Giving Dusseldorf a second chance

After spending a disappointing afternoon in the Old Town, I decided to walk back to my hotel. It is interesting that Europeans assume that Americans cannot walk around the city. The hotel clerk gave me to understand that the Festival was too far away to walk to. I paid my eight Euros for a ticket and rode out there. It turns out that it is only about twenty blocks from the hotel. I could have saved the money and seen more of the town.

Walking back, I found Dusseldorf to be a much nicer city than it had appeared on first perusal. There was a lovely tree-lined waterway that went for miles. I sat for awhile and watched the people go by. They were most interesting. People with dogs. People on rollerblades. People in a hurry. One lady rode by on a bike in her black pants suit and high heels. Sadly, no one strolled by enjoying the delightful evening air and sights.

I can’t read German but this sign on an auto repair shop caught my eye. I know it does not say this, but if I were to read what it appears to say I might come up with, “Auto farted? Tag at night. Free hauling.”

I have to talk about cars and traffic in Germany. First my taxi driver from the train station to the hotel was delightful. She was efficient, friendly, and managed to distract me as she drove around the block about four times. It turns out that the hotel is only three blocks from the station. I walked back.

On my walk back to the hotel from the carnival, I noticed a rather odd situation. There are clearly traffic lights in this location and I can tell you that they were in working order. In addition to the lights, there were about fifteen younger people – maybe college students. They all wore reflective, orange vests and were directing traffic. It looked like there was at least one person per lane of traffic. I have never seen anything quite like it.

Finally, I knew I was in Germany, home of the Autobahn, when I saw these used tires being recycled as three and four-high bumpers for the traffic. I can only assume that cars carom off them as they screech through the intersection.

Farther along I saw this beautiful church nestled between the modern buildings and wandered in. Currently, it is still a church but has modernized itself so that it is still vibrant. They have concerts and lectures quite often. The narthex has been turned into a coffee shop. A breath of fresh air is swirling through the bell tower. Lucky for this church, it has survived all the modernization around it.

These trees are where the goblins in Düsseldorf live. Aren’t they fabulous? I see a writing prompt here when I get back.

Finally, I am ready to return home from this trip. It has been a long but fruitful trip. I have seen many new places, met new friends, renewed old friendships and places, and am ready to get back to my own piece of the planet.

“There’s no place like home…”