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| ticket vending machine |
Schwarzfahren....
I forgot to add this to yesterdays blog.... Jason has told me to always be sure to buy a ticket for the train or I would be "Schwarzfahren" which translates to black riding or driving. Unlike the NYC subway systems, the U-Bahn train system here does not make use of turnstiles where you have to pay before you enter the train area. Basically, here it works on an honor system. There are these vending machines at every station that you buy your tickets(You even can buy a ticket for your dog!). Well, it took me a while to be able to translate the German on this machine and exactly which ticket to buy. Your ticket price is based on the distance you are traveling. But there is nothing stopping anyone from entering without buying a ticket. So, to enforce the Honor System, The SSB uses of uniformed ticket checkers who randomly board trains and busses to check passengers/ tickets. It you don't have the correct ticket, you pay 40.00 EUR.
During our train ride to the Leuze, all these men in black enter the train with electronic keypads. First thing in my head, "The Black suits are coming" At first it was a tad nerve racking when they were checking all of our tickets. But then the man checking our ticket said, "y'all have fun" Your read that one right. He was raised in New Orleans!!
"Dreikönigstag" Three Kings Day
Today Jason and I were both baffled.... He was in the kitchen talking to the Dishwasher repairman (yes for a second time) I hear our doorbell....nope, that is incorrect- our door BUZZER. When I get to the door, I am surprised to see 6 kids-two with painted faces and all dressed up like kings and swinging pots burning frankincense and myrrh. I knew that the holiday, "Dreikönigstag" Three Kings Day was TOMORROW (because everything is closed...again) involved children dressed as kings coming to your door. But, I never asked what we were to do. I quickly tell them in my fabulous German, "please wait a minute while I get my husband" I run to Jason and say, "come help me quick, I don't know what to do", Jason comes and looks and says, "I don't know what to do either" and returns to the repairman. GREAT...I go back to them and stand there...Then one-by-one they each say a speech to me in German (nope, didn't understand a word ....just when I thought my German was getting better) I'm actually starting to get embarrassed as they continue their theatrical speeches, not knowing what I am supposed to be doing for them. Then they start singing. I run to Jason again, "please just come ask them what we do --because when I speak my German to them they just stare at me" So, Jason asks our repairman what we should do. Repairmans answer, "This is normal, just pay them like you would an offering at church, they will chalk your door with Roman date saying they have been here and you have paid" So, I go back to the door (at this point they are wishing they had not come to this house!!) I put coins in their jar, ask them in German if I can take their picture, they stare at me, so of course I start snapping pictures. Here is a brief explanation of the holiday...
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| chalking our door |
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| Wishing they had never come to our house.... |
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| Our officially "chalked" door |
"Dreikönigstag" Three Kings Day- groups of young people called "Sternsinger" (star singers) travel from door to door. They are dressed as the three wise men, plus the leader carrying a star, usually of painted wood attached to a broom handle. these groups. They also solicit donations for worthy causes, such a efforts to end hunger in Africa, organized jointly by the Catholic and Evangelical-Lutheran churches. As a sign of gratitude the young people then perform the traditional house blessing, by marking the year over the doorway with chalk. On the Sunday following Epiphany, these donations are brought into churches.
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