Last night we had our first BBQ in germany!!!! It tasted great...steaks, and potato salad!!! But, we had to say it... ``You call that a BBQ!?!?!?�� hehe it was this tiny little square thing!!! But it still tasted good!
This night ended with heaps of fun, with HULLY GULLY, in the cellar (mine and Livia's room). We stayed up a long time, listening and dancing to all of J�rg's LP and 45 record collection, up virtually as loud as the speaker could handle. It was a family affair, with J�rg, Sabine, Livia, and I all joing in on the fun!!!
Thursday 17th - Gr�ndonnerstag (Green Thursday)
Another BBQ, but tonight we had guests...Livia's 4th host family were over for dinner so that she could meet them for the first time. As it was 'Green Thursday' we had a special green sauce (which really just meant lots of green leafy garnishes in a type of sour cream!)...but it is a traditional dish. It was a very nice night, a once again beautiful weather and we were outside for dinner.
Friday 18th - GOOD FRIDAY
Well...usually a day for fish...however today would be different...Karsten and Gelinda Koppelin (Livia's first host parents), invited all of us to have a BBQ with them at Edersee (''see'' in german = ''lake'' in English), where they have a caravan. It was an absolutely beautiful day, we rowed there boat around on the lake, ate ice cream, and I even tried eel (BLAH).
Saturday 19th
We got up early today!!! 8am!!! We were going to the market to buy all of the things needed for J�rg's Easter Sunday feast!!! It was good fun, but we did sit around for a little while and tried a bit of wine....while waiting for Sabine and Carl to come back from the shops...don't worry Sabine, we don't think you took so long because of shoe shopping...of course not!!! ;) (like J�rg said: queuing is a sport for the English...not the German's).
We painted our Easter eggs today ready for tomorrow. The first easter with real eggs (hard boiled). We tried mixing all different colours...but they just never seemed to look like the ones on the box!!!
Sunday 20th - EASTER SUNDAY
Today we slept in a bit longer!!! But when we woke up, I found out that J�rg's family were coming for the meal as well...so I started worrying about whether or not there would be enough Quiche for everyone, as I was cooking it for lunch today. Well...when I go into the kitchen...I see an egg carton, and 1 egg...OH NO!!! So luckily, Sabine's mum to the rescue!! She came at 3.00pm with 8 eggs...a later lunch than expected but the result was great!!! Livia and I were successful in the kitchen yet again. Mum-you would have been proud!
It was a good day...but I felt like I wouldn't need to eat for a couple of days and just work off 'supply'...we had Sabine's yummy Erdbeer (Strawberry) cake/torte...Sabine's mum's very yummy and famous Apple cakes!!! and chocolate which accompanies every Easter!
But first we had to find the chocolate (yes, we had chocolate eggs, as well as real eggs!! hehe)...it was a fun Easter Egg hunt!!! We are still just like little kids!! Out in the front garden was a little basket...care of the Straube (J�rg's family) Easter bunny...and in the back garden...heaps of little easter eggs, big bunnies, and hand painted eggs. Thankyou for a wonderful Easter everyone.
That night for dinner we had Beef cooked in a pot with nicely cooked,fried, potatoes with skin on, and asparagus...all topped off with horse radish sause (which wreaked havoc with a few people's sinuses!!)...well done J�rg, another YUMMY meal.
Monday 21st - EASTER MONDAY
A day for relaxing!
Tuesday 22nd - The Deutsch Bahn (German Railway)
I left the Straube family in the afternoon (sniff sniff)...J�rg and Carl drove me to the station...we said our quick goodbye's then I ran in to buy my ticket (as I was cutting it fine, to get there in time)...only to wait in line for 20mins and miss my train...so I caught the next one...which I only just got as well...lucky me an 'RB'...for those of you that don't know, there are different levels of trains you can catch. This determines what kind of train you get and what stations it stops at. Very important...avoid RB at all costs...I don't know if it is correct but I have my own translation...RB is Regional Bahn...these are old trains, and stop at every possible station (most of which people dont get on or off), so it can sometimes add an extra 30mins to your travel time. There is the 'RE'...Regional Express...which is the best to catch from where I live as it only stops at bigger more busier regional towns, which includes Stadtallendorf...and these are also new, double decker trains...comfortable. If your travelling between cities, and still only want to pay the same prices as you would for the other trains then get the 'IC'...Inter City...this is very comfortable, with reclining seats, and only stops at big cities...eg. from Kassel to Marburg, I didn't stop in between...on the RB, I stop at more stops than I care to remember, ones they dont even put on the timetable...and on the RE I stopped about 6 times between Stadtallendorf and Kassel. (Oh...and the 'ICE' is the one everyone knows which is very fast, very expensive and only goes to the really big cities).
Anyway, enough about the Deutsch Bahn system...now you are all experts!!