This morning, my train was full of people dressed as monsters and snake charmers and ladybirds, all drinking beer and wine at 7:30 a.m. I assume they were all on their way to Cologne for schmutziger Donnerstag (Wikipedia tells me it’s actually schmotziger Donnerstag, but in my region it’s schmutzig!), aka Fat Thursday – not to be confused with Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). It’s the last Thursday before lent and part of the Fastnacht/Fasching/Carnival season. I’m not actually sure what schmutziger Donnerstag is for… apart from yet another excuse to wear costumes and get drunk. I would have tried to get some sneaky photos for you, but I fed to the quiet carriage with all the other commuters. The Fasching celebraters all had beer, wine and – most annoyingly – bells! Not what you want to put up with on the way to work. So instead, here’s my entry for the weekly Look Up – Look Down photo challenge with Travel With Intent.
When out and about, I often take photos of interesting signs and random features that I spot high up on the walls of buildings. All of the photos below were taken in Weil der Stadt.
Do you ever find yourself taking photos of random interesting signs? Which of the above is your favourite?
Confuzzledom 
Wow that must have been a wake up call! I like the 4th photo of the key the best. Might check out the photo challenge. 🙂
I like the key, too, but I also like the star.
People celebrating Fasching just annoy me. They’ll all be back on Tuesday, taking over the train with their booze and noisemakers!
I love the photo of the key. Little details are always fun to grab photos of when traveling.
I’m torn between the key and the star as my favourite.
I take snaps if nifty signage all the time. There’s one that’s a hanging tin witch in Regensburg- I’m still not sure what the shop is for. 🙂 The eagle is nifty.
Oh wow what a commute that was!! I don’t take photos of signs but I often find that I want to take photos of derelict buildings! I think I like the key sign as well x
Tuesday will be worse… that’s Fasching proper! I can almost hear the bells already…
I have never heard about schmutziger Donnerstag, in the region where I come from it is Fetter Donnerstag or Weiberfasching. Women are allowed to cut off the men’s ties. 🙂 Hellau! Or Koelle Allaf! Or whatever…:) Great pictures!
What fantastic signs. I especially like the key. Thanks for sharing as part of this Challenge.
I like the key 🙂 I took a photo of a great sign pointing to the toilets in the Irish bar in Bremen – Men to the left because women are always right 🙂
Hahaha, that’s fabulous!!
I enjoyed every picture – and love the designs and iron work! beautiful.
I love the upper left star one. It reminds me The Nightmare Before Christmas!
I see fun signs all the time, but don’t think twice of them. I’ll take a snapshot of them next time!
I don’t necessarily focus on signs and statues but I do focus on small things. Little things that others overlook. I think there is hidden potential and beauty in everything.