Arriving in another country always makes for a day of information overload, but even more so when you barely speak a word in the new language. If you have never felt like a lone minority it is an experience you ought to have. Then the challenge is to find your confidence while navigating your way around people without understanding a word and still be content.
As always I found my way onto the bus and train in Germany with the help of several kind people. After my brief nap on the 2 hour train I found I was then content to make my way along the German streets after sunset in Passau to my hotel. That night I began working on improving my language skills beyond "I only speak English". Unfortunately one of the most helpful words: excuse me, proved to be very challenging to remember. I thought I finally had it, until I realized just 3 days ago that I had lost some of the pronunciation in my memorization. In just a little over a week though I feel I have come very far, though my vocabulary probably still consists of less than 100 words.
My first sightseeing visit in Europe was the Passau Cathedral for the daily organ concert on the biggest church organ in Europe. It started very lightly, then the deep notes filled the cathedral with a rather ominous sound. The only way to describe the interior of the cathedral itself is extravagant in the abundance of detailed carving, great vaulted ceilings, and gilt pulpit. What I find interesting is that the church is supposed to be about the salvation of the soul, and yet so much is spent on the outer, physical impression of the church or cathedral. It seems rather an oxymoron. They have however commissioned an incredible amount of amazing art.
After the organ concert I made the short train ride to Scharding across the boarder in Austria to collect my bicycle and information packet for my 7 day bicycle trip along the Danube river, or Donau in German. In the evening I risked going to my first restaurant. From the menu outside I could tell that there were a few vegetarian options, but was pleasantly surprised to find that they supplied me with an English menu once inside in the non-smoking section. I had a very good meal with pumpkin risotto before bicycling back to my hotel in the rain.
The website is currently not responding to my efforts to rotate the photgraphs, which I have done before. So unfortunately you'll have to turn your head, or computer around to see some of these properly.
