Jetzt geht's los!

The bad blogger that I've been...by popular demand (you know who you are) I bring you: A new post.

I've spent the last week in the bosom of my Braunschweiger Family with my lovely sister, her brother the footballer, mother the detective and chef extrordinaire, father the auto export, and the dog. Who chews on fingers.

I've been shopping, in Braunschweig, in Hannover. I have a cell phone; or rather, I now have a number and an account with which to utilize the Handy (as they are called here--for some reason, they think this is English) my brother bought in China. Plus side is, the chinese characters on the buttons look cool. Downside is, they confuse the bijeezus out of anyone trying to text message and I have't yet figured out how to put the thing into German.

I've been for ice cream. Ye former Baskin Robbins employees, ye connoisseurs of glacier's, bova's, Cold Stone, Ben and Jerry's, Haagen Däsz, hark! (Ye partakers of soft serve, McDonald's ice cream, or anything dispensed by means of a lever, alas! Close your browser window and give up, for there is no hope for ye) The wise (and the Italians) know this secret: gelato. Consistancy smooth, creamy, luxurious, flavors multiple, with or without toppings or add-ons. And at 50 cents a scoop, available on literally every street, a mini trip to Italy can be had by all and going for Ice cream only costs five dollars if you get the mega six-scoop-mini-statue that looks like a better dressed version of a tropical cocktail crossed with a banana split and available in every flavor, fruit, chocolate, truffle, or other version.

I've been running. I have my path through the fields, every morning. I usually miss the rain; some times not. I pick up Brötchen (breakfast rolls) on my way home.

I've played cards. I learned a game which I suspect might be Pinochle but whose name in German in original and particularly in translation is a word I don't generally ever use and which has become politically and otherwise incorrect ever since Dr. King's March on Washington. I've played UNO, the updated version with some fancy thingy with a buzzer which dispenses cards instead of the tried and true Draw Two.

I've gone to dinner, for Greek food. Yummy. I missed Greek food, even though I don't eat Gyros or Suflaki any more, I still enjoy grilled zucchini and aubergine, tzaziki, and greek-style yoghurt with honey. I've also (finally) had a decent supply of bread, honey, and cheese, of which there are here an unlimited variety and in the states come only in one sort: white, in a squeeze bear,and cheddar, respectively.

I've been daytripping, to Hamelin, of pied piper fame. The city has one of the more gorgeous inner city areas I've seen, full of a particular sort of Tudor housing specific to the Wessel river valley. With helpful little rat trails painted on the sidewalk, one can follow the tracks for a very nice guided tour. I've been to Hannover, finally on a sunny day, mostly only for shopping. I've been to a football game, a birthday party for sister of my sister's boyfriend, the unveiling of the new Braunschweiger Palace (facade--the inside will be a giant shopping mall, Wilkommen capitalism), the Bierbörse ((the beer stock exchange--as drinks become more popular, the price increases).

I've been on the search for an appartment in Freiburg, currently with only little success. Mostly because what I want, what's available, what I can afford, and what I'm likely to get are four distinct conditions, separated like hamsters in a pet store. I leave tomorrow to go down there and sort it all out, somehow.

Cheers!