about the Saturday phenomenon before. Because all stores are closed Sunday, and most people work during the week, MANY people shop on Saturday.  What that seems to mean is that every store is super packed with people, especially grocery stores.  We've taken to going week nights if we can, and ordering some groceries delivered. It seems to be working OK.  Saturday mornings are also generally OK. I guess people sleep in.

8. I don't know why I'm surprised to find Chorizo here. It's a Mexican sausage (Spanish too?). But this is the sausage country.  Of course, they'd have it.