The sun came out

Finally it is sunny in Germany!   So, we are out and about!!!

Thursday was actually kind of cold, so we went to the local history museum to learn all about Neanderthals, and cave man times, and Roman occupation.  The museum was very classy, but had a super fun kids area that focused on cave-man life.  There were clothes to try on, spears to throw, and a giant play table to pretend to hunt.

Roman times

This cave man home really made us remember the ger’s in Mongolia.  I was informed, by the kind English speaking docent, that they were quite permanent though and, hence, different.  He was quite keen to answer any of my questions; I think he was excited to speak English.

Zoe the cave girl

Avi was mammoth focused

Avi’s attempt at throwing a spear (an atlatl).  There is that nice docent using his English to help Avi throw the spear.

Roman boy

The kids and I took a local bus out to a big forest park called Waldau on Friday.  The highlight was a giant playground, and it seemed all the locals were there with the same idea.  All the stores and even most restaurants were closed Friday for good Friday.  The kids played and romped in the playground for hours, and there were, thankfully, enough other kids to let them have fun apart.  I think they are getting tired of being together 24/7…. fighting and arguing.  So, Zoe found a pack of girls to pal around with for a while and Avi played with another boy at the sand-dumper for a long time. 

Here are the kids scooting around the nearly empty platz while we waited for our bus.  No joke – a group of Koreans came by and took the kids’ pictures!  It’s like I’m a magnet.  Made me homesick. 

 
 

Eventually, Zoe noticed some goings-on over the fence and crawled over to join other kids making forts and shelters with some recently felled huge pine trees.  She was so focused and spent a long time on this shelter, only asking me to help her carry some of the larger logs.  It was fun to see her in her element.

she had her lunchy lunch in there, as well.

After that we ate our packed lunch and wandered over to the forest animals enclosure.   Well, we attempted to go over there.  Avi had a complete tired-man breakdown over this.  He did not want to walk, his feet “hurt”, his legs were ‘bung’, all of it.  He even sat on the trail and screamed!  The Germans were kind of in awe, I’m sure.  It was a fantastical performance, and when we finally got to the not-far wild boars he thought they were super cool.  There were even stripey little babies!  The bus ride home was nice and relaxing, and we all took a long nappy nap.

It’s best to just let the freak out run it’s natural course.  And, attempting to keep my cool, I chose to snap a picture.

There is an adorable baby boar just behind that wooden pole, but this is the only shot I got.

On Saturday,  we took a walk to the big local toy store.  4 floors of toy gloriousness.  I gave each kid 5 Euro to spend, and they took an hour to explore every nook and cranny and make a choice.  Zoe picked a playmobil girl with kitties.  Avi chose a cool matchbox-style city tram like the ones we’ve been riding.

I’ve been taking a daily picture of Bethany’s street.  Today the flowers starting popping on the trees! 

The big toy store

He couldn’t contain himself on the walk home!

In the afternoon, after the rain dissipated, Walter drove us all to a super neat living-history museum.  It was laid out like tiny villages with real old homes to walk around and explore.  The oldest was from around 1400!  The villages represented different Rhineland regional styles and walking between them, through the forest felt like going around the deep dark woods of a Grimm tale. I loved examining the fireplaces, while the kids liked just running around the place and seeing chickens and horses and pigs.  It was so enjoyable!  A bit cold, but sunny and nice. It was also a fun time to hang out with Walter and Bethany!

this is a traditional picture of German kids heading to school – the cone is full of back to school gifts.

such a good picture! right!?

awww.

The villages were adorable!

Avi wanted a pic by the chickens

Ahhhh, thank you sun for coming to Germany!

So, I’m obsessed with old fireplaces

there were two windmills.

Other than that, we’ve been enjoying the local playground and had a fun German food evening out at a local restaurant downtown.  Bethany lives in the Altstadt – the old town – near the old walking-only streets full of shops and restaurants and the outdoor markets.  It’s lovely.

downtown.

yummy Eis Café!
Zoe’s tree at the playground.  I soooo hope to find a home with a tree at some point before she grows out of her love for climbing them!

Flowers at the market.  My friend Erin (from Tucson when Zoe was a baby!) let us borrow her girls’ scooters for the week.

recycle time!

Flowers are coming! This is Bethany’s place on the left.

The local Playground was busy on the Monday after easter.

The restaurant adjacent the Bonn Rathaus (city hall-ish) was delicious. 
 
This was last week, during the torrential winds and hail of a severe weather warning…looking out Bethany’s balcony window. Glad that is over!
 
 
 

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