Trains and castles

There is nothing quite like a train journey to bring a family together. Well, at least for our family. Josh is still in love with catching public transport: when will the doors open, can I press the door buttons, how long do we wait for the next train, where does this train go to, which stop are we getting off at, how many stops is that, can I press the lift buttons? There are so many questions to be answered! Answer them!!!

Extreme concentration (Josh) vs hilarity (Lewis).

I bought a bike trailer on eBay located a convenient 2h drive away. Hey! We got a great deal! And it was in a direction hadn't really been before. Unfortunately it wasn't a very scenic route and the road wasn't up to Germany's usual standards. Poor Ben had to slow down 130! The seller was lovely though and told us about a medieval festival at the castle in nearby Marburg.

Lunch!

I hope the sign always just said "Trinkwasser" and the "Nicht" is not missing.

Ye olde gun display. 

"So if the King and Queen see people coming that want to steal from them they will use the killing things?" Oh man... I need history lesson tips for kids ASAP!

The view! "It's good the King and Queen built their castle up so high. Why did the people want to steal their things anyway?"

Bend it like Beckham, Building a laundry and Bubbles

Josh was in desperate need of a haircut, but I wasn't too confident in explaining what I wanted. So I took a picture of the Beckhams. Yep, that's pretty much the pose Joshi. We'll make a soccer star/model out of you yet!

Next on the list for home making was the laundry. We are so lucky to have such wonderful helpers.

I'm not sure it will fit...

And now to unpack and dispose of more cardboard boxes!

We've been here over 2 months and we STILL haven't been inside Köln's most famous landmark, the Dom. So we decided we would tick that one off the list. But there were bubbles. 

And a water play area with stepping stones. 

And lunch.

And tiles to lick???

We WILL make it to the Dom at some stage, promise!!

Josh's first day of kinder, again!

Children in Germany usually don't start school until they are 6, and the school year starts in August, so Josh gets another year of Kindergarten! Lucky him! Hopefully it will remain a challenge for him, especially as it is a bilingual kinder. I'm sure he'll be fluent before me, if his constant and consistent correction of how to pronounce "Ana" from Frozen is anything to go by!

Onward and upward, German style.

The walk/ride/scoot to kinder past the sports arena (right) and school (left).

Happy birthday Lewis!!

I cannot believe our beautiful boy is 1. This year has definitely gone super fast. He is such a joy and a keen explorer! Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

(Ben: Please insert good photos from good camera here!)

Still getting settled...

So I guess moving house kind of takes it out of you. So much so, you don't really do much else, let alone write blogs about it! But we are here, and still exploring, just maybe not quite as much as previously!

Empty living room

Full living room

Hot days = blow up pool at 8am.

Waving to the rubbish collectors is an International activity.

Empty kitchen

Full kitchen

Kitchen in progress

Kitchen!

And far too many days later... Fridge!

Feeling settled?

A question we get a lot...I'll let the pictures do the talking as I'm too stuffed from moving today! 

I got a firm "tsk tsk" from the parking officer for blocking the footpath for the kids! 

It was like an annoying kind of Christmas to open all our stuff again after its boat ride over here. "Oh yay! Look! It's all of our mismatched Tupperware with missing lids!"

 

Germans like to take their kitchens with them when they move so it's off to IKEA for us. In the meantime we have this tidy pile of kitchen items. 

Somebody found something in the unpack.

 

Anyone seen our linen or a clean change of clothes?

Fridge shopping

An uneventful visit to the local dodgy brothers fridge shop was not totally in vain as we stumbled across an awesome furniture store...with the most awesome slide ever! 

Just can't let these pics go to waste

A few weeks ago we met Paul, Mieken and family at the Rheinpark for a play and dinner. The sun was out, so the rest of Germany was there too. Parking was a bit of a hassle! 

But the skipping, oh the skipping!!

IKEA and Bonn

With the decision finally, finally, FINALLY made on where to live, we made the obligatory trek to IKEA to scout out kitchen designs. But not before a cafe play. 2nd lunch of meatballs and Apfelschorle anyone?

It certainly has been a busy week for the Irwins; we bought a car too! Name is still to be confirmed (Beatrix or Bixby?), but he is quite at home cruising along the Autobahn at 150km/h. Ben seems pretty happy too...

Bonn is famous for being the birthplace of Beethoven, so we thought it fitting to dine like the great man himself at the "Em Höttche" Brauhaus. I wonder if Beethoven loved the Reibekuchen (potato pancake) as much as me??

"They speak Bonn here so I don't understand them."

The Brauhaus has been on this site in the Marktplatz since 1389. As I was reliably informed by Josh, "That's even older than you Mummy". Hhhmmm... I had always been in awe of Europe's history, but my enthusiasm is starting wane a little! The Old City Hall (Stadthaus) next door was pretty cool too!

Unfortunately the weather (and Josh) was not on our side, so our exploration of the city only included the Stadtgarten, University and the Rhine. With not many pictures to prove it.

When in doubt, "Ice cream... Is guna save the day!"

And of course, "Let it go, let it go..."

Schokoladenmuseum

The much anticipated trip to the chocolate museum was finally on! 

"So what's this stuff then, Mum?"

Mmmmmm chocolate..!

A nice lady constantly dunked wafers into the chocolate fountain and handed them out. Josh didn't quite get the concept and seemed happy with one serving. We knew better though and went back for seconds (or thirds). Josh's eyes lit up, "Can I have some more too?"

The robot that moved the chocolates around was super entertaining. 

And here's Lew...