It’s not uncommon to see bachelor parties in the city on weekends, and I have to assume that’s what the giant ball and chain attached to this guy’s ankle was about. Still, this was too amusing not to share.
Tag: seen around town
Where the brave and wise may live forever.
About ten minutes from my office, in the hills of Donaustauf overlooking the Donau (Danube) river, is a monument called Walhalla. (In German, this is pronounced just like Valhalla in English.) Walhalla is modeled after the Parthenon in Athens. It was built in the 1800s by King Ludwig I of Bavaria. (Well, it was built by people who built things on the orders of King Ludwig I, but I think he still gets credit.)
Whereas the Valhalla of legend is the home to deceased warriors only, this Walhalla also has busts of royalty, musicians, artists, scientists, and philosophers. Here’s a short list of people memorialized in Walhalla that you might have heard of:
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Nicolaus Copernicus
- Johannes Kepler
- Albrecht Dürer
- Georg Friedrich Händl
- Richard Wagner
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Albert Einstein
…and that’s just eight of the nearly two hundred plaques and busts within the main hall.
Best of all, though, is the view. Walhalla has an amazing perch. This is a place where amazing photographs can be taken. I’m told that in the warmer months, it’s not uncommon to find people sitting on the steps, having picnics, and generally enjoying the hell out of overlooking the Donau. I took a few pictures on a recent visit there, and despite the small amounts of restorative construction going on, it’s still amazing. I look forward to going back there after we’re in proper springtime and there’s more sunlight and greenery. Here’s a brief look at the place.
Short Post: Demonstration This Morning
While walking to the bus stop this morning, I couldn’t help but notice a very large group of people with flags, banners, and signs walking up the street. The signs all said, “Wir Sind Es Wert,” which I now know means “We are worth it.”
The group, as it turns out, is a union called Ver.Di. I’m not entirely sure what they’re demonstrating about, but it was interesting and somewhat random, and I hope that the demonstration doesn’t mean they’re striking, because a union strike would affect the bus that I take every day in frustrating ways.
Bishop
I’ve walked past this statue dozens of times already but I never bothered to read it. I need to read more on the history of Regensburg, I think.
Turn Left
One of my favorite things about being in Regensburg is that all I ever need to do to find something interesting is to take a different path. For example, yesterday I was feeling Noble and I turned left instead of right. I had originally wanted to check out the posted menu of a nearby restaurant, and instead I discovered the remains of an old Roman fort.
Specifically, I stumbled across the Römermauer, a section of Roman wall from the original Castra Regina (“fortress by the river Regen”) which was built around 179 AD during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
I’ve seen little sections of Roman walls all over town- many of the ancient Roman structures survived the bombing of World War II, and they pop up all over town. It’s fascinating to see the ancient stone speckled throughout the more modern architecture of the area.
This is the first time I’ve seen this much intact fortress though, and it’s even more surprising because it’s sandwiched between the McDonald’s and another restaurant. I’ve walked past this point dozens of times,but I never realized that it was there because it’s down a slope and not visible from the street. If you walk down the stairs, there’s a little sign explaining it:
Right across from the sign is another small stair that allows you to climb up into the turret which is still intact.
I hope I never become so complacent that I stop finding fascinating little things like this.
Whimsy. Tacos. The DMV. 