der Roman von Tübingen

from my very first day in Tübingen, i noticed the Stocherkähne. think of Venetian gondolas. there is a little platform on the tail end where the Stocherkahner(-in) stands, usually barefoot, and uses a very long pole to push the long, thin boat down the river. it's very shallow and hardly has a current at all. the boats have slots where you slide in a wooden plank to lean back on. just yesterday afternoon there was a group of four boats, one with a string trio playing arias for the others. amazingly romantic. wish i had my camera that moment. =( usually there are a bunch of people in the Stocherkahn with a picnic basket of food and wine, but there are more intimate moments too; a father with his kids or a man with his date.

[another class out on the Neckar]

i was elated to find that our first class Aktivität was a trip on a Stocherkahn. after the episode with Bayardo ;) i was a little nervous about bringing my camera, but it was all gravy. the Stocherkahner was having a lot of fun rocking the boat and hearing the Japanese girls in our class squeal. it seems as though they are really hard to tip, but i don't exactly know why. there's not a lot of the boat showing above the water.

[the Japanese expression of anxiety]

after riding along the Neckar, our class met with a couple other classes at the Biergarten on the river. being the first week, this was our first time with real exposure to the other classes and i really enjoyed talking with new people.

anywho, the Stocherkähne are special to Tübingen and i'm game to learn how to move them around. everyone says it is hard, but as long as it was just me, i think i could do it. it would make for a nice afternoon with any visitors (hint, hint)!

[me at der Neckarmüller, compliments of Giorgio]