Europe Day 8 - in Düsseldorf with Maren

Sunday June 4 - Pentecost

I would have liked to go to church but with a child it is complicated in Germany. Services are mostly for adults. Children services are usually at other times. Sometimes (one time in a month?) are family services. William would not understand the language so I thought it wouldn't be fair to him. Church should not be boring. If it is not meaningful and you don't learn anything ...

Maren has very limited free time. She offered to take us to her workplace in Düsseldorf this day. We had a very delicious special Sunday lunch (Rouladen) Ute had cooked. We left right after lunch. William said that Maren is a good driver. I can't belief how far (and back) she had to go every day ... especially in nerving traffic. Sometimes she takes the trains but that is not much better. At least she lives right across the street from Recklinghausen Hauptbahnhof. 

Her workplace is very impressive. It's in the middle of the old town with streets only for pedestrians and cafes etc and in walking distance to the river Rhein. She had automatic entry to a big underground reserved parking. And then in the shop ... you can't stop looking  at all the little figures. 

Maren is a professional photographer and a very good one. She was the one at both of our girls' weddings. This is 3D photography. 

 

 

This gentleman had his figure made to propose. 

 

Hers was made a few days later. 

 

He is just a few inches tall. He hid the figure carefully in an Überraschungsei. Bet she said yes. 

 

Size matters. The price list. 

 

 

 

Now it gets serious. First Maren talked about the pose with her "client".

 

Then she tells the "client" where to stand (in the little cabin) and where to look. 

 

1,2, 3 ... then you look at the picture from camera 2 (of 24?). His expression in the photo not like Maren wants it. Not his wonderful sweet smile. 

 

Let's try again. 

 

 

Probably "take" 6 or so. William was very cooperative and enjoyed it very much. 

 

More figures to look at. Hikers. 

 

Grandpa with granddaughter. Dancers. Two people figures are very complicated because they are photographed in separate poses and then "printed" together. 

 

William shouted: "Schultüten". He got one a year ago 

 

Few yards away: the river Rhein. 

 

 

Because of the holiday weekend there was a lot going on. Little stands everywhere and music. Lots of people about. This one is not your average fastfood. Salmon on open flames. 

 

 

Could not resist and took a portion home to share between us. OMG. Only Wade's smoked salmon is better. 

On the way back to the car. 

 

Quite a drive back. 

Longtime friends very unexpected had just arrived a minute before us. What a great surprise. William had just asked several times in the car whether somebody would play frisbee or soccer with him. 

 

The 4 additional children didn't have to be asked twice. Their father took action. 

 

Ute in no time had arranged an impromptu coffee table on the back Terrasse. 

  

 

 

 

Ute had just baked my favorite rhubarb cream torte. How is that for timing? The rhubarb had been fresh out of her garden. Unbelievable!

 

William had no problem sharing the chocolate from his giant Überraschungsei Maren had brought that morning. The teethnark pieces were put on his plate and the rest broken up for the others. Proud of him. 

 

One or the other of the children kept disappearing from the table. Good time was had by all. 

 

 

William had fun looking at these photos later. Maren is here in it too. 

 

And here. He saw it right away. And isn't this car cool?

 

After all the cake we still had some salad and bread with cheese. And then we went back to the apartment. 

It seems their is a ghost in the apartment. Either a bulb is burned out or a fuse flipt. I didn't have any light in the living area. 

William could not fall asleep. We had played with the balloons and sudoku, he had a shower and bedtime reading. But he tossed and turned till after 10 pm. May be it was the spider's fault. 

Sometimes we see a daddy longleg in the apartment. We had seen one in the morning. He doesn't like insects so I said that I would take care of it. I flashed it down the toilette. He was very upset with me. I should have taken it outside where it could have made a web again. Well, sorry. I was still in my nighty and I was not going outside like that. 

He almost didn't shower because there was one again. I was not allowed to flash it though. I told him I would take care of it when he was asleep (hoping I could just ...). When it got late I said it's time for me to get ready for bed. Promptly he reminded me that I couldn't take the spider out then. Alright. I found a glass, put the spider in and carried it outside to the hedge, making sure I had the keys in my pocket. William was happy with me. And finally he fell asleep. 

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The young family shared this photo with me:

 

Thanks!