In the middle weekend of my work trip in Munich in January, spring has made an unusual appearance. The sunshine and the warmth swept away the depressingly cold days and grey skies. On the Sunday I went for a jog near my work place and everyone else in the neighbourhood were out in force in the streets and in the parks to enjoy such a reprieve. It surprised me as I have never seen so many people in the neighbourhood before!
一月在慕尼黑公幹時，中間的週末突然大地回春，陽光和暖意把冬天的嚴寒和鬱悶一掃而空，那個週末的星期日，我在研究所附近跑了大半小時，街道和公園到處都是人，彷彿所有居民都空巢而出，我從來都沒有在那一帶見到這麼多人呢！
And on the Saturday (15th January), I took advantage of a visit by a former Hong Kong colleague as she wanted to visit her former colleagues in Konstanz (Constance) that weekend. I decided to join her and visit Konstanz on a day trip. Although it took more than 4 hours each way by train, the chance and the pleasant weather were simply too good to waste.
星期六那天（1月15日），趁一個從英國來德國匆匆一遊的舊香港同事要往康斯坦茨（Konstanz）探她的舊同事，我也搭上「順風車」跟她同行——其實我們並沒有開車，祇是坐火車而已。雖然車程要四小時多，但如此好天氣，不出去逛逛就浪費了。
Some views from the train as it approached Konstanz
火車快到達康斯坦茨時的景色
It was just past midday when we arrived. The two locals welcomed us to their place, and after a brief chat we set out to the old town.
抵達時剛過中午，兩個主人家帶我和香港同事到他們家中，招呼一會後，我們四人便一同到舊城區逛逛。
Konstanz is literally just a stone’s throw away from Switzerland, and the national border is actually not that far from the old town. During World War II, Konstanz decided to keep its lights on during the nights like Switzerland to avoid being bombed by the Allies. The old town was as a result very well kept with plenty of 600- to 700-year-old buildings still intact.
康斯坦茨毗鄰瑞士，舊城區不遠便是邊境，二次大戰時，康斯坦茨有別於德國其他城市，晚上跟瑞士一樣亮燈，免受盟軍空襲，所以舊城區保持挺完好，六、七百年前的建築比比皆是。
The Marktstätte shopping strip
Marktstätte購物街
One of the oldest buildings in Konstanz, built towards the end of the 13th century, formerly a fish market
康斯坦茨最歷史悠久的建築之一，於十三世紀未建成，前身是漁市場
A second life: a restaurant that used to be a castle (left), and a church that becomes a restaurant and furniture shop (right)
大變身！城堡變餐廳（左），教堂變餐廳和家具店（右）
One of the oldest buildings in Konstanz is its cathedral, which embodies a blend of architectural styles, stretching for several hundred years from the 9th to 10th century when the construction first started.
全城最歷史悠久的要算是大教堂，始建於9至10世紀，後來逐漸擴建，歷時數百年，所以教堂各部份都有不同的建築特色。
A side view of the cathedral
教堂的側面
The entrance (left) and nave (right) of the cathedral
教堂的正門（左）和正廳（右）
The crypt, the oldest part of the cathedral
地窖，教堂最古老的部份
The locals then led us on a walk to the shore of Bodensee (Lake Constance). The lake is surrounded by Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and the river Rhine flows through the lake. Konstanz is one of the largest cities around the lake. Little did I expect to spot a bus shelter in traditional Chinese architectural style! How is it possible to see proper Chinese architecture in Europe? The locals explained that Konstanz was a university town and had close exchanges with Shanghai. The bus shelter was in fact a gift by Shanghai.
接著主人家帶路到博登湖（Bodensee）畔散步，該湖由德國、瑞士及奧地利所環抱，萊茵河（Rhine）流經其中，康斯坦茨正是沿湖最大的城市之一。我們從舊城區過馬路到湖畔時，驀然發現一個中國色彩的公車亭，為甚麼一個歐洲城市會有如此正宗中式建築？主人家解釋道，康斯坦茨是個大學城，該大學跟上海有交流，所以上海方面便送了這個公車亭作禮物。
The pier commands a panoramic view of Bodensee and the Swiss Alps on the opposite shore. The house near the pier played host to an important event in the history of the Catholic Church, namely the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418 where a widely recognised pope was finally elected, ending the so-called Western Schism when there was a triumvirate of popes with various claims of legitimacy. At the end of the pier stood the rotating statue of Imperia, who was holding the Pope in one hand and the Emperor in the other. The symbolism is in the eye of the beholder. Some considers it to symbolise men succumbing to woman, while it can also be taken to mean a mockery of the events during the Council of Constance.
