Ich Spreche Kein Deutsch

5/7/06 – 5/13/06

By C. Zaitz

I usually pick up at least a FEW phrases of the language when I travel, but I couldn’t even get out “excuse me!” in German. “Entschuldigen Sie!” By the time I got my mouth wrapped around the syllables, the moment had passed. In Italian it’s “scusi” and can be said right on the spot, without preparation.

Perhaps “I speak no German” as the title indicates, but the beauty of a thin waxing moon needs no words. In Bebra, Germany overlooking a lovely view of rolling hills, sheep and the first night sky I've seen here, it is stunning. I've been waiting for a clear night so I could see the sky in this tiny little town tucked in the folds of Deutschland’s hilly terrain. I've experienced nearly every type of weather so far; der regen (rain), die wolke (cloud), der schnee (snow), der blitz (lightning), and even der hagel (hail). But no stern, mond, nor planet (star, moon or planet). I know why the german word for weather is “wetter.”

My clearest view of the sky was on the plane. At 39,000 feet I saw Jupiter so bright and bold he looked like a brilliant diamond. I saw Scorpius, Orion’s nemesis, stretched out luxuriously along the southern sky, and the teapot shape of Sagittarius the Archer right behind. As we flew into Frankfurt the morning sky was peach and rose and the tops of the clouds were glowing orange, with Jupiter beginning to wink goodnight in the west. It was the loveliest sight I've seen in a long time.

I sat next to an experienced pilot who was just shuttling back after an overseas flight. I asked him if he had ever seen anything strange in the sky. He said that pilots see things all the time, but they don't talk about it. He'd seen a fast-flying light once that he couldn’t explain. I asked him if pilots in general knew the stars or constellations, or were aware what planets they could see. He didn't think so. He didn’t know that the brightest “star” in view was really Jupiter. I was surprised, but I just assume other folks are as curious about the sky as I am. I spend a great deal of time looking at the sky compared to many people because of my job, but pilots must have to stare at the sky most of their working hours! He said the newer planes have big windows and when he flew across the North Pole he would see the northern lights. I was envious. I wanted to be a pilot after talking to him just for the perks- the great view of the sky!

My last evening in Bebra was pretty; the beautiful moon shone near Mars and Saturn, aglow in the orange-fringed azure sky. A few bright stars were scattered above high cirrus clouds as I had my usual repast of bread/beer, a cheese product, and coffee. (Being a vegetarian in the land of Bratwurst is not easy; every town sounded like a kind of hot dog.) But as I flew out of Frankfurt and began to get my six hours of earth's rotation back, I was happy to be above the clouds again.

It may seem funny to return from a wonderful trip to a foreign land and talk mostly about the flight there and back, but that is indeed where my view of the sky was best. And that’s where I learned the German word for “flying speed” – Reisegeschwindigkeit!

Until next week, my friends, enjoy the view!