“Doing” a collection means shooting digital images and capturing text data for all of the freshwater mussels of the southern continents: South America, Africa/Madagascar and Australasia. Those data are then incorporated into the MUSSEL Project Database (after much post-processing). Kevin and I have assembled a useful resource for freshwater malacologists by bringing together more than 15,000 specimen records from collections in the USA, Europe and Australia.
Normally, we would have to spend two weeks in a collection the size of that in the Senckenberg Museum: ca. 1200 specimen lots of the species in which we are interested. Fortunately, we had some help this time. Katie had worked for me during 2006-2007 when she was between her undergraduate and masters programs. Before Kevin and I had to change our plans (jinxed shoes again), we had brought Katie a ticket to work with us in Brussels last summer. She was still interested in European exploration when this trip came up, and we were able to apply last year’s ticket toward a Frankfurt flight for her. Katie is a hard worker and has a good sense of humor (especially after a couple giant schwartz-beers), and so she fit in well with our special brand of malacological loudness. It also worked out well that Katie brought along her boyfriend, Paul, so that she wasn’t forced to spend all of her time with only two old guys for company.It definitely also worked in our favor that the Senckenberg mollusk collection was so well organized and that Roland, our host, was so helpful and accommodating. The scientific endeavor of this short diversion to Germany was wonderful.
Shells and personnel aside, visiting the town of Frankfurt was kind of like visiting Akron or Tulsa: it was better than a sharp stick in the eye, but only just. The train system — actually, multiple train systems overlain — is the most complicated ever conceived. After landing at 10 PM, completely shagged out, it was only by pure dumb luck that I eventually stumbled onto the Hotel West — you know, the one on Gräfstraße.I didn’t explore the town too much — beyond the Extrablatt across the street from the hotel — but apparently it doesn’t get too many tourists. All the places of interest except the Cathedral were bombed during the war I guess.
Paul had a lot of free time during the day, and based upon the experience of his wanderings, he led us to a scrumptious dinner across the River Main in the “old” part of town. That was the highlight of the trip for me. We sat outside near a painting of a local fairy-tale hero that, based upon the long blades attached to his fingers, was the basis for Wolverine, Freddy Kruger and Edward Scissorhands. He may have been a fairy-tale villain. I don’t really know the story of the Struwwelpeter. The restaurant had excellent dark beer, and I was able to get the pork hock that I have been jonesing for since the last time that Kevin and I were in Germany.
Besides meat on the bone and beer (that, compared to Paris prices, is essentially free), Frankfurt also has a little unique shopping. We saw stores that specialized in Gnomes or Brushes, for example. But that is it. Unless you are in Detroit, there is probably just as much going on where ever you are right now. Being in Paris is more appealing to me now than it ever has been, and I am looking forward to the long Bastille Day weekend.
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