Trip Day 22

Tuesday August 29

First of all ... if you read my blog and comment on it I want to thank you. It means a lot to me. Please, don't respond to the email if you have subscribed. I do not always see that and I wished there was a better way I could offer to you with all that advertisement. The best way is still to comment on the bottom of the blog.

Today was a lovely day. Ute picked us up and we had breakfast. She had an appointment this morning and friends Inge and Martina came to pick us up. They had decided to take us to Münster. Long-legs James was put in the front. It was about a 50 minute drive.

Martina knew Münster from a long time ago when she was a student here. She thought we should park at the Schloß. It was busy around there because they just had a horse event. We did find parking but Martina said that 40 years ago parking was free there.

We walked around the back and there was a park.

Standing under this tree was amazing. It was so huge and majestic. I am upset that you just couldn't take a picture to get that feeling.

We almost went into the Botanical Garden but decided we needed something to drink. This might be a leftover from the horse event. A stand selling drinks and a stand selling falafel boxes and döner boxes. Well, who can resist?

I tried to take a selfie but he must have known that I am horrible at it and ask whether he could do it.

And then we did go into the Botanical Garden. This truly was special. They had plants/flowers I had never seen before. And some little statues on pedestals. All very, very nice.

James had to study this 'Ballonplant' for a while. 

It was strange. The ballons were larger than a pingpong ball almost as large as a tennis ball but the flowers were quite small. And on the plant at the same time.

Then there was a whole section of fuchsias. Look at this tree.

This vine was all over in the conservatory with a good number of blossoms (?) hanging here and there. My iphone told me it was called 'Giant Dutchman's Pipe'. This is one side of it.

The other side. Obviously a carnivore. These things were larger than a spread out hand.

Very long snake gourd with tiny flowers.

Black Pepper plant!

I looked and looked but this bush was only one but had red and yellow flowers on it. 

This was such a beauty. I could have looked at it for a while. A woman was standing by it and kept telling me that they have this growing on the Island Mainau at the Lake of Konstanz. It likes it a little warm. 

Araucaria, also called monkey puzzle tree.

I discovered the little brown balls, almost pine cone looking things. She told me that that will become the blooms looking almost golden when they do. She said it is awesome when it happens, not every year.

As always, less then half of my photos I took and I didn't take enough because there were so many unusual plants. Some in the greenhouses and some in beds outside. Everything was arranged nicely.

But then we went into town. We could just keep walking. Could not believe all those bikes in this one spot.

A photo for William. Will he recognize his friends when he was visiting Holland on the beach and Germany?

Münster Cathedral.

Outside a touchable miniture old city with brail lettering for sight impaird people.

Wir wollten im Kaufhof was kaufen und was sahen wir? 

Münster is an old historic house with lots of history/stories.

In the above photo you see the St. Lamberti Cathedral. On the tower there are still three iron baskets in which 1536 the bodies of three leaders of reformation were shown as warning.

Saw this on the way back to the car.

Back to Ute's house. More chatting until Inge and Martina needed to leave. More chatting with Ute until she brought us to our quarters. Lucky with the weather again. Night, night.

Trip Day 21

Monday August 28

A lot had been going on Sunday. This day was a 'slow' day. We finally unpacked a bit and sorted ourselves out. Well, we also had a lot of dirty clothes. Ute picked us up. We had breakfast together and loaded the washing machine. I decided to wash my hair while Ute and James plaid cards. 

Afterwards we tried to set Ute's new ipad up but (of course) were not totally successful. It will need more attention. 

Not sure what we all did (besides talking, oh the memories), another card game this time with 3, lunch, and then Ute drove us to the cemetery. We visited our mother, her husband Siegbert and his parents. Cemetaries are a bit like parks or gardens and the weather was nice.

James decided he really needed a walk and I joined him. Ute's house is right on the edge of the town and there is a nice walk way right behind the house. These water towers in the distance are a landmark.

Maren asked later "is this my large tree" and I didn't know what she meant. But then I remembered the tree from her terrace. It probably was. 

Ute has some very interesting plants in her yard. I have found a new feature on my iphone in photos that I can check what kind of plant it is. Ute had told me that it is a perennial. Siberian-tea or elephant-eared saxifrage in the bergenia family. I think I would like it because it seems to make a great cut flower.

And while I was at it: Ute gets a stevia plant every year and highly recommends it.

Well, this was a new thing: we also played a third game. And we laughed a lot doing so. Ute made a nice salad and then brought us back to Manu/Tobias' house. 

A "this and that" day. Not really a "blog about it" day. But of course the main thing is to spend precious time with each other.

Trip Day 19+20 - Germany - Family

Saturday August 26

Our alarm rang at 4 am and at 5 we were waiting at the reception for the taxi to the airport. Everything worked fine, check-in was super easy and friendly. So was security, very efficient even with our 'new knees' etc.

At the gate. Plane not here yet but everything on time. The sun is coming up.

Düsseldorf from the top.

Tobias (my nephew) and my sister Ute picked us up from the airport. He knows which roads to take to avoid traffic and we were at his and Manu's house soon. They have just finished remodeling their guestroom and that's where we are staying. It is an old house but they have done a lot of work and it is inside and outside gorgeous.

Ute had her car there and she took us to her house. Our friends Corry and Werner from Singen in the south of Germany happened to be in the area today and we arranged to have an afternoon together. When we all were in their house last October to celebrate James' birthday Ute and Corry talked about Ute's special Rhabarbertorte. Corry wanted the recipe and that's what Ute baked for this day. It is so good.

So lucky with the weather so we moved outside into the Garden. Corry had brought champagne so we needed to celebrate. The cork came out with a bang.

Just like old times. Ute got her Five-Crown cards and we had lots of laughs. 

There was a bit of wind though, ha-ha.

Unfortunately the table was a bit wobbly and I knocked some glasses over (luckily in the very last round and at the end of the bottle) but the cards got wet and needed separating so they could dry.

When Corry and Werner had to leave they dropped us off at our "guesthouse". We needed to do some walking so I suggested to walk towards the old town which is very charming. But we never made it that far. There happened to be a town festival before we got there.

Bratwurst! Who can resist?

Typical souvenir stand I remember when we went to a 'Kirmes" when I was a little child. The 'Lebkuchenherzen' with the icing writing on it.

The day came not to an end yet when we were back at the house. Manu and Tobi invited us into their garden oasis for some red wine and a lot of talking. It was lovely.

But then it was time to go find our beds. The alarm had gone off very early today.

Sunday August 27

Ute had invited the family to a breakfast/brunch at 10:30 at a farm now restaurant. It's a family favorite. Maren could not come because she had to work. She has a new job and loves it.

We were laughing a lot and quite loud so we relocated to Ute's garden. How lucky are we with the weather?

When Maren was home from work we were invited to her new Apartment which James and I had heard about but had not seen. It is a lovely place and we can see why it makes her so much happier. The terrasse is a dream.

She calls it her big tree.

Leftover rhabarbertorte and fresh Mohnkuchen and Zwetschgenkuchen from the farmhouse this morning.

Maren had some other leftovers which I can't name because it would be politically incorrect. But they are one of my favorites in Germany. We had of course a big discussion "do you start on the top or bottom".

Maren took this photo for her cousins in America.

Maren brought us to our guesthouse. What a lovely family time we are having.