Bach in the City

Yesterday was my first "bad day." No matter how much I tried to clear my head - with caffeine, micro-naps, food, or fresh air - I couldn't shake the effects of two nights of interrupted sleep. If that doesn't sound like much imposition, you might like to know that on an average day in Germany, I have been logging about 10km of walking, sometimes three to six kms at a stretch with hardly a sit-down. That is a marked contrast with my daily "mileage"at home. When I lose sleep at home - an all-too common occurance - I can sleep in. Not here. Too much to see! However, no amount of pleasant distraction yesterday could really twang my higher cortical functions past Adequate. I had a few close shaves, the first since arriving, and that's including the days I was in the firm grip of jet lag. I guess I should count myself lucky I got off relatively easy for a "bad day."
Our day consisted of a short (and potentially very unpleasant) trip to Jena, about 15 min. by train from Weimar. We had our first glimpse of the mountains further south in Bavaria - but low enough to be covered all the way up with forest. (No discernible alpine zone.) Again, we regretted not deciding to leave Germany from Munich not via Munich. The town is larger than Weimar but quite pretty. I found an old-style toy shop and had to restrain myself from snapping up all the delightful wooden toy animals I saw - hand-carved in the region!
From Jena we went to Leipzig. Still tired and subpar mentally, we trudged around, stopping for rest and refreshment too often. We both cheered up when we came upon the Thomana - St. Thomas's Church - which is is celebrating its 800th anniversary! For the last 12 years of his life, J.S. Bach played the organ and led the boys' choir there - a choir that is still going strong. Bach's statue is outside the chrch, which is in a lovely little square, tucked off to the corner of the busy commercial section. (Leipzig is the most commercial city we've seen so far.) 










Another treat was ... another church: the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas). The interior was stunning - more like a small cathedral. I had never seen such a "feminine" color scheme before - pink, white and green like a marzipan confection. I have no idea how the church people keep it so clean - immaculate, actually - when a modern city full of pollution can breathe right in through the doors.

We were too tired to see the natural history museum, let alone the zoo. So all I will have are Berlin's equivalents. Not much for comparison value, but valuable in other ways. 

I had a wish list before I came, and music was definitely high on it. Mission accomplished in that respect, and a few others!