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The BIG Trip

Darmstadt

GERMANY | Monday, 10 October 2011 | Views [466]

This morning we finally got to meet Liz (also studied at Uni with Simon) – the second half of the flat we have been sleeping in for two nights now! She has been in Berlin and travelling all over the show but only returned late-ish yesterday. Bray met her first as he emerged from the bathroom clad only in a towel – thanks for having us! This morning we had a relatively later start after Roni ventured to the supermarket to find ‘thank yous’ for the people we stayed with.

Liz had prepared a breakfast table that was MOST exciting – bread, SO many toppings and all set up with candles etc. We had a lovely start to the day with her and Ralph – sharing kai, hearing about their holiday in Hallig Hooge (made us want to go there) and learning about each other. Looking across the courtyard we didn’t see any signs of life from the other flat until we were into our after breakfast coffee. By that time Ralph & Bray were in the midst of a music-swap while Roni & Liz talked dance and theatre.

The crew from the other flat came over for a cuppa and chat after they finished brekkie. Then out we went for an appointment filled day planned by Simon & Maren.

Firstly we met Steffi and her 10 month old daughter Sophie (AMAZING big blue eyes) at a local second hand shop. They had some funky stuff but we managed to escape with only Maren purchasing a pair of awesome wee boots. We set off then to explore more of Darmstadt with Steffi & Sophie...to the Mathildenhöhe (amazing!), past the only other building in the central city to escape serious bombing in WW2 (Krone) and back to the Luisentplatz to use an ATM. There we farewelled our wandering companions – Sophie asleep by this stage – and hopped on a bus to go and visit Conny. She is another of Simon’s Uni buddies who even came to NZ to visit while he was here! We met Simon Friday en route then entered Conny’s kitchen of wonders. Blue candles lit (even a roof candelabra version), fresh apple strudel with cream, hot coffee and so many antique and funky kitchen things!

Best of all we got to chat to Conny and even meet her husband Mohammed when he arrived home from work – he is from Egypt and they are expecting their first child next month. We had a fantastic time and left after dark to head out for dinner.

Dinner was delicious Ethiopian food at the Baobab Tree restaurant. Liz met us there and we were joined after dinner by Maren’s friend Thomas from school days and his girlfriend Julia. The food was amazing and Bray definitely enjoyed his first experience of African food (that he could remember). A walk home through the mild night after this and we spent time playing caromme (finger snooker) with the two Simons over some beverages while Bray and Simon Friday began their music exchange. Bed before 3am.

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