It is Tuesday, 13 Dec 2011, and I am on another train journey = 10 hours from Friedrichshafen to Oldenburg with three connections. I like train journeys in Europe - they are very pleasant normally...
It was interesting to watch the countryside change (from mountains to flat land), and the weather (from sun to rain and wind) .... it was a day trip... Also, the people changed and their dialect. In Germany each State speaks another dialect and as they are so different, they don't understand each other -only when everyone speaks the 'Hochdeutsch'.
I was also pleasantly surprised, that people were very friendly and men are still gentlemen - helping me with my luggage - in and out of the train, and as one suitcase had 4 wheels, it ran away in the train... a nice man stopped it!
I love these windmills! They are everywhere in North Germany.... Great thing!
I was also amazed at the solar panel fields everywhere .... and...
... whole towns equipped with solar plates on their roofs.... they are everywhere... absolutely wonderful! Alternative energy! It is possible!
The train journey was comfortable and time passed quickly. I arrived at 7.30p.m. and Fred (my brother-in-law) and Veronika (my sister) picked me up from the train station.
Oldenburg (Low German: Ollnborg) is an independent city in the state of Lower Saxony. The city is situated at the Rivers Hunte and Haaren, in the northwestern region between the cities of Bremen in the east and Groningen (Netherlands) in the west. It has a population of 162,173 (as of 2010). The formal name is Oldenburg in Oldenburg; to distinguish it from the city of Oldenburg in Holstein. (people have been known to take the train to the wrong Oldenburg... hi hi....)
The city is surrounded by large agricultural areas. There are farms near and even within city limits. Common agricultural activities are the cultivation of livestock (especially dairy cows and other grazing animals and chicken) and crops such as asparagus, corn, and kale. And not to forget all the sheep!!!
They had just moved into their new house in the district of Wardenburg, which they built over the past year. And I am their very first guest!!!!
The neighbour's chooks...there are goats too... we are still in the country...
I get my own room (actually their oldest son's Jan-Hendrik's room...) but he is studying in Bremen and comes home only at weekends... so all good. The upstairs bathroom has no shower door, so the whole family showers in the downstairs bathroom.... Jonas, the younger son, lives at home for the moment.... As always with building a new house, there are glitches and delays... and so there are still some minor things to be done around the house. And the outside is still a construction site... so the garden will have to wait til spring time...
I haven't visited or seen my sister since early 2008 - so we have a lot to catch up on. She is a nurse and works part-time.. so we have enough time to spend together and talk and go shopping, walking, etc. etc.....
It's Xmas everywhere... Veronika and I in a shopping mall...
On Thursday, we go and buy a Xmas tree.... I don't feel Xmasy yet.... but it'll be nice to have a tree and candles.
Then Friday, we drive into town (it is quite cold - below +10C - and mostly raining...). It is raining today... we have a quick visit around the Xmas market in town, but we are too cold and wet to stay long. A shame...
In the evening we meet up with Veronika's girlfriends (they play flute and piano together) to bake a traditional North German buiscuit called Kruell Kuchen.... It is a lot of fun, and most of us need some practice to get it right. But they all taste very yummie!!! You have to make the dough the day before - it is important that it rests. The dough is poored into a special waffle iron and when ready, rolled when still hot... a challenge!! We will enjoy the buiscuits over the Xmas period....
Saturday, we walk to the local farmers market (again... no coffee cart....), but it is too cold anyway to stay outdoors too long. We get fresh vegies and meats and breads... I love farmers markets!
In the evening, neighbours have a get together for the Xmas season... they have a big property next door with a lake and horses. There is a sausage BBQ, Gluehwein, cakes, log fires - all outdoors. Lots of people; neighbours and friends of theirs.... It is very nice, but after some time I am totally frozen, can't feel my toes anymore.... time to go home and warm up!
Sunday, we are invited for brunch by Willi, a close friend of the family....for his birthday. The restaurant is very nice and we have a big table with about 20 people. It is a nice and pleasant gathering. However, the German brunch is strange: they serve breakfast only from 10-12p.m. and then proper lunch from 12-2pm... Of course I had to complain to my sister and explain that brunch as I know it is hot and cold foods all together - so you can pick and choose at any time.... all my sister had to say was: you need to be flexible! This was her mantra throughout my stay! A bit like my brother's: this is America! Can't win..... oh well...
I still enjoyed the brunch and stuffed my face - needless to say. We went for a long walk afterwards to walk off the good food.....
What a wonderful and relaxing first week! THANKS!
S & D
