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Heading down the Rhine

Now where was I ? I seem to have solved my internet problem…hotmail blocked me because they detected unauthorised use…once I knew that I worked out what to do.

I think I had just finished my evening with Heinz and Ursel. Lots of talking, eating and drinking. The theme has well and truly continued…so much so that I have to leave these German people behind me or I won’t fit on the plane to come home.

The next morning Jurgen, Carmen and Andrea came to pick me up at Heinz’s house (Jurgen and Carmen are Josie’s parents and Andrea is Joop’s mum). They scooped me up and continued where Heinz and Ursel left off…doing everything they could for me and not letting me pay a cent. We drove from Bad Homburg along the Rhine through beautiful little villages with vines climbing steeply up from the river on both sides and autumn leaves all around. We stopped and wondered through villages of ancient German houses and narrow streets. How could you not love Germany?? We had a really delightful afternoon that culminated at the bakery of Josua’s grandmother and uncle…OMG…this was extraordinary. We had coffee and cake there…everyone got a different type of cake and I tried them all (a bit of everyone’s that is, not a piece of each cake…not that bad, yet!!). I met Josua’s grandmother who is so sweet and so missing Josua. Every time his name was mentioned her eyes filled with tears. I also met Jana at this point, Josua’s sister who I have to say is a most beautiful girl.

After this orgy of cake we went to their village Osterspai. This is where it got slightly embarrassing because they clearly didn’t have room for me at home and had booked me into a tiny hotel around the corner…wouldn’t let me pay a cent either. Well there was no point in being too embarrassed, I was in the thick of it so I dumped my bags there and then we all went out to dinner i.e. Jurgen, Carmen, Andrea, Jana and I. To a lovely rustic little restaurant on the Rhine. We sat outside under vine leaves (despite the cold which wasn’t too bad) and ate German meets, salads, cheeses and drank 3 bottles of great German wine between Carmen, Jurgen and I that is….oh dear!! We tottered home along the lovely streets of the village and I peeled off at my little hotel.

This morning Jurgen came around to get me at 8.30. I went to their house and gave them all the gear I’d transported from Australia. Then guess what….off to the bakery for breakfast. It was full on (as breakfast had been with Heinz and Ursel as well)…meats, breads in many shapes and forms, cheeses, jams, eggs, juice, coffee etc. I don’t normally eat breakfast but I’m doing it for the team (Team Australia that is) and acquitting myself quite nicely. Poor Josua’s grandmother was given the letter Josie had written her and she was a mess!! Then Jurgen and Carmen whisked me off for a whistlestop tour of Koblenz. We walked along the Rhine, saw where the Rhine and the Mosel Rivers met and then walked around the old part of town which was lovely. Koblenz was almost entirely destroyed during WWII so they’ve done a wonderful job of rebuilding. Often the facade would remain in tact with everything behind gone…and now rebuilt.

They then took me to the train station, put me on the train said our goodbyes. Sitting on the train to Cologne I suddenly felt very alone after a whirlwind few days of amazing German hospitality. Still I couldn’t keep eating and drinking at that pace, not even me!! Arrived in Cologne and miraculously found my hotel by wandering around aimlessly. I decided to take a break to catch up with you all and now I’ll head out to explore the town a bit and try and work out how to get a German SIM.

2 nights here and then off to Hamburg. Lots and lots of love until tomorrow. Is my photo stuck up on the side of Louis’ cot???

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The German adventure begins

What a massive day it was yesterday, but full of pleasant surprises. It was up at 2.30am, out waiting for the shuttle bus at 3am…and lo and behold it arrived at 3.15. Got to the airport with time to spare. Luggage went through uneventfully, planes ran uneventfully and I landed in Frankfurt. Heinz rang to say he was outside waiting for me and then I waited…and waited and waited for my luggage. Finally I had to go to Luggage tracing and surprisingly they found it. It had been put on the wrong conveyor belt. Poor Heinz!!

So we got home here to Bad Homburg. Ursel was waiting with the 2 grandchildren who are actually divine little smart bilingual (actually tri) kids. We had a yummy German lunch which included apple cake!! Then Heinz took me out touring this town and herein was the next surprise. It is absolutely divine. There are beautiful gardens surrounding the town that used to be park of the Royal summer residence. The trees are in full autumn splendour and the walks are superb. There is a most heavenly old part of town with a Schloss (mandatory) and we walked and walked until I was nearly dead. It was such a lovely afternoon. It is very relaxed with Heinz, much more so than I thought it would be.

Then we came home and had a dinner of, again, very simple but yummy german food with cheeses, salads, wursts etc. We drank lots of white wine and sat up into the night…about a 21 hour day for this old girl. Heinz got in touch with Josua’s father. They have taken 2 days off work and are driving 1.5 hrs to come and get me this morning. They are picking up Joop’s mum to come along too and are to take me along the Rhine etc. No more rent from those dear boys Ang!!! I write this quickly before going up (I have a full apartment in the basement of the house here…all very lovely)to breakfast.

More tonight. Lots of love to everyone. Hi Calamarians…hope you are getting this.

