london

after 2 full days in geneva (sleeping in france at chris and jeanette's place) we've arrived in london. got all day saturday to look around. needing to rest after 2 months of travelling and about to do the long haul back to melbourne.

Munich

A last crazy day in Germany with Leo (Hardy's former housemate and now very funny 6th child of 8, working in a pharmacy which he gave us a tour of!), Hardy and Claudi and Josi (Claudi's maid of honour). We had a very funny lunch in a typical German beer hall, lots of cabbage and silliness.

The other photo... it's a bit hard to explain. :-)

Memories of Germany

Left to right: Bri, Leo, Jane, Claudi, Ebi, Hardy, Luke.

Bri and Ebi were my host parents when I (Jane) did a school exchange in Bavaria in 1997. It was so lovely to see them, their house (built 1729!), the school I went to and introduce them to Luke and Luke to them! The lovely thing about visiting a place is that memories I had forgotten came back. Sights, smells, sensations... having knoedel (dumplings) and bretzel (bread that looks like a pretzel). A real delight to visit. Also lovely to spend an evening chatting with Bri and Ebi - reminded me of many chats back in '97 about so many different topics.

We spent some time with Leo and his family too... more to come...

The little village of Neubeuern, where Hannah (the other Aussie who went on the exchange) and I spent many hours eating cheese and chocolate during spares because subjects in German were too hard... and the school (castle) in the background.

why we feel cold here

even the trees are freezing!!! (autobahn, Germany)

hanging with gunter and karin

After a lovely day in Erfurt with Gunter and Karin, we stopped at this very old pub for a snack before going to Hardy and Claudi's for tea.

Very old, great grub, much more interesting food than Aussie pubs. And lovely company.

luther the student

We learnt lots about Luther on visits to Wittenberg and Erfurt. It's a mixed history, interesting to see Luther's world.

Here's a photo of the cloister he lived in in Erfurt for about 4-5 years before he got sent to Wittenberg (think his theology was a bit unpopular with his teachers). He did some training first, as a guest, checking out what life would be like to be a monk, then was a novice for a year and one day. Novices were given a bible for their time but had to give it back when they became monks (!). But Luther seems to have spent lots of time in the library reading one.

Hanging with Hardy's family & visiting Wittenberg

The bronze door inscribed with Luther's 95 theses he posted on the previous wooden door of this church in Wittenberg.

Luke enjoying a typical German feast inside where it's warm in Wittenberg, with the church Luther preached in a lot outside with the snow.

The lovely Claudi Stefani - Hardy's sister (not his wife) "meeting" the little soccer player in Jane's tummy.

janey enjoying German breakfast

I wish it were all for me! but couldn't fit it in...

Lovely breakfast spread at Gunter and Karin's house (Hardy's parents). In Karin's words they 'celebrate breakfast' over the weekend, and also on this day with us! :-) lovely!