Dear forum friends
PanPanPan has a motto on his posts that explains learning is like rowing upstream. The meaning is of course that rowing against the current is harder.This reminded me of an experience when I was 18 years old. I went to Bremen in Germany to visit some relatives. Uncle August and Tante Ella. She was my maternal grandmother's sister. Bremen is a port on the river Weser a big enough river to allow seagoing ships to dock in Bremen. It is about 80 km from the North Sea.
One afternoon I rented a rowboat. I had no experience in rowing other than having watched my grandfather, as a boy. I confidently took the little boat and thought I would be smart and row upstream fot half the rental time, and then when tired float downstream with the current. It was easier than I had thought. After the alloted time had passed, I turned the boat around. I switched seats and sat in the back pf the boat with the rudder and was ready to enjoy the easy way downstream. But the boat did not co operate with me. It turned around and faced upstream. Again I switched seats and turned the boat to face downstream. Nothing doing, the boat did not obey me and insisted on not only facing upstream, but also travelling in this direction.
This bewildered me for a moment and I thought what could possibly cause this. And then it dawned on me. This part of the river was already part of the estuary and subject to tides. I had travelled with the incoming tide upstream and did not know it. The rental was nearly up and I now had to really row hard to get downstream. Because I was a novice rower I now dipped the oars in such a way, that the current produced a spray. My back became soaked from the water and a pool of water was forming in the boat.
By persistence I got back to the rental dock. I was tired and wet. But the manager insisted that I bailed out all the water with a small can. Finally I got back to Aunt and Uncle. They saw my wet cloth and quetioned me on my adventure. They were not pleased, as I might have upset the boat and drowned. No life jackets in those days. What did I learn? A valuable lesson about tides.
And to PanPanPan I should say: Yes, learning is like rowing a boat upstream unless the tide comes in.
You see it was actually very funny. I can still see myself sitting in that boat having turned to go downstream and hoping to enjoy an easy passage. Life is like that sometimes.
Best wishes to you all.
PS: There was a computer game called: Where is Carmen Diego?
Now I have a question: "Where is Baba Soarsky?" This young lady wrote on this forum from time to time about two years ago. She lived in a city in the South of China, her DAD had a store. Her articles (although written in poor english) were so full of life and vigor that I always enjoyed reading them. Maybe she got married and has no time left. Any news about her would be welcome. Thank You.
Best wishes, Uncle Ben
