Video ala Marlene

Cologne, Germany hosts many street performers - especially on a sunny Sunday when everyone is out. Here is Grandma tipping a street performer just outside of the Cologne Cathedral (Koeln Dom). She actually thinks I am just taking her picture so she hangs around waiting for a flash after tipping him

(apologies for the side ways video as well!)

Day 2 - Cologne & Heidelberg, Germany

April 26

We woke up this morning to a sunny and very warm day - we guess in the mid-70's. We went to a Gothic style catholic cathedral mass this morning at 10:00.

It was an all male choir with an age range from we estimate 10 years old to 60 years old. The music was mostly sung in Latin and the mass was said half in Latin and half in German. Matt & Grandma shared her English mass book to read the readings while I listened.


We stopped by where Cologne water was originally made, giving scented water the name Cologne. It was made for the aristocrats who were too busy to bathe so they bought this scented water to hid their stench. Grandma took a moment to pose in the shop with a bottle.

Afterwards we went to a market along the Rhine River - we all shared a German soft pretzel and Grandma and I had a pickle while Matt had the smallest glass of beer ever (200 ml / 5.5 ounces).

We had lunch at an outdoor cafe which had a live 3 piece jazz band and than a piano player performing. Grandma found a new purse at the market and was talking it into laying an egg during lunch.

We left about 4pm and drove 2.5 hours to Heidelberg where we are staying tonight. Grandma is still betting she can fix us fresh eggs for breakfast. Heidelberg is a quaint old German city that has been preserved for tourism.

German meals can get old and a little boring so since Grandma has had them her whole life, we haven't had one yet this vacation. Maybe tomorrow. We ate at a Thai restaurant which Matt believes is the best Thai food he has had outside of Thailand, even though his dish was not as amazing and Grandma and mine. But we all shared.

Grandma & I sitting at dinner with the Old Heidelberg Bridge in the background

During dinner we thought we were going to experience a man propose to his girlfriend because he bought her roses from a passing by solicitor and got on his knees. We giggled and attempted to take a single photo of them but missed. We later realized when no proposal happened he must have been apologizing. He was there on his knees for a solid 20 minutes. Hope he doesn't have arthritis as well.

After dinner we walked into a small shop and bought Lambrusco wine which is a carbonated red wine at 7.5% alcohol - it was the only thing with a twist top as we don't have a bottle opener. The store keep gave us plastic cups after trying to sell us a 7 Euro pack of 50 paper birthday cups. Grandma insists it must be pop despite the label noting otherwise.

Matt has a sore pinkie toe from probably from running a lot lately - but Grandma has diagnosed it as gout. It is probably time for bed.

To see more pictures from our day on April 26 - visit the album!
http://sarahjames.shutterfly.com/569

Let the Road Trip Begin

April 25, 2009

Matt and I came to Mia & Richard's house in Brussels at 10:30am to pick up grandma.

We had a tour through the house to meet all the kids and see the baby kittens on the 3rd floor. Then we went to the back yard and saw the neighbor's single sheep and 2 donkeys.

Thanks for the photo grandma - its a keeper.

Then we hit the road for a 2 hour drive to get to Cologne, Germany where we stayed the night.
After checking into our hostel, we explored Cologne a bit - including visiting the Swiss Lindt Chocolate factory and museum, which is situated on the Rhine river.

We even got some free tastes.

We had a nice dinner where we sat outside along the Rhine river to celebrate Grandma's birthday where grandma had salmon, spinach, and parsley potatoes sans-parsley.

There were multiple bachorlette party groups passing by in celebration outfits and some groups playing dare games which included singing a pop-song to a table of people they didn't know.

After dinner we walked around the cathedral to see it lit up at night. I still personally believe this is the most beautifully stunning building I have ever seen.

Grandma says Matt & I gave her a very delightful (50th) birthday dinner party.

For more pictures of our day - you can visit the entire photo album at:
http://sarahjames.shutterfly.com/545

Grandma's Birthday Take 2

Some of the kids with Mia in their backyard

April 24th, 2009
Here is a bit on Grandma's Birthday in her words and with her pictures. "I spent my birthday with Belgium waffles and tea to start the day.

Mia decided it would be better to stay home and eat because the kids are always on the go. We went grocery shopping and I bought groceries for the party. We ate baked fish, asparagus, mashed potato casserole and a fruit torte and a cake with whip cream frosting for dessert.



They sang happy birthday. At dinner the game she played with the kids was for them to guess how old I was - they said 50 - so I will be going back there every year for my birthday.

The day before, their black and white cat had 3 black & white kittens. 3 months before the birth, the father was neutered."

Back Logged Blog

Due to dodgy electricity at our hostel in Heidelberg Germany (only the 2nd night into the trip!) - the power charger to my computer was fried and stopped working. So we were without computer most of the trip.

I am working to set a goal to daily update the blog with what we saw day per day...