We are still 'enjoying' the abnormally cold German summer. Not so much cold, but very wet and stormy. Unfortunately, the best thing we brought with us is our raincoats. But, we just come home every night and take all our wet clothes off, dry them and then set off again the next day, hoping that it will be the day that summer starts:-)
We have made a few visits into Lübeck, as we are staying in a small village about 12 km south of the city. I think we have been totally spoilt by a first 4 weeks in Quedlinburg. We saw all the wonderful tourist sites in Lübeck, and they really are beautiful with lots of medieval merchant homes, but it is still a big city and I found it a bit shabby. Particularly beautiful was Marienkirche, Gerrmany´s third largest church. As you may have gathered from the photos, we were all very touched by it and wanted to share it with you all. I was wandering around being the happy tourist and noticed that Sabrina and Phoebe had sat themselves down in a pew and were reading the English pamphlet. Eventually, Sabrina came over and told me I should sit down and read the prayer. They were drawn completely into it.
We took a boat cruise around the canalised Trave River that surrounds the island that is the Altstadt, admired the famous Holstentor gate, found the fairy-tale Rathaus (town hall - the name always seems like a Freudian slip) and Markt, but the ultimate was the Cafe Niedregger. Yes - MARZIPAN!! There is the most decadent cakes and tortes that you could possibly imagine. And, as the history of marzipan tells you in the Niedregger Cafe, it is for purely medicinal purposes!
On Sunday we visted Jürgen and Birgit in Travemünde. Deutsch Conversation Gruppe Laute getrefft Jürgen and Birgit in Australien. They gave us such a warm welcome and it was wonderful to spend the day with them. We spent some time on the beach (have to pay to enter!) and tried to have a swim in the Baltic Sea. BRRRRRRR!!!!! You´ve definitely got more elbow room than a summers day in Ocean Grove. Spent the afternoon swimming in their natural pond-pool in their back garden and enjoyed a scrummy German BBQ - BIG steaks, German sausage, potatoe salad and saurkraut. I LIKE it.
However, our hightlight has been our visit to Hamburg to meet Jonas, the schools next German volunteer. He, and his parents Tina and Rolf, gave us a small sight-seeing tour of Hamburg and its harbour before we went to their home to enjoy a beautiful meal with them in their garden. They are such a wonderful and warm family and, once again, the school has earned a real treasure in its newest volunteer. The next day Jonas woke up quite unwell with a growling wisdom tooth so he stayed home while Tina took us into the city to vist the most amazing crystall museum we could ever have imagined. I stood in front of huge amythyst cave and enjoyed an extremely cleansing 'shower' that left me feeling so invigorated and refreshed. On the train back to Lübeck, we all said to each other how thrilled we were that we had met them and how much we are looking forward to seeing them again 'next time'. That phrase keeps popping up whenever we have to say goodbye to people who have found a place so easily in our hearts.
Sorry, no photos this time. The website is upgrading the gallery. I´ll post them later. Sorry if anyone has been trying to phone us again - not only do I not know how to access the message bank but I also don´t know how to answer the phone.
LACHIE - Have a very, very happy birthday on Friday. We'll have one of those really big chocolate sundaes just for you!! (I suppose you want one too Tony)
RUBY AND SIENNA - Thanks so much for the letters to Sabrina. She was so excited. Ruby, you made me cry when you told Sabrina that you missed her. Sabrina thinks about you, and all the other kids at school (and Sophie and Lydia) often, as does Phoebe. They will both be very happy to see you all again. Have a good time on the school camp class 4.
Tomorrow we fly to Stockholm. We have another most beautiful family waithing for us and we can't wait to meet them.
If anyone has Birgitta's email address in Denmark, could they send it on, as we have lost contact with each other and we had planned to see each other while we are in Copenhagen.
Love to all,
Lisa, Sabrina and Phoebe
