The kids and I had fun yesterday exploring Neuss.  Got up and walked to the bakery for some fresh pretzles and a donut for Zoe.  I got to practice my, “zwie breatzel bitte” and the bakery guy seemed to understand.  Thank goodness.    Also visited some other stores on a mini tour with Bethany.  It’s such a nice town – people walking around, lots of bike lanes, and a super awesome park system across the street from Bethany’s apartment.  Zoe tried her hand at the two wheeler and did pretty well.  Its hard not to be motivated when everyone else is on a bike and the scenery is gorgeous.  Spring flowers are blooming everywhere.  Today there was a jousting medieval fest in town.  It was really fun.  We got to see all kinds of folks dressed in garb, ate some yummy German meat/bun/kraut combo, and saw the joust!  There was a walking lute-playing goat head man and a super fun man-powered carousel that Zoe rode.  She specifically picked out the mermaid-horse.  The joust featured five or six knights all decked out in chain mail and the lot.  First they all showed their feats of strength by stabbing a bag, a fake cow, and some apples; then they jousted each other!  We were sitting on the ground very close and got a great view complete with flinging mud.  Zoe and Avi got sleepy after that so we called it a day.