Europa Brücke
27 April 2009, 4:55 p.m.
48° 32' 4.03" N, 7° 55' 13.64" E
So we’re still on the autobahn, A5, south of Baden-Baden, and our plan now is to take Exit 54-Appenweier, which should let us merge onto B28 toward Kehl. This route might even be a few kilometers shorter, or pretty close, no big deal. I’m not ever sure why my phone recommended Exit 51. Maybe the traffic.
As I swing off the autobahn and onto the exit ramp, Lambert checks the GPS screen on my phone. He reports that we will soon be crossing the Rhine on the Europa Brücke. The Pont de l’Europe.
“What?” I say. “You mean we’ll cross two bridges?”
Lambert looks at me like I’m an idiot. Bruno leans forward and fills me in.
“It’s the same bridge,” he says, “The Bridge of Europe, with two different names, in French and German.”
Bruno and Lambert aren’t laughing out loud, but I can tell they’re feeling mighty smug.
Okay guys, I think, clenching my teeth, if I had been able to look at the GPS myself, I would have figured it out right away. But hey, I’m driving this minivan! We’re going 120k here, as I merge onto B28.
It just sounded like two different bridges, the way he said it, that’s all.
“So it’s like a symbol,” I say. “After all the wars between France and Germany... ”
No response. My comment must be so obvious they can’t think of anything to add.
Okay. I don’t need to say anything. I can keep my thoughts to myself.
Next episode: The Border Situation
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