Constance

I am in Constance. An Australian import in the making could use some help with her architecture thesis. I offered to help her with the modelling in Melbourne. Always doing what you say is very difficult right now. She is finalising the plans while I build the model of her library. 10-12 hours a day. Eating out. A few hours at night doing my job: web design.

My plan was something between six and eight hours a day. Travelling a bit further and getting to know Germany. But even 10 hours a day is nowhere near enough. Seven days before delivery, there’s still nothing from the model, not even materials and tools. I’m doing what I can, but it can’t be enough, and above all it feels like I’m wasting myself.

I’ve made a few short forays through Constance. Beautiful old town, not so crowded. Winding dark alleyways, and Switzerland begins 50 metres from my accommodation. Looking out over Lake Constance in the evening. Calm. As loudly proclaimed by Windfinder. My kites continue to rot in the boot.

I came here via the southern shore through Switzerland. The economic situation there is amusingly documented by the sequence of shops along the road: Porsche dealer – brothel – Porsche dealer – brothel …

Constance University of Applied Sciences is located directly at the mouth of the Rhine. The canteen on the riverbank is the most beautiful I have ever seen. There’s a beach bar right in front of it. There are orange parasols and deckchairs in the sand. I don’t know which idiot invented the term “the blue Danube”. All I know is that the person must never have been to the mouth of the Rhine. I look out over the Rhine at sunset. The water is so bright blue that it almost hurts my eyes.

A couple of original blondes (TM) are chatting next to me. Blonde one: “Ugly parents usually have beautiful children.” Blonde two: “Then I’ll have ugly children!”. Cheers! And terribly modest ones at that.

The sun goes down. I make a very small, big decision. Tomorrow I’m travelling on.