I never realized how much general knowledge I was lacking. Then I went to a Pub Quiz Night. I can tell you what I had for dinner on August 9, 2009, and how delicious it was; but I can’t tell you who Michael Edwards is, and what is his significance in sports. I also can not answer any question pertaining to world politics. Is that bad? Today I am feeling like it is.
Nonetheless. I had a fabulous time. As I have gestured, I am not one for trivia. I have trouble remembering bits of information stored in my brain when they are called upon randomly. I do, however, love to go out, socialize, and play games. I’ve never publicly participated in a trivia game while in the US because I knew I wouldn’t know most of the answers. So the fact that I played in Germany is a bit ridiculous, but I’d do it again. The trivia night was hosted by an Irish pub. As I learned last night, Pub Quizzes are terribly popular in Ireland and the UK. Thusly, all of the Irish and English Pubs around here host one monthly; usually on Sundays. They are a great excuse to exercise your brain while drinking a beer on a Sunday.
Last night’s Pub Quiz was at the Irish Pub across from the Nürnberg train station. (If you live here you know the place.) They host it on the last Sunday of the month. The entire quiz is given in English and German, and the “Quiz Master” is terribly entertaining. He asked us questions and kept score, but he also provided an abundance of comic relief. The pub was full, and thus filled with laughter. It’s a wonderful energy that comes from a lot of people, in a little place, concentrating on the same thing. Well, maybe the same thing. While most were only concerned with the answers to the questions; I was concerned with understanding the question in German before I understood it in English. Let’s just say, I’m glad it was repeated in English. It’s an activity however, that is ranking high on my list of alternative ways to practice my German.
You have to pay to play, but the prize is money. My team definitely lost. I don’t even think we would have scored half as many points if the people next to us hadn’t taken pity and given us lots of answers. The winning team wins a small pot of money. But they also get to send up one teammate to answer a bonus question for a larger pot of money. If the bonus question is answered incorrectly, to pot rolls over into the next week. As of last Sunday the pot was 242,00 Euros. The winning team was not able to seal the deal; and thus the pot on the 24th of February will be quite large. In the event that this peaks anyone’s interest, you can get some practice in next Sunday at the English Pub (on Jakobstrasse in Nürnberg by the Fire Station) The English Pub does their quiz on the first Sunday of the month
Maybe I’ll see you there. But don’t worry, I won’t be much competition even though my eyes will occasionally wander over into the direction of your answers. The Quiz Master is rather lenient with that sort of thing.
…..Which civilization is older; the Mayas, the Incas, or the Aztecs?
