Graz–Apr. 12, 2025

Before we get into today’s pictures, here’s the cartoon from yesterday:

Two sharks at a bar. The first asks for a cola with Fanta; the second says he want only cola. The caption is “Spezifisch und unspezifisch“.

And here’s the explanation: The word Fisch in German means fish (and is pronounced the same as in English). In Germany and Austria there’s a carbonated drink called „Spezi“, which is a mix of orange soda and cola. That means the shark on the left is a Spezi-fish and the shark who wants just cola is an un-Spezi-fish. This is why I say “funny doesn’t translate”.

Wall Art

I went to MediaMarkt to buy a computer monitor, and walked back to the main train station. Along the way, I passed a student housing building with this art:

cat colored with abstract geometric forms

two young people with heart symbol between them

Two men with a combined yin-yang symbol for a head balancing on a yellow sphere with a smiley face

Person with long hair,staring at viwer and holding a necklace toward the viewer

Person with a fish head on a skateboard (cartoonish drawing)

Signage

I thought this one was particularly clever. The German word Ei (pronounced like the English word I) means egg. The rest of the text says: “The largest selection for your Easter nest! Recommended by the Easter Bunny.” (It would probably be better rendered into English as “...selection for your Easter basket”.)

Easter bunny in sunglasses, juggling eggs. Text: Ei Love It / Die größte Auswahl für dein Osternest! / Vom Osterhasen empfohlen