Doings

This week was my second last week in Germany and it has been freezing. Really, the colder it gets the easier it is to leave. Steffen and I have been packing up the apartment so we have boxes and boxes of wines, documents, you name it. I myself have been packing my bags getting ready for departure. I'd say I'm about 2/3 there but everyday I find something new that I have to take and it's starting to get a bit worrying.
Also this week I made it my mission, as in I won't go until this is done mission, to get some nice pictures of Steffen and I. Since buying my camera tripod I feel I've been cursed with bad weather but finally we had a sunny day so no time was wasted. We went out to the 'white palace' as I call it, even though now it's just apartments, with the tripod and got to work.
We had so much fun using the tripod and since it was so cold we took the bus home instead of riding back and Steffen got dog shit on his bike hehe.
That night we went into Frankfurt with the tripod again to get some nice night pics of the skyline and played with all my camera settings.
We've also gone ice skating but the outside rink wasn't open yet. Steffen's a really good ice skater and I have just seemed to become worse. Still fun though. There was the cutest kinds there, too, one even wore a helmet and one was always falling over then would just jump right up again. I suppose it's easier when you're already so close to the ground.

This morning we woke up really late so we did what you always do when waking up late. We went to the eis cafe for brunch. I had my final After Eight and Steffen had his spaghetti eis.
And tonight we finally had the German pasta I brought in Florence, Italy. Tasted just like pasta.
Anyway, one more week left!!

Mainfest and Camping

Last week Steffen and I joined a few friends to visit the Mainfest which occurred down on the riverside in Frankfurt. It was fun, a bit smaller than I expected though. We went on the flying chairs 3 times (then another time when we went back with Michelle) and another ride called the break dancer which really threw you around. Steffen had to have me almost in a headlock to stop my head from moving so much. I wanted my highland cow beanie for protection.

We rode our bikes home then the next day packed up some clothes and my backpack to go camping at the lake. We took our bikes on the train then rode them to the lake which was about 20 minutes away. We really looked like travellers when Steffen had the back pack with the sleeping bags and tents joined on, it was really fun.
At the camping site we pretty much parked our tent in the middle of a group but it was the only space left. They really didn't know how to take us these 40 year olds but in the end they were louder and up later than us. Here's just some pictures from the lake.

The next day we checked out, brought some chocolate milk and croissants and went for a ride around town while we waited for the train back to Offenbach. The town was just the typical German style town. It had a MaiBaum, which would have been awesome to see all done up.
We also visited the herb garden which had a loud sheep.

I swear from outside the wall it would have sounded like we were hitting it it was so loud.
The train came and we made our way back home in time to pick Michelle up from Frankfurt. There was way too much bike riding on this day but was still fun.

Heating Up

My reason for not blogging for a fair few days is simply that the weather here has just been too good to be inside for a long time. We've been rolling around in the mid to high 20's and it doesn't get completely dark till 10pm. So most days I've been on my bike riding to Frankfurt or up the river in Offenbach. I love how here you can go out on any random sunny day and see something out of the ordinary. Like the other day I was riding along in the park and there was an orchestra in the gazebo. It was so Grandma. Nevertheless I sat down in the sun with my bike and made a good ol' daisy chain while listening.

The day Before Steffen and I had pizza down by the river in Frankfurt again. A few days after that I even got a sunburn from lying in the park for an hour. Marco Steffen and I rode our bikes and razor scooter to the park which is on the way to Frankfurt to play some football which was really fun. Steffen made friends with this powder puff dog which wouldn't stop barking at him while following him.

This is a Bierbike they peddle and give you beer.

From where I ride my bike into Frankfurt along the Main

And this is the two weird boys I hang out with...

Most recently though Lucy, Marco, Steffen and I met up and went to the 'Beach Club' which at first was really weird. It's an area between to ways of water that is built up and is fully sand with sun beds, large beach cushions, deck chairs plus bars with lounge areas and so on. We played beach volleyball and football and just laid in the sun which was perfect. However afterwards the 'sand', if you could call it that, had made my feet completely black. I really can't remember the last time I had such black feet. Felt so dirty. After we went to the Eis Cafe and got large ice creams then came home and Steffen and I watched 500 days of Summer. Besides having to work the morning it was a great day.

Now everything is rainy again.

Lessons Learnt

For the whole first month of being in Deutschland I was sick for about 80% of the time and now I have got it again really bad. I just can't stop coughing, sneezing and everything else that comes with a head cold or whatever this is. I'm actually sorry for my close quarter neighbours that they have to listen to me all day. Anyway, amongst this illness I've been reflecting on my time here since I've officially hit 6 months and Ive decided to do a little list of some things, so here goes:

1. There is no foolproof way to escape getting sick when you live with your sick partner. You will ALWAYS get sick too.
   
2. German locks are messed up. I'll never forget the cold snowy day I spent on the steps outside waiting for Steffen to get because I couldn't unlock the door. Or the day the teachers at school had to spend a few minutes teaching me how to unlock the door.
3. In Frankfurt the pigeons don't move for you. YOU move for the pigeons. This especially
   counts when riding a bike.... Stupid obese pigeons. The same practice goes for some people in H&M as well but we won't go there.
4. If your boyfriend works in a lounge and a football game is on don't count on him being home till that's finished even if the shift finished long beforehand.
   
