Cologne and Botanical Gardens

We ended our third week in Bonn with a three-day weekend for Bruce.  This was originally going to be our Paris  trip weekend, but we ended up deciding not to go.  Instead we spent Saturday relaxing at a cafe in the Munsterplatz in  Bonn.

The boys are going to miss the Munsterplatz and terrorizing chasing pigeons.

Sunday we took the train to Cologne for the day.  I really loved Cologne.  There were so many little twists, turns, alleys, and cute little shops and restaurants.  The Cathedral is unbelievable.  It's something that must be experienced because I know the photos won't do it justice and of course, my descriptions won't either.  There were so many visitors there.  We have been very careful when visiting churches here to always be respectful to Jesus present in the tabernacle when we enter.  As we were touring, we found, off to the side, a small adoration chapel and went in for as long as the boys could stand, which was only about 5 minutes.    Of the maybe 500 -1000 people touring the church, there were 9 people in the chapel, including the 4 of us.

Soaring up at least 500 meters, I believe.  Makes you feel so small.  I think that is the exact intent.  The Dom (as the locals call it) houses many relics including the remains of the Magi.  This made Cologne a number one Pilgrimage destination in the early part of the Middle Ages. 

 The Gero Crucifix, dating to around the year 940.

 The Stations of the Cross were amazing.  There is no perspective here, but they are much taller than me and just exquisite.

 The Adoration Chapel

 The boys under a ruin from the Roman Empire.  Cologne (means colony)  used to be an outpost for the Roman Empire.  There is a really cool mosaic floor in the Germany Roman Museum which dates back to BC. It was discovered when they were digging the foundation for the building.  It is fully intact.  It can be seen through a window in the museum.  Amazing. 

 The boys play in a fountain by the Rhein.  There were children swimming naked, but we didn't let them.  Andrew was completely soaked and we had no change of clothes for him.  He was so cold.  Since then, I have carried an extra pair of shorts for each everywhere we go.

 Ice Cream in Cologne.

The boys playing with the Dom in the background.

Andrew and Mommy at the Slavic cafe.  Mommy trying to look European with my new scarf. 

Finally, we thought maybe we ran into a Goth convention or flashmob at the Gothic Cathedral.  I later spoke to a friend in Bonn and she said that they were there when she went so I guess they just go and hang out there on the weekends?  Anyway, the boys were mezmerized and Bruce and I had to pull them past.  It was kinda funny.  There were even little baby goths.  ??????

Monday we spent a lazy morning in the apartment.  It rained and in the afternoon went to the Bonn Botanic Garden.  It was a nice easy leisurely day. 

Landschaft Park

Although this was our first really field trip with the students, it felt like our first.  We has a chance to start to get to know them a little. We toured an old steel mine that has been turned into a park.  It was really interesting.  It rained on the 4 block walk back to the train and the boys, Bruce, and I got soaked because, of course, we were the only ones NOT prepared for the weather.  We had one umbrella for the 4 of us. 

Old steel mining stuff now a park.

 The students.  There were two groups: us and a group from North Carolina.

 Gardens in the old steel containment areas.

 Playground. Mark and Andrew LOVE these bouncy things which are at almost every German playground.

 BIG kid slid.  The students loved  it.

 Sean helping Mark dig in the sand.

 Andrew trying to figure this thing out.  He has some engineering qualities, I think.

All and all it was a great, but exhausting day.  Come to think of it.  That can sum up just about all of our days here.  As I type this, it is Thursday night in Berlin.  Bruce was telling the boys a bedtime story and then I heard silence.  All three of them fell asleep before he even finished.  What an adventure this has been for us.  I'll try to keep plugging away at the blog.  I have about 5 posts in progress, but I, myself, am usually exhausted by the end of the day.  I wish I could have kept up the journaling as we go.  Just an FYI:  Today we visited the Concentration Camp.  The boys didn't go.  Arianna took them to Legoland.  I'm not  sure  if I'm going to write about it.  Bruce didn't take any photos.  I wasn't sure how it would feel being on the grounds where so much evil took place.  I was surprised that my emotions were very mixed.  I felt a deep sadness at times that brought me to tears, but there was also an emptiness as well.  Not sure what that emptiness was.  As we walked from place to place, all I could  do was pray the Hail Mary continuously.  That was all I could think to do.  I prayed for those who were killed, but I also think that, at first, I was praying for protection from evil.  But I never felt evil, just that deep sadness and emptiness. 

OK, I am trying to keep this chronological so I'll go to bed after, yes you guessed it, what was a great, but exhausting day.

Week Three in Bonn - Adventures with New Friends

We are finally settling into our apartment and Bonn.  We met some new friends and saw them two days in a row this week.  We met them on Wednesday at Pirateland, which is an indoor playplace.  We all agreed that this would never exist in the US.  We saw liabilities everywhere. We almost never made it to Pirateland.  The boys and I got lost and after a quick prayer while on the verge of panic, we got back on the bus heading toward the main train station and then I saw the sign. 

