musikfest, day 5

Today Lydia had off, so instead of heading into the woods we headed to the north side and to Musikfest. It opens at noon. We left about 11. That was maybe a hair early, since a lot wasn't even uncovered and open yet.

Not knowing how much we were going to walk, we took the car and parked it near the Banana Factory. It would save us a mile both ways. I put 3 hours on the meter because parking fines are doubled during "special events".  Then we headed out Second Avenue and up the ramp to the bride.

The Hill to Hill bridge was infested with spotted lanternflies. Either carcasses of the dead, or the soon to be squashed living. So many I thought I was in Reading. I did not get them all. Those little devils are fast. Lydia did not take any pictures of me doing the SLF Stomp or the carnage that remained behind.

The bridge had many signs saying that the sidewalks are closed, but they were clearly open. I think what they meant to say is that they were closed at the stairs, because they were.

We headed down the stairs and over to the area where the prisms were. I think they call it Zinzindorf Platz now. The name changes every couple of years.  I'm not sure what I think of this pop art representation of one of our founding mothers.

Other than the prisms, nothing held our interest here. Nothing was really open yet. But it's become clearer and clearer to me over the years that Musikfest is about three things—mostly free music, selling food/beer, and commerce. If it's early in the day and the music hasn't started all that's left is the food and commerce. Boring.

Plaza Tropiahell hadn't begun music yet either. The main concourse down Spring Street was all food. Main Street, coming down the hill was corporate sponsors. If you wanted free stuff go there.

After passing the television station, the entrance to Festplatz was fairly empty. The 18-wheelers weren't there promoting stuff.  But all the booths leading to the bridge were promoting or selling tickets, food, or merchandise. I sense a theme. It's not until you write it out that it really shapes in the mind. Now we add beer to the mix. We looked at the food because we planned to eat lunch. I brought my vintage 1999 mug to use for my annual MF beer. Then it was off to Volksplatz for more of the same. Since we had arrived we didn't hear one note of music. By the time we walked thru Handwerk Platz the polkas had begun.

Lydia went for her annual taco. I got my annual beer and we headed back the way we came.

When we reached Lehigh Street we turned left and followed the creek to come back the Fahy Bridge.

Almost immediately, the SLF Stomp began again. I missed a lot, but there were other people stomping, so maybe we got most of them.

Miles/Steps:      2.5

Wildlife:             blue heron, so many spotted lanternflies

Weather:           78, with 53% humidity. Overcast too sunny.