Day Trippin'

I feel like in the last couple of weeks the only thing I have to comment on is the weekend. I blame it mostly on the German class. David actually dropped out of the class and then on Monday, he showed up just in time for class. I laughed because I almost didn't go. It would have been ironic if the guy who had complained most bitterly (but felt guilty) wound up sitting in class by himself. I would have been at home wondering what in the heck happened to David. After this drama, we decided to preserve our sanity and our clear conscience and just leave class at break. The class runs for 1.5 hours and then we have a 15 min break and return for the last 45 minutes, which is largely review and no one is really paying any attention anyway. Maybe this last bit is to allay my guilt, but whatever. We are still learning German and doing our best to stay sane.

So, as I was saying, not much exciting happens during the week. BUT! The weekends are always fun. Friday night we ate at an excellent Afghani restaurant near Hamburg University. The food was tasty and the owners/waiters were so nice. Stella was invited, too, which is very cool. The waiter said she is ALWAYS welcome. One (other) nice thing about Hamburg is that waiters and waitresses always offer to bring water for your dog.

The next day, we went to the market where I get to practice my paltry German. "Ich moechte zwei tomaten, bitte." Maybe this German class isn't all bad - I can carry on baby conversations. For instance, last weekend, two little boys threw the ball for Stella and we were able to converse - "how are you? where are you from? what's your name?" That's really as far as it goes with kids, but it helps to practice. When it was time to go, I said "I have to go home." They both mimicked me "I have to go home?" Funny.

After the market we headed downtown to pick up train tickets for a day trip we wanted to take on Sunday. As it happened, we stumbled on a gay pride parade. So fun! We were surrounded by elaborate floats bursting with techno and baby-smooth men gyrating and throwing condoms at the onlookers. Guys wasted on X were lolling over the side of the floats trying to touch and be touched. The best was the float with the older gay guys. The music was still bumping, but they weren't doing too much - just sort of sedately smoking cigarettes and sipping cocktails.



The rest of the day we spent just poking around town eating French fries and riding the ferry up and down the Elbe river. I can really get used to this weekend thing. Good riddance grad school.

7 foot drag queen (Not at the gay pride fest):




This morning we got up and took the train to an old town about 70 miles from here (Celle). There was a schloss (castle) a really old, formerly Catholic, now Lutheran church (what church around here isn't), and A MEXICAN RESTAURANT. We had to try it. With exceedingly low expectations we both ordered enchilada style vegetarian burritos. The weird thing was, they were actually pretty good. Not great. Certainly not great Mexican food. But pretty good. The veggies were fresh, the enchilada sauce was tangy and the tortillas were soft. I really couldn't complain.

Here are a couple of photos from the town:





We relaxed on the train ride home with a couple of beers from the station kiosk and watched a couple sitting across from us make out. I mean right across from us. The seats are set up so that two pairs of seats face one another and there really isn't anywhere else to look. It was weird. David took a nap. In fact, David is taking a nap now.

Another week, another euro.

I still love Hamburg!

As an aside: I'd like to recommend an excellent book about the allied bombings in Hamburg: The End by Hans Erich Nossack. It's just 63 pages long and it is artistic, horrifying and excellent. It's written from the perspective of a Hamburgian who watched the bombing and subsequent firestorm from across the river. Really, pick it up if you can.