Frolicking in Franconia

So while net connectivity holds up....

We have spent the last two days in burgs, Bam and Wurz, which showed their charms through the multiple petticoats of wind, rain and cold. They also showed their 'wurst' (I had to get the pun out the way early), the famed German sausage (insert your own German porn star joke here), which smells fantastiche as we walk the markets but due to a variety of reasons we have yet to sample (see morganizedchaos.blogspot.com for more information). My excuse is that it is hard to jam anything extra down my throat over the three meals and two snacks the boat is providing daily. As it is, Melissa (my sensual siren of a wife of ten years on Jan 1st) nearly had to get a sedan chair to get me home from town. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately they are not too prevalent around these parts.

Needless to say the food is very good so it is trial to eat in moderation though we are doing OK really. Its truly startling the range of stuff provided daily...I'll touch on that more another day perhaps.

We've been on board two days only but the days are whipping by as there is so much organised. So much so you have to carve time out for a rest! For example, today's itinerary:

7 - Breakfast
9 - Head to Wurzburg; 1 hour tour of the Residence (Palace); an hour in town and back to the boat for 12
12 - Lunch
1 - Off to Rottenbaeur; 1 hour tour and 1 hour in town and back for 6
6:15 - Glassblowing demonstration
7:15 - Dinner
9:15 - in the Lounge for music
10:30 - late snack
11:30 - trip to the vomitorium

We bailed on Rottenbaeur for a walk back into Wurzburg. M had skipped the morning tour with the beginnings of a cold and it was nice to just amble through the streets and see the town going about its Christmas preparations. We half heartedly looked for a semi formal outfits for the Christmas dinner (yes Day 5 and the baggage is still missing, presumed sunning itself in Rio). But we spent more time listening to Santa grinding his organ (no monkey in sight), practicing my german without spitting on people (Frohe Weinachten), buying a few gifts and people watching. It's always humbling how many folks speak english in comparison to how few englishers speak the local language. In sync with that the locals always get a kick out of you trying to speak their language. It opens doors in many ways... funniest conversation to date: buying a bra (for M!) and working with the lady on size etc. before she admitted she had great english! Those interactions tend to be my favourite elements of trips as a potentially closed moment can be bridged with some terribly stilted german and a smile.

This is the last real shopping day in Germany as Christmas Eve is a big thing here with the country shutting up shop (literally) until the 28th after lunchtime tomorrow. The Christmas markets will be gone, the decorations will dangle a little more forlornly and the new year will nearly be on us.

One final note, I am not sure Germany lends itself to frolicking but here in Franconia and Bavaria, home to leder hosen (which tends to chafe at frolicking speed), they like to enjoy themselves. And although I have had many (1) requests to don the famous leather trews I am leaving the LH wearing to the professionals.

Till the next time I'm Rudy Maxout, the Saveloy traveller.