5. Also I've learnt that if I tell Steffen not to buy something i.e an extremely loud German World Cup Horn, he will just get his best friend to buy it and bring it over later.
6. Always check under the couch when you've lost your wallet. It will save you 2 hours at the police station with a policeman that thinks he's God's gift to the world.
7. Macarons from Frankfurt are like dog poo to the one's in Paris.
8. How childish and unreliable adults can be towards their work commitments really amazes me sometimes. Definitely opposes the environment I grew up in.
9. That the German language sounds its worse when Germans are trying to prove a point or are complaining. Omg, I can't stand it.
10. German hairdressers have a thing for cutting your hair short, Steffi confirmed all my suspicions on that one.
11. Sunday is the worst day in Germany. Nothing is open, everything is dead. I hate it.
    
12. DHL and Deutsch Post are incredibly unreliable.
    
13. Never ride in the bike lane going across the bridge that goes directly into the CBD of Frankfurt. Exchange to the footpath otherwise you will find yourself in the middle of two fast lanes of traffic. I really thought I was going to end that day in hospital.
    
14. I've been fortunate enough to experience and/or witness the 'high-life' on a number of occasions here and I've really learnt that money doesn't make you happy.
    
15. Red wine will always be better than white wine but red champagne is the best, with the slightest exemption for Moet & Chandon.
16. The best full German conversations I've ever had were with old men. First being Steffen's Opa, he's awesome. Second being an old man at Steffs Lounge.
    
17. It always seems really special to see Germans being proud to be German, waving their little flags and all.
18. Toom is the only place to do your grocery shopping in Germany. Don't bother with Aldi, Penny Markt, Tegut, or any other and Rewe is only good for small supplies like Spar in Australia and in France Match is your best bet.
    
19. And most importantly After-Eight (spearmint choc chip) is the best ice cream to buy from an Eis Cafe and Cookie Dough is way better than New York Super Fudge when it comes to Ben & Jerry's.

And here are some pics of my six months to end with.

3 parties 1 night

Last night was so fun. I partied with the most everyday people to the rich peeps of Frankfurt all in one night. Here's how it goes. Steffen and I slept for the most part of Thursday and watched Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen between snoozes. At about 8 we decided it was time to get going so we packed all our warm clothes for the cold scoot drive (I wear my slippers on scoot at night). We began at macca's for dinner then drove back out to Lämmerspiel near the Waitz for the first little get together. In a tiny almost run down apartment we met up with 3 other workers at the Waitz, Jenny, Vans and Katrin. As well as 3 French guys, I forget their names though. Conversation was crazy, there was German, French and English been thrown around, poor Steffen was the worst hit as he was the only one that understood all 3.

A bit after 10 we left and drove to Frankfurt to the Dreikönigskeller (Three Kings Cellar). It was a tiny tiny room underground, Steffi from work had invited me so I think we really made her night by going, she was so happy. She also say's that I am disgustingly young. The crowd ranged from 18 to 50 something with most being 35ish I think and let me tell you, these guys really got into it! The band, Hot Wire, was really good. They played everything from Johnny Cash to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Marco joined us too and overall it was an interesting experience and a whole new scene but I'm glad we went.

Once the band finished we had the intentions of going home as Steffen is sick with the flu (which I know have as well, thanks darling). This didn't happen though. We ended up walking through Frankfurt across the bridges in the freezing cold pushing scoot to end up at Roomers. Roomers is a fancy dancy Design Hotel and bar which has a little party every month. Marco's dad Chino was there as he is the wine supplier so we were asked to join. We really looked 'off the street' compared to some of the crowd but who cares when the drinks are fantastic as well as the awesome decor. There was something about their almonds too because they were the best I'd ever had. We only spent a short time at Roomers though and on the way home we ended where we had started. Steffen and I walked through the Macca's drive-thru for our Magnum Mcflurry's while making car noises then off to bed it was.

Overall it was a great, extremely tiring night and today we both woke up around 12 sicker than before but it's alll ok, the 5 day weekend goes on.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt isn't near as cool as Berlin, or as big. It does have some things going for it though and the warmer it gets the better Frankfurt gets. Frankfurt is about 10-15minutes scooter drive away from the older-than-my-countries-government-apartment. My first Frankfurter experience was on my first day here in Germany. Steffen and I went there on Scoot and it was about -10°C.. never again. This trip was for the Christmas markets which I ended up going to about 3 or 4 times. First impressions were that it was simply nice, I fell in love with going over the river on the bridges (it felt very European), and incredible old buildings. However this bland bank boriness was felt. The Christmas markets were fun with alot going on. My heiß schokolade went from hot to cold in a matter of minutes which was a bit of a worry. Hence for all of winter I wasn't a Frankfurt fan.

Frankfurt today is a better place. Now Steffen and I go there for walks along the river at night, chase rabbits in the city park, shop shop shop, look at amazing furniture/decor stores where the stock is a few euros too much for us but its all fun anyway. The city also has some very nice resturants and bars. Soon we'll start having dinners along the river on the grass with the many other Frankfurters which I'm very excited for. And I still love going over those bridges..