Tuesday, July 24, 2007

We Did!


Enjoy the weekend in Hannover, that is!

The train ride going was longer because we had to take 3 different trains to get from Amsterdam to Hannover, due to construction on the train tracks over the weekend. Coming back yesterday on Monday was a direct, faster ride.

How wonderful to be with Uschi and Wolfgang again (our previous landlords), like picking up from where we last left off!


Sunday evening we ate dinner at the nearby Biergarten that was always our favorite for a plate loaded with ribs. Uschi remembered that, so that's where we went.


Then back at their apartment (they live beneath the attic apartment that was ours for 2 years, remember?), we yakkity-yakked about Australia. They just recently spent 6 weeks there with a tour group. We'll be there next April for 2 weeks, so we wanted to get the low-down from them. And we did, including my chance to try on Wolfgang's hat for size! (I LOVE those Aussie hats!) :)

Then Donica went to her hotel while I stayed on with U&W, looking at more Australian pics on Uschi's computer monitor before spending the night.


In the morning, after a hearty breakfast, Uschi and I went for a walk. I told her I wanted to go to the cemetery to visit her mom and other relatives who have passed.


Uschi's mom, Mimmi, died in 2003. Her dad, Fritz, was killed in WWII, after which her mom never remarried.
Uschi explained the icons on the gravestone: the asterisk indicates birth; the cross indicates death. If the death happened in the war, there's a totally different icon, as you see above. Fritz died a couple months before I was born and 6 years after Uschi was born.


Just before I left U&W's, I noticed a new "toy" in one of her planters outside. That's one of Uschi's creative channels--adding little touches here and there around the apartments!

What a refreshing time to be with old friends!

And then I was on my way to meet up with Christina at the Hauptbahnhof (train station), "under the tail," where we were off for our obligatory latte macchiato and lunch. Another long session of yakkity-yakking, but this time without photos. Picking up from where we last left off. Even got to see her oldest son again!

Then Donica was there, meeting us at the hauptbahnhof before we were off to A'dam shortly after 2p. Home by 7p. In bed by 10:30p.

Yes, we did! We totally enjoyed our wonderful weekend!

15 comments:

  1. Great!!!! :) and her toy is so cute amidst all that green. Like the way u explained the signs on the gravestone too :)
    Continue to have a great time, Ginnie. Away form home, friends are family and no one knows that better than moi :)

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  2. Isn't it great to have friends all over the place? I love reading about these reunion and it sure looks like you had a fabulous time!

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  3. It does sound like you're having a great time with many friends. Go to it!

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  4. You two look so cute in the hat picture! I envy your energy, wow.
    Did you always love to travel and actually do it so much, or just long for the days when you could?

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  5. I knew you'd have a great time - wonderful to have that confirmed! Will they be coming to visit the two of you?

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  6. As usual, it was a joy to see you and I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity to meet Donica. I'm sure Uschi and Wolfgang had missed you too!

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  7. Moi: Yes, of all people, you would know about "family" away from home. Thanks.

    CS: We did, and one of these days it'll be YOUR turn!

    Tim: And to think that many of these new friends, like Christina, are from blogging!

    Susan: I have always loved traveling, yes! I actually have done a lot of it throughout my life. No wonder! I have two good planets in my house of long-distance travel (natal chart), which pretty much explains it all! :)

    Judy: Yes, Judy. All three of them plan to visit us some time in A'dam! Won't that be fun. :) Maybe one day it'll be YOU!

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  8. Christina: We did it again. We clicked the buttons at the same time...so I missed your comment till after I sent mine. I love how you and I seem to have that ESP with each other's timing. And yes, we did have such a great time again.

    I'm so glad you had those few minutes with Donica, and she with you. After all these meet-ups! Finally.

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  9. Another lovely weekend, it must be so nice to visit old friends after a long absence. And meeting a fellow blogger... even more fun.

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  10. Ginnie, you are amazing. Even with the ozzi hat.LOL.

    We are about to pick up some Dutch friends who will arrive with a ship from Denmark 30 minutes from now. EWe better go.

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  11. What a great gathering and great weekend you've had - thanks for sharing with us and so well documented with great pics.
    I do agree with Tor, you looks great in that hat:-)

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  12. Ex-S: It was totally enjoyable! We are so fortunate!

    Tor: Sounds like you're busy as always! Have a great time with your friends, as we did with ours!

    Renny: HA! So you like the hat. So do I. Thanks for stopping by again.

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  13. It is great to reconnect with friends, and you did it in spades. So interesting about the gravestones, the asterisk, etc. Good idea. Do they have a Memorial Day like we do? Maybe different date?

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  14. Ruth: It was wonderful to reconnect, yes! I don't know if they have a day like our Memorial Day, though I would guess so, since they have more holidays than we do. I'll have to check that out!

    Sure hope you're enjoying Ireland right now!

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  15. Sounds like a great weekend, Ginnie! I totally love the pic of you and Donica. So much fun!

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