Storm Clouds and Shopping for Cheese, (again)

Here's another panoramic view from my lounge window, from where I can enjoy a vast expanse of sky and weather.   This storm passed by Timmerlah, but several other villages suffered some damage with uprooted trees.  A sudden, huge wind  picked up,  which  blew the  cards off my desk and forced me to shut the windows.  It was a very dramatic and exciting hour.  Fortunately the thunder and lightning stayed well in the distance.

Today was quiet after my late night attempting to play Boules.   I needed rolls and cheese and had run out of hair spray, so I was forced to go shopping.  The day was cooler, Wednesday's temperature was around 24c. so today I was able to walk to Weststadt but returned on the bus.  My senior bus pass has made me a tad lazy, but I had two bags of heavy shopping, (mostly smelly cheese and fruit juice) so I couldn't walk back.

I couple of days ago I bought a packet of my favourite really smelly Swiss cheese.  I opened the packet at the bus stop and ate a slice.  Of course the packaging was then unsealed, and when I got on the bus,  I'm sure everyone wondered where the strong smell was coming from.   I kept a low profile and pretended it wasn't me.

Marienborn Photos and Playing Boules in Wolfenbuettel.

 Three more photos from Tuesday's visit to the Border Museum.  The photo right shows sculptured hands, celebrating the uniting of  East and West Germany in 1990.  The photos below show more views of the crossing.  The crossing is now on the A2 Autobahn, the busiest and most dangerous Autobahn in Germany.  It is the direct route from Eastern Europe to the Western sea ports on the French and Belgium coasts.  I would not like to drive on this motorway, it is nerve wracking!  

Tonight I played Boules for the first time.  I went with my friend Barbara to her French/German group in Wolfenbuettel.  They play the game regularly and end the evening with a splendid buffet meal.  I drank only one beer unfortunately!   I am not sure it is my game, the throwing of 800g  silver coloured balls at a tiny 3cm green coloured wooden ball, a "Cochonnet" in French but Schweinchen (piglet) in German.  I got the hang of it, and managed to get close to the Schweinchen on a couple of occasions, but was either too heavy and the ball shot off the end of the pitch, or the throw was not heavy enough and the ball fell 2ft from my feet.   When rain threatened we went straight indoors and started eating and drinking,  it was a great evening.

Marienborn Border Crossing near Helmstedt.

I had a really interesting day today, thankfully in warm sunny weather, the sun showed her face again  this afternoon after the three dismal days.  It was J & G's wedding anniversary, so we paid a visit to this old border crossing and museum and I bought the lunch.  It dawned on me mid afternoon, that I must have travelled through this checkpoint in my student days when I visited Moscow way back in 1963.  Nine of us drove from London by minibus, over the channel, through France and Holland and then across Germany to Berlin, and onto Warsaw, Minsk, Smolensk and Moscow.  I had been this way before but I have no recollection of the place, although  I do remember crossing  "Check Point Charlie" in Berlin.   The photo left shows a look-out tower and the two photos below a view of the border offices and check points.  I'll write more tomorrow and add more photos.   Wandering is very tiring and I need more tea and an early night.  

A Very Damp Monday and Egg and Chips.

Today was the third consecutive day of really dreary, cold weather, the worst since I arrived in May.  I went to the two English groups this morning and was really glad to get back home after lunch.  The flowers are here for a bit of cheer, I took the photo in early June and they are part of a display outside the Theatre.

 The photo below shows the  "Gewandhaus" the old Cloth Traders Hall in Braunschweig.  Its facade is in the style of the Flemish Renaissance and was added to a much older building in 1592.  A wine cellar was opened here in 1352.  It is a very splendid building and the ground floor is now a restaurant.

I had to go food shopping again today, and came home with a bag of chips, the first I have bought since I arrived.  Tonight I cooked a plate of egg and chips, delicious but without brown sauce, I don't seem to be able to buy it here.

Tomorrow I visit Helmstadt, Marienborn and the "Border Museum" on the site of a former DDR border crossing.  A section of the border fencing can still be seen.  More news and photographs tomorrow, which should be a sunnier and warmer day.

A very Wet Sunday with Bach and Cups of Tea.

Netbook, Bach and a cup of tea.

The weather today was awful, with a fine, windy drizzle that made me feel as if I wanted to stay in bed all day.  The week had been a busy, so today was a "Take it easy day" with emails to write, books to read, the music of Bach to listen to and some interesting programmes on the tv about the last war but no Men's final from Wimbledon.  There was no coverage of any  tennis on any channel here, not even coverage when German players were playing.  I was a bit disappointed to say the least. 

At 4.30pm I started to develop "Cabin Fever" so caught the bus and tram to the main station in Braunschweig to find some information about day trips on the train.  Braunschweig was very close to the old border between East and West Germany and in Helmstadt, which was on the border, I've found that there is a "Border Museum" and a stretch of the old border you can visit.   I'll take a trip there one day when it stops raining and the sun shines. 

Braunschweig University's Open Day.

I had an interesting day, but it was a shame about the weather, it was really cold with drizzle and high winds for most of the day.  The University has an open day every year and all the departments advertise their work and research.  I meet Janet and Guenter on the Campus, and we visited the lecture hall to watch a competition for young people who had to design, using limited resources,  a piece of original aparatus for something or other!!    We aren't not sure what the photo left shows, but it involved water and gravity and was very amusing.   The photo below shows the central campus mid afternoon with a display of Spanish dancing, the music was great.  A jazz band had performed earlier, and it was a real shame the weather was so bad.

The three of us later had a taster Italian class with an energetic Italian lady from Milan, who gave us an introduction to the language.  We all struggled to understand the most basic of vocabulary, but managed eventually to introduce ourselves with our name, our country of origin, where we lived in BS and what we did for a living.   The three of us are busy pensioners.   We all enjoyed a big piece of pizza for lunch and later went back to Janet's place and watched the ladies tennis final from Wimbledon.   I was glad Petra Kvitova won, it is nice when a newcomer wins the tournament.

More Bach and the Thomaskirche.

At choir on Thursday evening we practised "Den Herren will ich loben",  I want to Praise My Lord" with music by Bach, photo left.   It is wonderful to sing in German with a German choir, who pronounce the words correctly!   I think this chorale comes from the "St Matthew Passion,"  although Bach had to write so much music for every service, that this theme runs through several of his chorales.  I love singing this music, it has a simple theme, but when sung in four parts the harmonies are lovely, and certain notes are sustained.   The photo below shows the interior of the Thomaskirche, a view of the high altar with Bach's tomb in the foreground.  The bottom photo shows the organ loft.  This is not the original organ Bach would have played, but I can imagine him sitting there playing and composing.  I wonder what he was like as a man?   I would like to have met him, and Mozart too.

High Altar with Bach's Tombstone.