A short, very amazing adventure:
I have a friend, Bernard, who is the closest to a Renaissance man I have ever met: a university trained engineer, fluent in (at least) 3 languages, an almost if not professional photographer, plumber, electrician, mason, carpenter, a quick wit in German and English with a devilish sense of humor and intellectual interests ranging from business administration to finance, politics (American, German, European), travel, cars, sailing and on and on. He is also tall and extremely good-looking.
We try to meet for lunch 2 or 3 times a year and generally have a long lunch before I get on the train for the 2 hour ride home.
Last month, we met on a Friday, after my futile trip to a consulate and the unsuccessful attempt to get a visa, unsuccessful because there was a form necessary which was not listed in the internet. In the middle of our usual Italian lunch, B said, " What about canoeing?" At that moment, he might as well have suggested vandalizing a cemetery or eating a plastic bag for dessert. However, not being one to reject a non-lethal adventure immediately, I temporized, all the while thinking, "Me, canoe?? Does not compute!"
But, the weather was lovely and the other suggestion would have been something inside, so I agreed. Have you ever noticed that the anticipation of something scary is much worse than the actual fact?
It seemed like a giant leap (and not for mankind) from the pier into the canoe but I made it with only one splinter in my hand, quickly removed. And we were off, at a leisurely float with the occasional paddle (he did the paddling). Within about 20 seconds I forgot that I was in a canoe, that I could not swim well and would probably die of fright from the proximity of seaweed and fish and that I would have to come back twice for the visa. It was wonderful, floating along tributaries of the Alster, with a view of the backs and gardens of magnificent houses, and (my favorite) weeping willows hanging over the water.
Although we were in the middle of Germany's 2nd largest city, there were times when the only sounds were from the birds with the occasional splash of the paddle, a sure-cure for whatever ails you.
Thanks, Bernard.
PS: those houses I mentioned? The average price is about €19,000 per square meter. That's about $24,600 for about 11 square feet so if you have an extra €2m, there is at least one house for sale - we saw the sign.
