D's most recent "Street or Sidewalk" challenge reminded me of this photograph I took a couple weeks ago on the first day of Karnival--the first and only day Mainz'll have until lent. Hence all the trash on the ground in both pictures. Apparently there was quite a parade earlier in the day, or so I hypothesize. I took this picture not to share Karnival with you readers around the world. Rather, when I passed this location earlier in the day on the bus to work, I bore witness to an enormous duck gracing the Platz. Of course, when I reported the existence of this duck back to D, she didn't believe me. Much like she doesn't believe my armchair hypotheses about truffle-hunting dogs and the dominance of German architecture's use of steel and glass.

And yes, while I admit those are completely armchair, I do know when I see an enormous duck sitting in a city. And when I say enormous, I mean it towered up until the 3rd floor of the building you're looking at. Imagine yourself showering in the third floor bathroom and opening a window afterwards to let steam escape (so as not to establish a mold colony in your most frequented room). Now imagine, upon opening such a window, a gigantic duck staring at your sparsely towelled body...


Where has the bird gone? I don't know (it really couldn't fit in that truck, as much as it rhymes with duck). Maybe we'll see it again in the new year. Until then, keep an eye out for me. There's a certain D who finds this hard to believe.