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Final day in Rome

Just to finish up in Rome before I pack the computer away until Germany. What a truly delightful day it was. Sunshine, warmth and fun. We set off this morning for Livia’s country house. I’d already seen frescoes from there and after yesterday was so interested to see it. We hadn’t booked but went on the off chance given that it is only open for one day a month. We got into an Italian tour and it was fabulous. In a delightful country setting where you could feel the life of Livia and Augustus as they retreated to the country over the summer. I latched onto a priest who was translating the tour for an elderly American couple so didn’t miss out on much. Frescoes and mosaics again made me happy in warm Autumn sunshine. Heaven.

I told Christine that if she wanted to really make my day she had to find me a restaurant for lunch where I could eat in a garden setting…and fuck me if she didn’t come up with just that. We drove along a dirt road and came to a wonderful restaurant in the countryside. A most interesting drive on the way there with the road lined with prostitutes…you know me…fascinated!! Then we sat outside drank wine and ate a most delicious meal. I had a divine rabbit that I loved. Then a couple of rather wild, rather drunk old ladies drove back into Rome. Great day all in all. Tonight we have one of Chris’ friends coming over for dinner for Spaghetti Vongole (clams)!!
I’m busy packing now to be ready to hop straight into bed. I’m being picked up by Shuttle Direct at 3am no less…terrifying thought. Definitely a no sleep night. Heinz has rung me and will be at Frankfurt Airport to pick me up. Then I’ll get him to ring Josua’s family and arrange a pick up for the next day.
That’s it for now. More wine and more food for dinner tonight!!
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On the road again (pt 2)

Yesterday was a full and exhausting day. After coffee Chris and I went off to the market which is always fun. We sat in the sun and had a wine and a delicious pork roll and then I set off for my appointment to see Augustus’ and Livia’s Houses. Well that really was amazing. Such beautiful colours and frescoes, I was mesmerised. Loved it. Then there is this ancient Byzantine Church that they have just restored and opened to the public for a limited time period. It is down in the Forum, so off I went to see that and again loved it. There’s nothing like a good fresco I say!! My hip is holding up well and I ascended right up a massive climb to the balustrade for the view over the Forum and Rome. Then I walked back home, at which point I was ready for the ambulance to come and take me up the stairs to Chris’…but alas it didn’t arrive and somehow or another I lived!!

But not to end there Chris had booked for us to go to a 3D display thing at the Ara Pacis. This is a fabulous carved monument Augustus had done to celebrate peace. I’d seen it before and it is an amazing piece of work but it was once in magnificent colour and of course now there is no sign of the colours. So we donned 3D glasses with a kind of computer attached and we saw it all in its original splendour. Fabulous really although at times technologically challenging. We walked there and back so at the end of the day I was totally exhausted. We came home and ate the produce of the days market shop and drank copious amounts of wine.
Today will be a quieter day (hopefully). Chris has a friend arriving this afternoon so we’ll probably have dinner with her. Then I have a few short hours to doze before I have to be picked up for a 6.30 flight. I have booked Shuttle Direct and
I’m guessing pick- up will be 3.30…how stupid was I to book this flight!! Off for coffee. Will write again soon.
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On the road again

Here I go again, not that there’s much to say really but I need to get back into the habit of recording the life and times of an elderly adventurer…so, I’ve poured myself a glass of wine, sat myself down and started to rattle around thoughts…finding that thus far there isn’t a lot to rattle except the comfort of being back somewhere so familiar and easy. But back to the beginning:

The flight was an absolute breeze…best one ever with an empty seat next to me on both legs…couldn’t ask for more really. Jet lag was non-existent and life just proceeded without much of a blip except I have the mandatory post flight cold but so far even that isn’t exceptional. Chris met me at the airport and we went to a restaurant by the sea and partook of wine and nibbles (calamari and octopus). Thats about all it takes to feel as if you’ve never left. We came home, drank some more wine and had a good nights sleep.

Yesterday we started with the morning coffee…honestly as I keep saying cheap wine and coffee will keep me happy every time. Then i went off to do some chores like get my Italian phone back on line, buy some reading glasses and other small things all of which entailed a lot of walking around Rome and absorbing the city. I came back to have lunch with Chris before she went off to work, then I went out again and got my hair cut, watched the world go by in Piazza Navona, wandered a bit more and came home.

Today is Friday and I took myself off this morning to go back to Monti where I stayed last time and had such fond memories of. Sadly Monti has just about out cooled itself. My coffee shop was transformed into a mecca for tourists and charged accordingly. My Gelati shop (do you remember me raving about the pear and ricotta gelato that was to die for???) had been taken over and was selling mass produced crap. My ravioli shop was still there thank god, and I had lunch there…that was lovely. I bought a serve of take-away ravioli to bring back for Chris but the sauce oozed out on the way home so it won’t be much good!! Then I walked home from Monti slowly, stopping and watching the world go by at regular intervals.

I have a treat in store tomorrow…I’ve finally been able to book myself into Livia and Augustus’ Houses on the Palatine. I’ve been badly wanting to do that and was very jealous of Ang and Kirst who went when they were in Rome. So tomorrow I get to finally achieve that wish all being well. Then Chris and I are booked into a 3D exhibition of (and at) the Ara Pacis which will be amazing.

Time in Rome is speeding by and Germany awaits. This will be new territory and probably more interesting stories to tell. Not to say that Rome isn’t interesting, it’s just so….well…. comfortable (that word again) these days!!!