Monday October 3
I can't remember when actually my sister Ute had to catch the train at the station. Must have been around 9 am. Needless to say James and I had been so grateful that she had journeyed south and joined us for a few days so we could spent time together. After all, ha-ha, she is my older sister. (by evening we knew that her trip had gone very well too)
I had gone with Corry who was the driver of course. She and I both had to go to the bank so we walked from the station across into the city.
This day was a holiday in Germany. German Reunification Day. The reunification happened in 1990 and was just an incredible day making a lot of difference to my family. But anyway, the city was very quiet because on German holidays nobody really works AS IT SHOULD BE!
So, when we were looking for the banks I came across this: trashcans to keep the city clean. But ... they have very clever and funny sayings. Every one a different one.
This: Du bist einfach SAUBERHAFT. Play with words: if the S was a Z = "Du bist einfach zauberhaft" that would mean "you are magically". But using the S makes it the word Sauber which means clean. I love play with words.
Gib's mir! = Give it to me! (yes, put the trash here)
Eine MÜLLde Gabe bitte (another play with words) = "Eine MILde Gabe"is asking for a donation but MÜLL is trash. Very clever I think. It sounds so similar.
Wenn ich groß bin, werde ich MÜLLionär. It should be: Wenn ich groß bin, werde ich Millionär. = When I am grown up I become a millionaire. Remember: MÜLL is trash but it sounds so similar.
Sorry, play with words is something I really like.
The city was nice. And so German. I enjoyed it.
We also had to drive back to the celebration venue. Somebody had left a bag with keys and stuff and somebody thought it was left by our group and sent to us. We brought it back. The door was locked. The owner was gruff on the intercom. We just left it in front of the door.
When Corry drove though I saw several photo opportunities ... and couldn't help it.
In the afternoon we were invited to Corry's oldest, Sebastian and family for lunch. He and his wife Melanie had just moved from Munich close to both of their parents. They were lucky to buy a really big house and had already done a lot of renovation but still had a lot to do. It is something though they can already be really proud of. And, they did this with three young children. We all know that life with young children is not easy at the best of times. But those three Marlene, Jorin and Jasper are really cute.
Melanie made a most delicious pumpkin soup (one of my favorite) with several "trimmings". After lunch we decided to take a walk. The weather was so nice. AND we hoped that the really tired Jorin and Jasper would take a nap riding in strollers.
But Marlene and Jorin wanted to ride their bikes. Little brother Jasper (soooo tired) didn't want to ride in the stroller either. He wanted to walk. And oh my goodness, he was an incredible walker with those little legs.
Suddenly daddy Sebastian had to run because Jorin was a little bit too fast on his training bike and it was a busy street. Yup, parenthood.
Meanwhile Jasper still put one leg in front of the other and did not want to get into the stroller.
The area was so gorgeous.
As all children do, Jorin has his likes and he loves trees. He ran ahead and sat under the tree. He needed his time there and wasn't easily persuaded to continue with the walk. I didn't blame him. It was so pretty there ... but only one stump to sit on.
There is nothing so good than to sit on your dad's shoulders.
After a while we came to the daycare Jasper would go to after the summer break. It seems a very special place. It's all about nature and in a beautiful countryside.
The next two pictures are from a string along the trail of corn cob faces most likely done by the children.
We enjoyed our time with the young family but then it was time to go back. Corry did stop at a special place. It is called "Der Aachtopf" also Aachquelle. This is the biggest spring in Germany.
Most of the water of this spring (River Aach) comes from the River Danube where it disappears underground at the Danube Sinkhole, 12 kilometers (7.5 mile) north near Immendingen and about 14 kilometers {8.7 miles) north near Friedingen. It was interesting and a very nice place.
At 8:30 pm we ate some dinner, thanks to Corry ... again.
Then she brought us to the train station. We had decided that we really REALLY had to get up too early the next morning to catch the train (and the connection) to Zürich to catch the plane home. We decided to rather get a hotel room close to the airport. We were very glad we did. It was way less hassle for Corry and for us. The evening train was very relaxing and easy.
We found the hotel shuttle easily too. After we had checked in we went and got a glass of wine in the bar.
At the reception we also got the schedule for the shuttle in the morning. We booked it for 6:30 am.
We decided that it had been a very good decision.
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