On Thursday we went to the Cologne zoo with our new friends and had a blast.  Their elephant exhibit was the largest we have ever seen with 10 elephants including a baby.  We have no photos because this is the day I lost my camera.  I found it the next day in wrapped in a pull-up  A clean one, Praise God.

Here are a few photos from Pirateland.

Andrew and Mark on the Pirate ship.

I really wish I would have gotten a better photo of this.  It was a huge blow up T rex, I think.  Every so often the head would rise up and the mouth would close.  Kids would be hanging off the mouth, screaming.  Notice there is only one row of gym mats around it.  Would  never exist in the US.

 Our new friend Thomas pulling Andrew.  There were very cool riding toys.

 Andrew and Mark in the balls.

Mark and Vivic on the cars.

The Four Day Weekend - PartIV Oberammergau and Mittenwald

What can I say about Oberammergau and Mittenwald?  Rick Steve calls Oberammergau the "Shirley Temple of Bavaria".  They are the cutest and quaintest little towns with a small town square that can be easily walked in 30 minutes and littered with shops and cafes.  One thing I have come to LOVE about Germany that although they are a "no-nonsense" people (and I have encountered that many times) they certainly know how to relax and enjoy life (at appropriate times).  The Germans (and perhaps even Europeans in general) don't rush thorough anything.  They are very thorough, even in their leisure time and meals.  Every city or town we have been in has countless number of outdoor cafes where people take time to sit, relax, and have a kafee or eis (ice cream is BIG here).  A meal is more of an experience than a means of nourishment.

Oberammergau is known for it's woodcarving (which was everywhere) , it's painted houses, (which other little towns much have copied b/c those are frequent in Bavaria as well), and the Passion Play.  When the Plague came through Bavaria, wiping out whole towns, the people of Oberammergau prayed that their town be spared.  It was!  They vowed to put on a Passion Play every 10 years in thanksgiving.  It is evidently a HUGE production.

Entering Oberammergau. That's me looking very overwhelmed, as I have been in all the cities we've visited.

Painted houses depicting the Passion are everywhere.  Absolutely beautiful.

Humpty Dumpty in lederhosen???  Great photo op  for the boys. 

Crucifix on the house.  They most definitely DO NOT have an ACLU here.

Cute little town.

 

Cemetery at the church.  Look at how they care for their gravesites.

Beautiful church in such a small town.  This is very common.  The church is usually huge and the tallest building in these small towns.  

 Finally, I just really liked this.  It is painted on the side of house.

Mittenwald - just as cute, if not cuter, than Oberammergau.  We ended a VERY long day with dinner in Mittenwald.  It was glorious.  I had spinach stuffed ravioli with a white cheese sauce, which was divine, the boys had the best schnitzel we've had in Germany, and Bruce had some meat concoction whick consisted of a steak, covered with bacon, covered in what looked to me like thin onion rings.  Anyway, he loved it.  We are all ready for our heart attacks.  Good thing we hiked up and mountain and down into a gorge that day.  We probably hiked 10 miles. 

What I absolutely LOVED about Bavaria is how Catholic it is and many, many of the buildings have paintings and plaques with Saints.  Here is a building in the middle of the square with plaques of 4 Saints.  The one in the bottom left is St. Joseph.

The Four Day weekend - Part III - Mark and Andrew

I apologize that it has been so long since my last post.  We had technical diffiulties with the wireless internet at the apartment and MY laptop, not Bruce's.  Not sure what happened, anyway, I'll try to start catching up if I can.

 Bruce and I have been so relieved  I mean pleasantly surprised at how well the  boys have adjusted to the change and travel.  Yes, there have been some rough spots here and there, but mostly they have been wonderful little world travelers.  They always seems to find fun everywhere we go.

Playing at the fountain in Munich

Their never ending quest to eat ice cream almost every day of our trip (and almost succeeding thus far).

Markie and Momma at the Hofbrau Haus.  He is not drinking beer.

Andrew was fascinated by this Statue Man in Munich.  We have since seen them everywhere in gold, white, silver, etc.

A contemplative moment.  I wonder what he is thinking.

Battling the wild boar statue in Munich.

I guess the wild boar statue won.

Double stroller??

Did I mention about the ice cream?

Mom and Andrew eating lunch in Oberammergau

Words cannot truly convey the excitement of these two little boys when they saw these bunkbeads.  You would think they were filled with candy.  Personally, I think it reminded them of home.

Eating suckers near the lake by the Pension in Austria. 

Sitting the steps 5 minutes before mass starts.

Andrew on the mountain.  I love this photo.

 Feeding cows on the roadside in Seefeld, Austria.