the flap settings in degrees are painted onto the upper surface of the flap
Yes they are 1, 2, 3 and 4 and numbers ranging up to 40 but these are maintenance related and nothing to do with the degree of flap, I've just told you that is not used in judging flap deployment on airbus aircraft. Was the aircraft yesterday carrying the standard livery? or was she all white?
dump lift before touchdown at low altitudes is permitted.
This can be done by for example if the wind was hitting the nose from the South West gusting to 35 knots by kicking the rudder right and applying left aileron which would cause the aircraft to land left main gear first before the pilot would lower the aircraft onto its right gear followed by the nose, its a well practiced routine known as crabbing, however remember anything could have changed this plan or the pilot might not have used that routine purely down to preference which is fully understandable!