博登湖的景色開揚，從湖邊的碼頭可遠眺對岸瑞士的阿爾卑斯雪山，碼頭附近的屋在基督教佔有一重要歷史地位，是1414年至1418年期間康斯坦茨會議（Council of Constance）時天主教選出教宗，結束教會內的分裂（欲知詳細歷史可參閱此網頁），碼頭端豎立了會旋轉的Imperia女神雕塑，女神一手托着教宗，另一手托着皇帝，既寓意位貴權重的人也會被美色玩弄於股掌之間，又諷刺當年康斯坦茨會議期間教會和多個皇室糾纏不清的一團糟。
The pier at the Bodensee
博登湖的碼頭
The old town from the lakefront
從湖畔回望舊城區
Religious significance at the pier: the Konzilgebäude (Council House) where elections were held for the Council of Constance (left), and the statue of Imperia (right)
充滿宗教氣息的碼頭：（左）康斯坦茨會議年代舉行選舉的會議樓和（右）Imperia女神像
We went for a further stroll in the old town after afternoon tea, and before long evening came and there were traffic snarls heading to the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen across the border. This Swiss army of shoppers took the obvious advantage of lower prices in Germany, spend a whole day there then head back home when the shops started to close in the evening.
吃過下午茶，再在舊城區閒逛，不經不覺到了傍晚，那時道路車水馬龍，但見長長車龍開往毗鄰的瑞士Kreuzlingen市，無他的，德國物價比瑞士便宜，所以吸引到不少瑞士人跨境購物，到傍晚商店關門時這班瑞士購物兵團便打道回府。
I have only bought a day ticket on the day, and my short work trip didn’t really allow me to spend more than a day going somewhere far, so I returned to Munich after dinner. There are indeed many beautiful villages and cities along the shores of Bodensee, and Konstanz was just one of them. I wonder when I will have time to visit Bodensee again.
(But while you wait for my next visit, you can see more photos from Konstanz at this website!)
由於買了一天票，加上公幹時間短促，我也不可能花連續兩天遊玩，所以當晚飯後便回慕尼黑了。其實沿博登湖還有很多漂亮的小鎮和城市，康斯坦茨祇是其中之一，不知下次又會何時再會到博登湖？
（不過等我寫下一篇博登湖遊記也不知是甚麼時候，不如先到此網頁看看其他康斯坦茨的照片吧！）
一月在慕尼黑公幹時，中間的週末突然大地回春，陽光和暖意把冬天的嚴寒和鬱悶一掃而空，那個週末的星期日，我在研究所附近跑了大半小時，街道和公園到處都是人，彷彿所有居民都空巢而出，我從來都沒有在那一帶見到這麼多人呢！
And on the Saturday (15th January), I took advantage of a visit by a former Hong Kong colleague as she wanted to visit her former colleagues in Konstanz (Constance) that weekend. I decided to join her and visit Konstanz on a day trip. Although it took more than 4 hours each way by train, the chance and the pleasant weather were simply too good to waste.
星期六那天（1月15日），趁一個從英國來德國匆匆一遊的舊香港同事要往康斯坦茨（Konstanz）探她的舊同事，我也搭上「順風車」跟她同行——其實我們並沒有開車，祇是坐火車而已。雖然車程要四小時多，但如此好天氣，不出去逛逛就浪費了。
Some views from the train as it approached Konstanz
火車快到達康斯坦茨時的景色
It was just past midday when we arrived. The two locals welcomed us to their place, and after a brief chat we set out to the old town.
抵達時剛過中午，兩個主人家帶我和香港同事到他們家中，招呼一會後，我們四人便一同到舊城區逛逛。
Konstanz is literally just a stone’s throw away from Switzerland, and the national border is actually not that far from the old town. During World War II, Konstanz decided to keep its lights on during the nights like Switzerland to avoid being bombed by the Allies. The old town was as a result very well kept with plenty of 600- to 700-year-old buildings still intact.
康斯坦茨毗鄰瑞士，舊城區不遠便是邊境，二次大戰時，康斯坦茨有別於德國其他城市，晚上跟瑞士一樣亮燈，免受盟軍空襲，所以舊城區保持挺完好，六、七百年前的建築比比皆是。
The Marktstätte shopping strip
Marktstätte購物街
One of the oldest buildings in Konstanz, built towards the end of the 13th century, formerly a fish market
康斯坦茨最歷史悠久的建築之一，於十三世紀未建成，前身是漁市場
A second life: a restaurant that used to be a castle (left), and a church that becomes a restaurant and furniture shop (right)
大變身！城堡變餐廳（左），教堂變餐廳和家具店（右）
One of the oldest buildings in Konstanz is its cathedral, which embodies a blend of architectural styles, stretching for several hundred years from the 9th to 10th century when the construction first started.
