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Saturday 8 October 2011

Some Final Words and Nice to be back to my Widescreen Monitor.

It was a wonderful six months living in Timmerlah and Braunschweig, a visit I shall never forget and which I hope to repeat in 2012.  I enjoyed the opportunity to live an ordinary life in another country, and  best of all, the chance to sing in German with a German choir, and to walk with Monika's lovely group and to enjoy the beauty of the Elm Forest.  My visit to Dresden and listening to some Bach in the Frauenkirche and the coach tour of the Essen industrial area were another two highlights.  I visited Leipzig and paid homage to JS Bach at his tomb in the Thomaskirche, I could not believe I was there, and came the closest I have ever been to the great composer.  I enjoyed watching the changing seasons from the windows of my flat,  from where I could see a distant "Brocken."  The daily trains passed by, the crops grew and the windmills on the hilltop generated non stop energy.   Elderly ladies with no English spoke their friendly German to me at the bus stops when  I travelled on the buses and the trams.  I enjoyed every moment, and look forward to  my return to Timmerlah at the end of April 2012.  

The photo above shows my two pcs, the little netbook with the tiny screen that served me so well for the six months and my 21in Dell monitor.  It is so nice not to have to peer intently at a tiny screen anymore, and I can now use my German keyboard again, it's nice to have my:  äää ööö üüü ßßß, umlauts and essets back.  Well that is it!  I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog and "watch this space."   After a short break I will start a "Devizes Diary, the tales of a would be writer."  Me!  My final word is,  "Aufwiedersehen. "

Friday 7 October 2011

Timmerlah to Devizes, via Hannover and Southampton.

My distant Executive Jet awaits me!   No not really!  I travelled back on the Fybe "Bombadier Dash 1"  below, complete with propellers, and I do like a good pair of propellers.  I'd earlier caught the 08.28 bus from Timmerlah and had a bit of luck, because the M5 tram to the station was, uncharacteristically, running five minutes late.  I managed to arrive at Braunschweig station with 20 minutes to spare instead of the ten minute dash to the platform I had expected.  My legs do not like to dash anymore.   After an uneventful journey to the airport, the flight was delayed by a technical fault on the incoming plane, so we left 30  minutes late.  With the wind behind us we managed to land only 20 minutes late at Southampton.  

I am pleased to be back to my evening social life in Devizes, and at the moment, the English spiders seem to be smaller than their German counterparts.  Tomorrow I shall finish this blog by mentioning all the most memorable highlights of my wonderful stay in Timmerlah and Braunschweig.  I look forward to my return in April 2012.  Good night, sleep tight, I am weary, back tomorrow!


Thursday 6 October 2011

Almost Full Circle.

Today I battled with the vacuum cleaner, which has  a terrifying suction akin to a "Black Hole" in space.  I dusted every surface know to mankind, cleaned the kitchen units,  and blitzed the bathroom.  At 11am  I stopped for a cuppa, because too  much housework is not good for my constitution.   On and off throughout the day I have been sprucing up the place, and the flat now sparkles.  My suitcase is packed  ready for my departure, (I think I have less than I came with,) and tomorrow I catch the 08.28 bus to the railway station.  The plane leaves Hannover at 13.35 CET and I should arrive in Southampton at 14.30 GMT, so, with a bit of luck,  I could be back in Devizes by 17.15.

The fields outside my windows have been ploughed, and yesterday the seed spreaders were out  sowing this winter's crop.  There is a symmetary about my stay, for when  I arrived, I watched the scarsely visible crops grow and be finally gathered only last week.  Now a new cycle has begun and I am sad to leave, although I don't like the dark evenings and I can do without German saucer sized spiders.  I do wish I could learn to love the little creatures, but apparently arachnophobia is in the genes, so I'll blame my parents!   Back tomorrow with news of the return journey and stories of anything else that happens to unfold before my very  eyes.  Gute Nacht, schlaf gut!

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Photos from Last Night's DEG Party.

Last night, once again,  we all said "Aufwiedersehen" until 2012 to one another.  The party  with the German/English Association was a lively affair, with a good singer and pianist who kept us entertained with English songs during the evening.  The photo shows from left Treve, the DEG Chairman in BS, receiving a present of Bath glass from Don, the Chairman of the Bath Twinning group,  with, standing centre, his wife Lyn.  Also at our party were members of the Bath Petanque group who have been in BS playing their counterparts here.  It was a lovely evening, and we all enjoyed the refreshments so generously donated by members of the DEG. 

The photo below shows the singer entertaining us all, and the lowest photo the church hall, where the party was held.   It opened only recently, and is one of those functionally designed modern buildings, that the Germans are so good at constructing.  The interior was a colourful orange, blue and cream  with all the necessary construction nuts and bolts used as decorative features.  I like the overhanging eaves, functional for protecting the entrance from heavy snow.

Tonight two close friends visit to drink beer and say yet another "Aufwiedersehen."  I must shop today for drink and snacks and yet more tissues for my tears of farewell!

Tuesday 4 October 2011

We all said, "Aufwiedersehen." Boo hoo!

I'm just back from a party with the Twinners and Petanque players from Bath and the DEG members in Braunschweig.  It's too late to upload the photos now, so I will do a write up tomorrow.   "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"

Monday 3 October 2011

Petanque in the Park

Today was nice and quiet, just what I needed after four days of non-stop sightseeing, eating and slow wandering.  We met this morning at the Patanque Park in Kralenriede and watched a group  of players from Bath  play  their counterparts from BS.  Petanque is a popular game on the continent, and apparently it is catching on in the UK.  We spent two hours in the park and enjoyed some nice cups of tea and coffee.   A couple of us decided to have some time to ourselves, so Dorothea gave us a lift into BS, where Bill went his way and I went mine.  I sat in the sun outside the cathedral and then made my way back to Timmerlah and yet more tea and catching up on email writing. 

On Tuesday evening we have our final goodbye party.  The Twinning and  Petanque Groups meet the DEG (German/English Association) for an evening's celebration of the 40 year friendship between the two cities.   I've started packing, and believe it or not, I will go home with fewer pairs of shoes than I came with.  I have worn out two pairs   of  walking shoes since I've been here.  The bottom photo shows another lion supporting one of the benches outside the cathedral.   They make very useful foot rests when sitting and pondering the meaning of life.