Summertime

Hannover is not a great city for tourism. We have a few things here that are fun to see, but I don't think that they draw a lot of world-wide visits. Therefore, there are not swarms of college students hefting humungous backpacks, suntanned middle-aged couples walking hand-in-hand, or even so many of the other more camouflaged tourist-types. However, in the summer, we have our own swarms. Bikes. Bikes come out of cellars, apartments, attics, and asses, it would appear. Its great, if you have a bike, because Hannover really is a very biker-friendly city. However, this means danger for the bipeds as bikes whip and zip past at Autobahn-speeds. Sometimes, it's enough to make a grown man crap his drawers in broad daylight. But I'm an American. The narrow streets, nearness with which people pass, and the ridiculous speeds sometimes frighten 'us'. 'We' like our wide open streets and sidewalks and, though most would not admit it, being required by "the idiot in front of you" to pass at a relative velocity of only 5-8mph makes a lot of us feel just a little bit safer. The sidewalks are divided and Germans know where they're supposed to keep their wheels (or their feet) so if you follow the rules travel is generally safe.

The only thing the summer seems to have brought more of than bikes (and skirts [just kidding]) are bike locks. They are on every bike and bike rack, which makes sense. They are also wrapped around nearly everything which is fixed to the ground with no more than 6 degrees of seperation. Reminds me of a song... "The bike locks connected to the conduit. The conduit's connected to the 'lectric meter. The 'lectric meter's connected to the leg bone. The leg bone's connected to the ankle bone. The ankle bone's connected to the..."