Sooo lovely people - here we are in Burghausen Bavaria, Deutschland, seeing in CHristmas eve while the sun is just about to peep over the Eastern Horizon into Sydney welcoming in Christmas day 2010. Surely this will be a memorable Christmas. I don't think I want anything much that Santa can give me this year. Infact the sudden departure from SYdney with just minimal clothing and belongings has managed to remind me of how little we need in this life and how much we tend to imagine that if only ...I had that...blahbalh blah.
So mum and dad popped out just for half an hour to a local churchthis evening to watch the Christmas celebrations. German (well particularly Bavarian) culture is still a mystery to me, but each day, it reveals itself just a fraction more. So far my observations are limited, however it's hard not to see the orderliness, the efficiency, the politenesss, no honking horns, no road rage here that I've seen - Mind you we aint in Berlin,..however, there is a certain reservedness also. Let me expain.
We were invivted to attend the Christmas party for the Medias Klinikum where PB is getting her treatment. We did not know at the time but we were the only patients invited as guests. It took us a vigourous 45 mins to locate the venue, a 14th Century Kloster on the outskirts of town, but after a heroic wrestle with the GPS and a freindly man with a labrador and the insistance that down was up - we found it. We parked the car and headed to the inviting looking entrance - no sooner had we popped out heads through the door than a geniuine article buxom German girl was swishing drinks towards us and we (well certainly I) started to think maybe the night was a goer.
We unburdened the several additional layers you need when outdoors here and headed for the indicated door ...upon stepping through we found an unexpected scene, it was a relatively small room with three long tables and a resounding silence, all decked out in wedding like regalia and about 15 semi uncomfortable work collegues seated around sipping on drinks. While Dad and I struggled to dematerialise Mum said in a clear Aussie accent 'Has the singing finished?' Awkward silence - Kate counters by grabing the nearest chair and sitting down like she has a ticket. The singing mum was referring to of course was another patient, Wolfgang, who would be performing this night to thank the clinic staff for what he referred to as the 'wonders' that had saved his life, and by all accounts a true version of events too.
So after half an hour or so of awkward conversation and Kate trying to sample the full range of beverges available, the doctors arrived, fashionably late and seemingly surprised to see a patient we continued with more odd exchanges....until!!! Through the small arched entrance appeared....The Beast (from beauty and the ...) in full ccostume including the face paint (teeth included). WIth his support guy monitoring the audio he commenced a rendition of one of the main songs from the theatrical musical. His clawed gloves were of particular interest to him during his performance. Proffessor Aigners two young daughters, 6 and 8, were notable disturbed by the Beast and proceeded to force themselves bodily into their nannies armpit. Wolfgang wanting to allay their worries, launched his heartfelt strains toward them which seemed to send one of them into a sort of comatosed sort of state.
I can honestly say I don't think I have been in more bizarre situation in my life, most of the staff had their mobiles out and were photographing and filming the spectacular. As I don't like musicals at the best of times, I was drinking and trying to negate the intimacy of the whole predicament.
The remainder of the night sort of blurred into a series of plates and misunderstood menu items, a soprano from Cats and then a precisely executed exit from the Brennan troupe...who did indeed dematerialise without a trace.
Was it me...was it a work event ...or was it German culture?
Investigation continues
x
Kate
oh Merry Christmas SYdney - sending hugs your way