全城最歷史悠久的要算是大教堂，始建於9至10世紀，後來逐漸擴建，歷時數百年，所以教堂各部份都有不同的建築特色。
A side view of the cathedral
教堂的側面
The entrance (left) and nave (right) of the cathedral
教堂的正門（左）和正廳（右）
The crypt, the oldest part of the cathedral
地窖，教堂最古老的部份
The locals then led us on a walk to the shore of Bodensee (Lake Constance). The lake is surrounded by Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and the river Rhine flows through the lake. Konstanz is one of the largest cities around the lake. Little did I expect to spot a bus shelter in traditional Chinese architectural style! How is it possible to see proper Chinese architecture in Europe? The locals explained that Konstanz was a university town and had close exchanges with Shanghai. The bus shelter was in fact a gift by Shanghai.
接著主人家帶路到博登湖（Bodensee）畔散步，該湖由德國、瑞士及奧地利所環抱，萊茵河（Rhine）流經其中，康斯坦茨正是沿湖最大的城市之一。我們從舊城區過馬路到湖畔時，驀然發現一個中國色彩的公車亭，為甚麼一個歐洲城市會有如此正宗中式建築？主人家解釋道，康斯坦茨是個大學城，該大學跟上海有交流，所以上海方面便送了這個公車亭作禮物。
The pier commands a panoramic view of Bodensee and the Swiss Alps on the opposite shore. The house near the pier played host to an important event in the history of the Catholic Church, namely the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418 where a widely recognised pope was finally elected, ending the so-called Western Schism when there was a triumvirate of popes with various claims of legitimacy. At the end of the pier stood the rotating statue of Imperia, who was holding the Pope in one hand and the Emperor in the other. The symbolism is in the eye of the beholder. Some considers it to symbolise men succumbing to woman, while it can also be taken to mean a mockery of the events during the Council of Constance.
博登湖的景色開揚，從湖邊的碼頭可遠眺對岸瑞士的阿爾卑斯雪山，碼頭附近的屋在基督教佔有一重要歷史地位，是1414年至1418年期間康斯坦茨會議（Council of Constance）時天主教選出教宗，結束教會內的分裂（欲知詳細歷史可參閱此網頁），碼頭端豎立了會旋轉的Imperia女神雕塑，女神一手托着教宗，另一手托着皇帝，既寓意位貴權重的人也會被美色玩弄於股掌之間，又諷刺當年康斯坦茨會議期間教會和多個皇室糾纏不清的一團糟。
The pier at the Bodensee
博登湖的碼頭
The old town from the lakefront
從湖畔回望舊城區
Religious significance at the pier: the Konzilgebäude (Council House) where elections were held for the Council of Constance (left), and the statue of Imperia (right)
充滿宗教氣息的碼頭：（左）康斯坦茨會議年代舉行選舉的會議樓和（右）Imperia女神像
We went for a further stroll in the old town after afternoon tea, and before long evening came and there were traffic snarls heading to the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen across the border. This Swiss army of shoppers took the obvious advantage of lower prices in Germany, spend a whole day there then head back home when the shops started to close in the evening.
吃過下午茶，再在舊城區閒逛，不經不覺到了傍晚，那時道路車水馬龍，但見長長車龍開往毗鄰的瑞士Kreuzlingen市，無他的，德國物價比瑞士便宜，所以吸引到不少瑞士人跨境購物，到傍晚商店關門時這班瑞士購物兵團便打道回府。
I have only bought a day ticket on the day, and my short work trip didn’t really allow me to spend more than a day going somewhere far, so I returned to Munich after dinner. There are indeed many beautiful villages and cities along the shores of Bodensee, and Konstanz was just one of them. I wonder when I will have time to visit Bodensee again.
(But while you wait for my next visit, you can see more photos from Konstanz at this website!)
由於買了一天票，加上公幹時間短促，我也不可能花連續兩天遊玩，所以當晚飯後便回慕尼黑了。其實沿博登湖還有很多漂亮的小鎮和城市，康斯坦茨祇是其中之一，不知下次又會何時再會到博登湖？
（不過等我寫下一篇博登湖遊記也不知是甚麼時候，不如先到此網頁看看其他康斯坦茨的照片吧！）
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